Haut-fond Prince, FI 2½s 25.3m 20M

Today's lighthouses warn sailors of shoals and dangerous shorelines under all weather conditions. Day and night, rain or shine, these stations stand out from their surroundings with contrasting forms and colours, making their presence known by powerful beacons and foghorns. Many also emit radio or radar signals. These stamps, which illustrate four modern navigational aid stations, complete our 1984-85 series on historic and modern Lighthouses of Canada. This light station is located on a shoal in St. Lawrence River near the mouth of the Saguenay River. The pier supporting the light station is anchored by thousands of tons of rock and cement, with metal pilings driven 10 metres into the riverbed. The structure was built in drydock and towed to its present site. The light is visible for 37 km in clear weather and is assisted by three sets of foghorns in foggy weather. Montreal designer Louis-André Rivard chose an approach that comes naturally to him - that of a sailor - to illustrate the second stamp issue commemorating Lighthouses of Canada. The designs feature four modern lighthouses as viewed from the open sea. The inscriptions reproduced on each stamp are the same as those a sailor might find in studying marine maps and other navigational aid publications, giving details on the lighthouse's beacon. They indicate the light's rhythm, colour, height above sea level, and the distance from which it can be seen. The inscriptions also note the communications equipment available for use in the lighthouses. For example, in the case of the Haut-fond light, the inscriptions convey the following meanings: Fl 2½s: flashes a white light every 2½ seconds; 25.3m: elevation of light in metres above sea level; 20M: visible for 20 nautical miles (37 km) in clear weather.