Hereford Inlet Lighthouse

Located in North Wildwood, NJ, the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse has been a beacon of safety to mariners since the 17^th century.

Today visitors can tour the lighthouse, including a walk up the short tower. (Visitors are not allowed in the lantern room, as it’s still maintained by the Coast Guard and remains an aid to navigation for mariners.) Looking out the windows on each level of the tower, the ocean, town, and gardens of the lighthouse can be seen. A short path through the beautiful gardens leads to the seawall, which can be walked and leads to the beach.

A fun fact about the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse – its twin, Point Fermin Lighthouse, sits in San Pedro, CA and is also open for tours.

To see more pictures of Hereford Inlet Lighthouse and North Wildwood, NJ, please visit my website here.

To see more photos, please visit my website here.

Nobska Lighthouse

Originally called Nobsque Light, the now known Nobska Light, sits on the southwestern tip of Cape Cod. It’s between Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and Vineyard Sound in a place called Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Not far from the lighthouse is a small beach called Nobska Light Beach, where the blue-green water rolls onto the shore and endlessly stretches out to sea.

Nobska Lighthouse was constructed in 1829 and was the first light on Nobska Point. In 1888 the lighthouse followed technological trends and was upgraded to a fourth-order Fresnel Lens. This lens still sits in the lightroom of the lighthouse today and can be seen while touring the tower.

To see more photos of Nobska Lighthouse, please visit my website here.

To see more photos, please visit my website here.

Nauset Lighthouse

Overlooking Nauset Light Beach, sits Nauset Lighthouse. This is the same area where The Three Sisters Lighthouses presided before becoming an unnecessary trio along the coast.

Nauset Lighthouse was erected in 1923 and sits on what is now the Cape Cod National Seashore. However, the tower is much older than its 1923 construction year. The tower that watches over the sea and is the Nauset Light of today is actually one of the 1877 towers of the twin lights at Chatham.

If you’d like to read about The Three Sisters Lighthouses, you may do so by going here.

To see more photos of Nauset Lighthouse, please visit my website here.

To see more photos, please visit my website, here.

The Three Sisters Lighthouses

This trio of little lighthouses was originally built in 1837 (and illuminated two years later in 1839), when a light became necessary halfway between Highland Lighthouse and the twin towers at Chatham. (There are no longer two towers at Chatham, but I’ll cover that in another post.) Unfortunately, the three original brick structures were casualties of erosion and fell into the sea in 1890. (It’s said the brick foundations can still be seen on the beach at low tide, even today.) Two years later the three lighthouses were replaced with wooden towers on brick foundations.

The Three Sisters have a history of keeping ships and mariners safe, of falling down and being rebuilt, and of being sold off when no longer needed and then reunited. These lighthouses no longer guard the coast, but have been bought back and reunited as the trio they began as so long ago. The Three Sisters Lighthouses can be seen in a small, wooded area on Cable Road in Eastham, MA, just a short walk from Nauset Lighthouse.

As for their name – The Three Sisters Lighthouses – there is no confirmed story as to how they received their named, but there are two lores. Some say the Keeper Henry Y. Hatch (1851 – 1853) had three daughters. Other say the name came from the fact that the towers resembled three demure women in white dresses and black hats.

To see more photos of The Three Sisters Lighthouses, please visit my website here.

To see more photos, please visit my website here.

Highland Lighthouse

Sitting on the coast of North Truro, MA, on what is now the Cape Cod National Seashore, is Highland Lighthouse. As the oldest (and tallest) lighthouse on the Cape, Highland Lighthouse has a long and rich history.

Originally built in 1797, it was the first lighthouse to be erected on Cape Code and was nothing more than a wooden structure (which was authorized by George Washington). The tower was later replaced in 1831 and again in 1857. The 1857 tower is the structure that still proudly stands today.

To see more photos of Highland Lighthouse, please visit my website here.

To see more photos, please visit my website here.

The Old Sea Captain (A 500 Word Story)

“…and that’s when the storm produced a wave so big it sent the ship and her crew directly into these rocks behind me.”

“What happened to the people?” asked a young boy.

“They went down with their ship to a watery grave.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “What about the captain?”

“As all good captains do, he never deserted his crew or his ship.”

“Did they find any of the bodies?” asked a teenage boy. The excitement in his voice escalated as he continued speaking. “Like were they bloated or decaying or all smashed up?”

“A watery grave, or any grave for that matter, is to never be disturbed.”

A wind blew inland, bringing the briny scent of the sea. Waves broke against rocks protruding from the water, crashed against the jagged cliffs.

“Although,” I smiled at the children in the tour group. “Legend has it the captain’s spirit still roams these waters. Some even say they’ve seen him clinging to these rocks.”

“Is that true?” asked a young girl.

“Yeah,” said the teen boy. “Do you really believe that?”

Several of the other children nodded.

“It’s not for me to say whether it’s true or not. As for what I believe…I’m 72 years old. When you get to my age you realize anything is possible.”

