Popular Phantom Piper legend marks its 20th anniversary

It's been 20 years since the Legend of Donald Sinclair and the Phantom Piper first circulated in Kincardine.

And two decades since the first piper with the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band played the part of the Phantom Piper atop the Kincardine Lighthouse.

According to the legend, back in 1856, on a cold October day, a small vessel left the Port of Goderich carrying a family from the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It became lost in a storm as it neared Kincardine (then called Penetangore). Aboard the boat, Donald Sinclair, fearing for his family, fetched his pipes and began playing a lament. The sound carried across to land where another piper heard and played another lament in return. The captain of the boat, hearing the drone of the pipes, headed for shore and the vessel arrived safely.

In memory of Sinclair, the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band decided to play at dusk atop the lighthouse on sunny summer evenings throughout July and August (with the exception of Saturday evenings when the band parades through downtown Kincardine).

Since it began, July 1, 1996, the Phantom Piper has become a popular tradition, with people gathering along Walker's Look-out, on the Huron Terrace bridge below the lighthouse, to listen to the pipes and watch the sunset.

Friday, the lighthouse was host to piper Nathan Smith, 15, who was the 1,100th Phantom Piper, said David Hamilton, Phantom Piper co-ordinator for the Kincardine Scottish.

"This accomplishment has been made possible by the 83 pipers who have taken turns playing over the years," he said. "Some have played once, while others have played 40 times."
 

Tuesday night, Leslie Ray was the first piper to take her 100th turn as the Phantom Piper.

"I started in 1998," she said. "I think it's amazing that this is my 100th time. I love doing it and I hope to reach my 200th turn."

She said the crowd that gathers to listen to the pipes, is very appreciative. "It's a very unique tradition. There's nothing like this anywhere else in the world."

"It's a huge commitment for the band," said Hamilton. "We've had a piper there every night throughout July and August, except Saturday, unless it's too windy or there's a thunderstorm. We've had to call it off a few times over the years."

Ray said she was a bit freaked out the first time she had to go out on the narrow ledge at the top of the lighthouse to play the pipes. "Now, it's no big deal. Some people can't play from the top and, instead, play from the steps at the side of the lighthouse."

The Phantom Piper plays about 15 minutes - 10 minutes before sunset and five minutes after, said Ray. Some pipers like to play longer and give the audience a real concert. But on average, the piper plays about six songs.

Initially, the piper was to play only on sunny, summer evenings as the sun went down, said Hamilton, "but it became so popular with the people and with the pipers, that now, we do it every night unless the weather's bad."

The most unusual incident, said Hamilton, was a marriage proposal at the top of the lighthouse when the piper performing as the Phantom Piper proposed to his girlfriend - and she said yes!

Pipers have come from as far away as Scotland to be the Phantom Piper, Hamilton said. "Adrian Melvin of the Victoria Police Pipe Band from Australia came here to be the Phantom Piper. We've had everything from beginners to world-class pipers play atop the lighthouse."

Eric Howald, former publisher and editor of the Kincardine Independent newspaper, wrote the legend 20 years ago, and said he was surprised it took off and is still so popular today.

"I got the idea when we attended our daughter's graduation in New Hampshire," he said. "We went to the coach's cottage afterwards, and we heard a piper playing on the other side of the lake. So my daughter, Sarah, had her pipes and played in response to the other piper. Well, they played back and forth for awhile, and that's where the idea came from for the Legend of Donald Sinclair."

Many pipers enjoy participating as the Phantom Piper, said Hamilton, "and we look forward to honouring the Legend of Donald Sinclair for years to come."



Piper Leslie Ray of the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band plays the bagpipes atop the Kincardine Lighthouse for the 100th time as the Phantom Piper, Tuesday night; video by David Dadson