It was an exciting event in the village back at the turn of the century when the government sent in the dredge to remove weeds from the channel. Photo Source: From the postcard collection of Cliff McEwen with special thanks to Stuart McEwen and Jim Forrester

An excerpt from The Book of Westport: “The people of Westport were expecting a visit in August from the government dredge for the purpose of improving the steamboat channel near the docks. Four hundred dollars had been spent on the same week a few years previous, but it was still considered to be in impassable condition.” Photo Source: From the postcard collection of Cliff McEwen with thanks to Stuart McEwen and Jim Forrester

The days of steamers coming through the harbour had long passed by the 1960s when the bridge was installed for pedestrian access to the island. Photo Source: From the postcard collection of Cliff McEwen with thanks to Stuart McEwen and Jim Forrester