We are sure that many people arriving at Savary have noticed the NEW sign on the wharf shed proudly identifying Savary Island.
This Savary Island sign actually has quite the history as it was reportedly first on display many years ago, likely in the late 1920’s. In a photo found in Sunny Sandy Savary by Ian Kennedy, it is displayed on the wharf shed with it’s caption ‘Bathing Beauties’. What a fabulous image of Savary long ago but it was assumed this sign was lost long ago.
Fortunately, Alan Clarke found the sign discarded on his family property at the end of the wharf and thought to save it as a part of Savary’s history. Not only did he save it but he went on to restore it to look much as it originally had, although now cut into two pieces. It was his hope to get it placed back on the wharf and to that end he gifted it to the Savary Island Heritage Society. This society, SIHS, is a non profit organization dedicated to collecting and preserving items and information about Savary Island. Perhaps you have heard of us, as some of our work includes publishing three books: Magnetic Isle, Helen Griffin’s Savary Island, and Ruth White’s Savary Reflections.
So, the SIHS reached out to the Savary Island Dock Advisory Committee, SIDAC, and it was agreed that it was a great idea to return the sign to the wharf. Not just to be installed in any place on the wharf, but on the outside of the shed for all to see on arrival. A great idea but one that turned out not to be so easy!
After waiting a year for a dock work crew to arrive to no avail, in the end all it took was one phone call to the Lund Water Taxi. I called Gina. All we needed was a very high tide, the “Giderdun” barge, calm seas and our fearless installers. It turned out Al Junior and our intrepid installers Doug Smith and Rick Shanaman were ready to go! It wasn’t the calmest of seas but they got it done-that very day!
So our NEW Savary Island sign looks fabulous. It seems everyone thinks it’s a great addition to the Wharf. We hope it will survive the winter storms and be on display for many more years to come.
SIHS would welcome any help identifying the Bathing Beauties, we can name one on the far right, but the rest are still unknown.
The SIHS welcomes membership enquiries. We can be contacted at savaryheritage@gmail.com
Published 2024
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