Wayne Sapulski

Americans share a common maritime heritage with our Canadian neighbors, especially along the Great Lakes. Similar to the development of American lighthouses along the shores of the Lakes, the Canadians followed a similar trend of settlement from Lake Ontario over the Niagara escarpment to the shallow reaches of Lake Erie, through Lake St. Clair and then along the shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. In the early days, local commissions governed the establishment and operation of Canadian light stations. The Canadian system was modeled on that of England.

A lighthouse enthusiast exploring the Great Lakes will soon realize there are many treasures to be discovered, tucked away in remote corners of the Lakes. One just has to know where to look. One such treasure is Mohawk (formerly Gull) Island lying within the Canadian waters of Lake Erie, about two miles east of Port Maitland, Ontario. The island is small (barely two acres in size), rocky, almost flat, and generally barren of vegetation. During storms, much of the island is awash.