Two Bush Island Lighthouse on a Rocky Shore in Midcoast Maine
Keeper’s Dog Smut Became Local Hero for Saving Schooner at Two Bush Island Light in Maine
Many keepers kept canine companions with them for personal company and as another set of eyes and ears to help sense danger. This is just one of many stories where dogs helped rescue individuals caught in New England’s fast-approaching and relentless storms.
Two Bush Island was named for two lone bushes or trees, now gone, that served as day beacons before the building of the lighthouse. Two Bush Island Lighthouse was one of the last beacons built on the Maine Coast in 1897. The first keeper of Two Bush Island Light, Altiverd Norton, had a famous dog named Smut, who became a hero when, during a March storm in 1902, a fishing schooner, the Clara Bella, started taking in water. Keeper Norton and his family were asleep and could not hear anything as the fierce winds from the storm deafened any sounds. The dog heard the ship crash on the rocks and the men’s cries for help. Sensing the danger, he started barking to awaken Keeper Norton and started frantically scratching the door to be let out. Keeper Norton believed something had happened to create this unusual behavior in the dog. He let Smut outside, grabbed a line or rope for a possible rescue, and followed the canine down to the rocks. The keeper could see a small dory with two men aboard from a distance. The men were desperately trying to find a way to land on the island when they heard Smut’s frantic barking guiding them to the shoreline.
Vintage Image Two Bush Island Lighthouse
Courtesy US Coast Guard
The keeper and Smut kept yelling at the men to keep coming towards them when, suddenly, a huge wave came over the dory and overturned the small craft, spilling the frightened men into the turbulent waters a short distance from the shore. Norton was prepared in case of such an incident and was able to get a line to the men, hauling both ashore to safety. The two survivors were brought into the lighthouse and cared for with warm clothing and food. Keeper Norton told the men how Smut heard their cries, and the grateful survivors continued to hug the animal, thanking it and patting it in gratitude. They offered to purchase the dog at any cost, but the keeper could not relinquish his favorite four-legged companion. He told them that Smut was priceless and could never give him up.
Visiting Two Bush Island
Two Bush Island Lighthouse is located outside Tenants Harbor in Penobscot Bay in mid-coast Maine on route to Rockland. Public access is not allowed on the island as it is a protected seabird wildlife refuge. The Maine Coastal Islands Wildlife Refuge contains more than 60 offshore islands. Most of these islands don’t allow visitors to explore, but some boats will take you out to view the islands. The Monhegan Boat Line ferry leaves out of Port Clyde for daily trips to Monhegan Island during the summer months. It also provides a unique tour that includes viewing Two Bush Island Light as one of seven beacons on its annual Midcoast Lighthouse Challenge at the end of June.
It’s a great trip and a lot of fun! Here are a few photos.
Enjoy!
Allan Wood
Books to Explore
New England’s Haunted Lighthouses
New England’s Haunted Lighthouses:
Ghostly Legends and Maritime Mysteries
Uncover the mysteries of New England’s haunted lighthouses! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. Many of these accounts begin with actual historical events that later give rise to unexplained incidents, such as the stories mentioned above.
Immerse yourself in the tales associated with these iconic beacons!
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships:
Stories of the Six and Seven-Masted Coal Schooners of New England
In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This self-published book, rich in color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that accompanied these mighty ships.
Available also from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England:
Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses. You can explore plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions, including whale-watching excursions, lighthouse tours, windjammer sailing tours, parks, museums, and even lighthouses where you can stay overnight. You’ll also find plenty of stories of hauntings around lighthouses.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England:
New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.
This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses. It also describes and provides contact info for plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours. These include whale watching, lighthouse tours, unique parks, museums, and lighthouses where you can stay overnight. There are also stories of haunted lighthouses in these regions.
Book- New England Lighthouses: Famous Shipwrecks, Rescues & Other Tales
New England Lighthouses:
Famous Shipwrecks, Rescues & Other Tales
This book contains over 40 stories, like the keeper’s dog Smut saving the schooner Clara Bella at Two Bush Island Light in Maine. This image-rich book also contains vintage images provided by the Coast Guard and various organizations and paintings by six famous Coast Guard artists.
You can purchase this book and the lighthouse tourism books from the publisher Schiffer Books or in many fine bookstores such as Barnes and Noble.
Copyright © Allan Wood Photography; do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved.
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