A few of the adults in the group chuckled.

“Now, if there are no further questions, we can move on to the lighthouse keeper’s home and the light itself.” I gestured down a path and the group followed.

The rest of the day went smoothly with typical inquisitive children and chuckling adults. One might think that I’d tired of it all, for as long as I’ve been giving tours, but lighthouses always held a mystery for me. Ever since I was a young girl, they were one of my great loves.

It was early evening now. Everyone was gone. As usual, I would be the last to leave, always volunteering to lock the gate at the end of the lane.

I stood in the place where I told the story of the old sea captain and his ship. That story was always pleasing, especially to those who like stories and live with their imaginations.

As I gazed out at the crashing waves, becoming mesmerized, that’s when I saw it – a strange greenish-gray fog rolling in from the ocean. It seemed to move within itself, shifting like I’ve never seen fog do. It appeared to billow as if it were sails on a ship, until it stalled over the rocks below.

A seaweed covered hand broke through the fog to cling to a rock. Emerging slowly, head tilted up, I realized I was staring into the eyes of none other than the old sea captain.

At that moment a mammoth size wave broke upon the rocks. I turned away to shield myself from the spray. When I turned back, I was left wondering if my old eyes had simply been playing a trick on me.

National Lighthouse Day

Happy National Lighthouse Day!

For hundreds of years lighthouses provided a protective beacon for ships out at sea. They were operated by lighthouse keepers, both men and women, who took on the difficult task of maintaining the light. These lighthouse keepers (and their families) are as much a part of the light’s history as the land it was built on. Each lighthouse is different, built at a different point for a different reason, but their end goal is the same – to keep ships and their crew safe.

Lighthouses are beautiful structures with long, impressive histories. They’re filled with a certain magic and wonder…and mystery…that still exists today.

Point Pinos Lighthouse

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Piedras Blancas Light Station

Point Sur

Point Reyes

Point Bonita

Fort Point Lighthouse

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

Point Arena Lighthouse

Walton Lighthouse

Lighthouse Point

Point San Luis Lighthouse

To see more photos, please visit my website.

Point San Luis Lighthouse

It’s not your typical lighthouse.

At least it’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before.

Situated on the top of a small hill (which is on top of an even bigger hill, or mountain, which drivers have to make hairpin turns on a narrow one-way road to reach the top) is a beautiful two-story house known as Point San Luis Lighthouse. The house, built in 1890, is said to be an example of the Victorian or Gothic style.

Overlooking San Luis Bay, Point San Luis Lighthouse faces a picturesque scene of nearly cloudless blue skies and beautiful blue water, both fading together along the horizon. The sun warms the ground, despite the cool breeze, and glistens off the surface of the water. This makes it appear as if there are hundreds of diamonds dancing on the surface, or as if the stairs jumped from the sky to swim in the cool bay.

Once inside the house, there is a feeling I find difficult to explain. Some of the things inside the house are original, such as the floorboards.

I suppose that’s the thing…one of the things anyway.

And what exactly is ‘the thing?’

Well, it’s the idea of being in a place that holds so much history, a place that’s so old, and a place where so many other people have walked before me. It’s the idea of being in a place that was there long before I was alive and will still be there long after I’m gone. It’s the idea that places become a part of our history as much as we become a part of theirs.

And while I was walking through this beautiful house, I couldn’t help thinking all of this, as well as imagining how the lighthouse keepers who resided here with their families must have lived.

Stepping out the front door and turning to the right leads to the light tower, which is connected to the front porch. A short tower, only about 40 steps up, takes you to the lantern room. This space was small, hot, and stuffy – only big enough for the 4^th Order Fresnel lens and the lighthouse keeper. From the lantern room there’s a panoramic view of the hills and the bay. It’s a gorgeous view, one I wish I had more time to take in and appreciate.

Point San Luis Lighthouse served for many years. It wasn’t until 1969 that the light was automated and a few years later, in 1974, when it was decommissioned.

I find lighthouses to be such interesting places. They’re full of history, beauty, and magic. Somehow there seems to be a certain mystery to them as well.

And Point San Luis Lighthouse is no different.

To see more photos of Point San Luis Lighthouse and Avila, CA, please visit my website.

The Lighthouses of Santa Cruz

A thick fog covered the ocean.

A glowing orb in the sky attempted to break through the clouds.

Eventually, around noon, the fog burned off and the sun came out. It shone in the bright blue sky, barely a cloud in sight.

But in the morning, there was fog.

It was typical weather. Of course, after being here as long as I have, I’m used to it. I’d rather see the sun, especially in the summer, but all this fog constantly lining the coast certainly adds a realistic element…especially where lighthouses are concerned. And, I can’t deny there is a certain type of beauty to it – the fog.

The lighthouses of Santa Cruz aren’t your typical lighthouses. They’re newer builds, not nearly as old as the lights built in the 1800s or 1900s and seem to have different, or additional, functions then lighthouses of the past.

