Homepage | Waddle for a Cause | Lighthouse Restoration – Sambro Island
Standing guard at the entrance to Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada, the Sambro Island Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the Americas. Its white tower with three red bands has guided sailors home since before Canada existed! Built from thick granite and wrapped in wooden shingles to fight the salty sea air, it still flashes its white light every five seconds today. But 250+ years of storms, salt and ice take their toll, and keeping this treasure standing takes care, effort and support.
Why Sambro Island Needs Our Help
The ocean is a tough neighbour. Salt spray soaks the tower, ice cracks the shingles, and storms batter the island. Historic lighthouses across Canada, including Sambro, need ongoing repairs to survive. Groups like the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society have already restored the lantern room and stabilized the tower, but the work never truly ends. A lighthouse that people care about is a lighthouse that gets saved!
How Kids Can Help
Even small actions can make a big difference!
- Learn the story. Discover how a tax on rum helped build Canada’s oldest lighthouse!
- See it from shore. Sambro Island is best viewed by boat or from viewpoints near the community of Sambro, just outside Halifax.
- Draw and share. Sketch the red-and-white striped tower and teach your class what you learned.
- Join a shoreline cleanup. Less litter on the coast keeps the island and its wildlife healthier.
- Tell others. The more people who love the Sambro light, the safer its future is.
Learn More & Support the Light
Adults can help by supporting the groups working to protect Sambro Island and other Nova Scotia lighthouses:
- Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society – led past restoration work at Sambro and champions lighthouses province-wide.
- Parks Canada heritage directory – learn about the lighthouse’s designation as a National Historic Event.
- Lighthousefriends.com – a deep dive into the tower’s full history.
