Opening day 5/19/18 of Seguin Island Light Station brought 12 volunteers in 2 boats. They were there to help start up water, take down storm windows and doors and help Greg Guckenburg and Mary Hillery and their dog Tito to settle in as June and July Keepers. Their dog Tito is a 2 year old Puerto Rican “Sato”, street dog, abandoned after last fall’s hurricanes. Tito has settled into North Atlantic life beautifully except he doesn’t go swimming in Maine as he did in the Caribbean.
Greg and Mary felt right at home coming back to Seguin after being the Summer Keepers in 2013. Mary having been on the Board and the On Island Committee until 2014, when they moved to Massachusetts. They were also the 2015 Summer Keepers at Bakers Island Lighthouse in Salem MA Harbor, when Essex National Heritage Commission was able to open the light station to the public.
It turns out that Bakers and Seguin are intimately connected, not just in maritime history, but
sharing of Keepers and wisdom. Tim Mount and Lynn Macco, Mary and Greg, Bill and Brenda Simmons have all served at both islands. Seguin’s 2017 Keepers Tara and Brian Flanagan will be at Bakers this summer. The big difference between the two islands is the remoteness of Seguin and its 64 wild acres, and Bakers standing at the mouth of a very busy Salem Harbor.
[ Side bar: here is a link to learn about Tara and Brian’s arrival at Baker’s Island –
https://theroadtocruising.com/2018/06/02/arrival-to-bakers-island/]
Only two Seguin visitors this week, on Ethan’s new boat, the Grasshopper. We were just
setting up the museum and store, so Ken Young gave a brief history of the Light Station outside the museum, then the guests were delighted with their climb up the tower.
Visitors on Memorial Day weekend look unlikely based on high seas and winds so Mary and Greg will continue their early summer prepping of the island.