Hidden in the mist, sitting out on a jetty, waves crashing on the sides, is Santa Cruz Breakwater Lighthouse, constructed in 2001. This lighthouse is better known as Walton Lighthouse. The lighthouse is named after Derek Walton, a merchant seaman, whose brother, Charels Walton, a local business man, contributed a significant sum of money for construction of the light in memory of Derek.

Standing out on the jetty, looking up at the light, hearing the fog horn blast every 30 seconds, I had a fleeting thought about how much seamen relied on lighthouses. There were numerous reasons, but these lighthouses helped them sail safely, especially in fog such as what was blanketing the coast that morning.

Not far from Walton Lighthouse, at Point Santa Cruz, sits another light. Much like Walton Lighthouse is a memorial for seamen, Lighthouse Point is also a memorial.

Lighthouse Point has many names. It might be best known as the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, as there is in fact a museum inside. However, this lighthouse’s true name in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, named in memory for Mark Abbott, after drowning while bodysurfing not far from Point Santa Cruz in 1965. His family knew how much he enjoyed lighthouses, so they donated the life insurance money they received after his passing in his name to fund the building of the lighthouse we see there today. In 1967, the redbrick building was constructed, a light added to the lantern room, and Mark’s ashes buried at the base of the tower. Today the lighthouse is a surfing museum, the same as it has been since 1986.

Walking the grounds of the lighthouse, I could see how people would want to surf these beautiful waves and how people could so easily fall in love with lighthouses – I’ve been in love with them for as long as I can remember – but I always remembered the purpose of a lighthouse. The ocean, and nature in general, is full of dangers and lighthouses were meant to be protective beacons in the storm.

Whether shrouded in fog or soaking up the sun, both of these lighthouses have a significant meaning. Much like other lighthouses they are meant to protect, but they are also memorials and memories.

To see more photos of Santa Cruz and/or these lighthouses, please visit my website.

Point Arena Lighthouse

The tower rose into the fog.

We couldn’t see it until we were practically on top of it.

A dense fog blanketed everything that morning – the farmland, the narrow winding road, the ocean, and the point where Point Arena Lighthouse stood.

We walked up the tower to the lantern room. (It’s only 145 steps to the top, which is not bad at all compared to some lighthouses we’ve been too.) Since the Fresnel lens is on display in the museum (located in the fog signal building) people area allowed to enter the lantern room where the 1^st Order Fresnel lens once stood and peer through the floor to ceiling windows. This is the only lighthouse where I’ve ever been allowed up to that room, so it was an exciting experience. And on such a foggy morning as this one, being in the lantern room was like being in the clouds.

The view of the ocean was obstructed. The view of the rocks was difficult to see. The view of the cliffs was just visible enough. And I couldn’t imagine being a lighthouse keeper or a captain out at sea in this fog. I kept squinting, trying to see something, but there was really nothing to see except the thick clouds of fog hanging around us.

We left the lantern room and went out on the ledge to have a look around. The wind cut through our sweaters and we couldn’t hear each other talk unless we were talking directly into the other’s ear. Particles of water sprayed on our coats, which was either from the ocean below or the dampness of the fog. The ocean, rocks, and cliffs were a bit more visible from here, but the fog still obscured the view.

It was amazing being that high, and seeing all we could see (as this is the only California lighthouse we’ve been to where they allow people to walk up the tower), but, once again, I couldn’t imagine being a lighthouse keeper in these conditions.

Point Arena Lighthouse was first constructed in 1870 out of brick-and-mortar. When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hit, it damaged the lighthouse and the keeper’s house to the point where they both had to be demolished and rebuilt.

The current Point Arena Lighthouse and keeper’s house are different than those originally built. The keeper’s homes are split into separate cottages while the lighthouse features a wider base and steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete, in the hopes that it will withstand an earthquake. This new lighthouse was operational by 1908.

In the late 1970s the light was automated and about twenty years later, in the early1990s, Point Arena Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Once down and out of the lighthouse, we walked the grounds. There’s a lot of beautiful plants and flowers there. We also saw a Great Blue Heron. He was on the path in front of us, standing proud and tall, until he flew away. His wingspan was great and he was a beauty as he soared through the fog, landing near the cliffs in a patch of plants and wildflowers.

And I can’t forget to mention the resident lighthouse cat – Arena Mina. She is one of the sweetest, cutest, and most helpful cats I’ve met.

Whether a foggy day or a sunny day, I believe Point Area Lighthouse is worth the visit. It’s full of history and the grounds are abundant in beauty. Plus, it’s the only California lighthouse, that I know of, where you’re actually allowed to walk up the tower…and up into the lantern room. And if none of that is of interest, then, at least pay a visit to Arena Mina. She’s just as lovely as Point Arena Lighthouse itself.

To see more photos of Point Arena Lighthouse and Point Area, you may do so by going here.