With his wife and five small children J F Ericson landed at Otago’s Retreat on 8 August 1878 to take charge of the new lighthouse station at Puysegur Point. The 60 ft wooden tower had  been built and Ericson’s first task was to install the lantern and equipment so that the light could begin to operate in March 1879. Access to the lighthouse station was by narrow winding road about three miles from the landing. Everything had to be brought up from the landing and the road was so bad that much of the keeper’s time was spent in trying to make the road sufficiently smooth for horse. On November 30 1878 he wrote –

We have had to carry up a good deal of the stores on our backs. It is hard and tedious work but the horse is rather light for this road and we are obliged to assist him.”

On 6.1.1879 George was born and Mrs. Ericson had to depend on the other keepers wife to “see her right.” Despite the hardship, by 1^st March 1879 all was ready and Ericson lit the lamp. Life at Puysegur was a never ending struggle with the bleak isolation, the gale winds, rain and fog. In May 1880 J F Ericson wrote …

“owing to the very heavy rainfall we have had during this month our road has been completely blocked up by landslips. In one place the whole sidling has come down and about 1,000 yards of stuff is lodged on the road. We have often to work in very bad weather besides being tormented with thousands of sandflies while working. Therefore I hope, sir, you will kindly grant us a rise in salary for each of us is doing our very best to deserve it.”

 Instead a Government circular was received announcing a general 10% reduction in salaries.

 Descendants of George’s family and members of Southland Tramping Club made a pilgrimage to Puysegur to mark the centenary in 1979.  A tramping party were flown to Preservation Inlet and walked to the lighthouse, while others travelled by helicopter. ^a