Bonilla Island Lightstation

Bonilla Island, © Jim Wispinsky

Bonilla Island Lightstation

53° 30' N 130° 38' W

Location Bonilla Island is located in Hecate Strait about 50 miles south of Prince Rupert, near the north end of Banks Island. History Constructed in 1960, Bonilla Island was the last lightstation to be established in British Columbia.
Aides to Navigation The main light is housed on a 30-foot fibreglass tower. The rotating lenses focus the light from the 1000-watt bulb into two beams which sweep the horizon continuously. From the sea the light appears to flash every 5 seconds. Tinted red plastic panels in some of the lighthouse windows cause the light to appear red in the direction of nearby rocks.	anemometer, shed, & main light

Weather Reporting
Seven times each day lightkeepers prepare a report of current marine weather conditions. Each report includes information on sky condition, visibility, precipitation, wind speed and direction, wave height, and ocean swell height and direction. This information is transmitted to the Coast Guard Radio Station in Prince Rupert where it is put on the Continuous Marine Broadcast VHF weather channel.

Five of the weather reports each day also contain supplemental aviation weather information about clouds, air temperature and dew point for use by aircraft pilots.

Twice each day from October through May, Bonilla Island Lightstation assists in the MAREP marine weather reporting program. Reports of local weather conditions are collected from fishing boats and ships along the north coast and relayed to the marine weather forecaster at Pacific Weather Centre in Vancouver. Then the latest marine weather forecast is obtained from the forecaster and broadcast to vessels in the area.

Transportation The lightstation is accessible by boat only in calm weather due to the exposed location and rocky shore. Supplies and mail are delivered by Coast Guard helicopters at least once each month. Fuel and other supplies are brought by Coast Guard ships several times per year.
Communication The primary communications link is by radio-telephone through the Coast Guard Radio Station in Prince Rupert. The lightkeepers also monitor several VHF marine radio channels. A cell site in Prince Rupert provides marginal cellular phone reception. Lightkeepers The principal lightkeeper is Harvey Bergen. Click here to send him an e-mail message.

Fog Horn & Radio Room

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