Point Sur

Point Sur is one of those majestic and nostalgic light stations as it stands alone and aloof upon a Volcanic Rock just off Big Sur California. It still continues to guide ships along its treacherous coast. Equipped today with aero-beacon as it modern day guidance system, it performs the duty it was designed to do.

The tough part of any project is getting the inspiration to write. And what things to include and what things to exclude. The story can be interesting or boring. None of my trips are boring but sometimes my writing is very blah. I hope as I develop in my lighthouse experience I hope I will also develop my writing skills, where my stories will bring interest to the reader. If you want send me a comment now and again, I would consider you could be my early editors for the final product which I hoping will be a book.

Well this early on Sunday Morning, Jean and I spent the night at the embassy suites hotel. It was a celebration of our wedding anniversary. She was not willing to come on this trip to Point Sur with me. Not sure of where I was going I put the directions into the Tom Tom and I set out on my way.

The weather was beautiful and the coastal scenery awesome. I could spend a lot of time down here and I now I wander why not. Once I got passed Carmel, the adventure began. I pulled into to a gas station to check my co-ordinates and compared what I had printed out from the Web. Well my last marker was in Carmel and the next was not for another 17 miles. I was to wait at some Farm near the naval station for a guide to pick us up. No more than 40 people at a time.This location was north of Big Sur on highway 1.

I set off with this knowledge and hopefully what was in my Tom Tom. It was hard programming the Tom Tom as I had no city or street or even Point of Interest. Sometimes these GPS systems are not up to snuff. Eventually I got it by starting off at Big Sur and then looking for a state park. Anyway the trip around the coast highway was just breath taking. The views of the cliffs and the sea. I wanted to stop and spend time drinking Gods beauty, the heavenly artist has given man a eternally changing canvas.

I arrived at my destination with only minutes to spare. I looked out at the rock perched way out in the distance. Never did I realise that a lighthouse was on this rock. I had driven this road over the years, I always saw the buildings afar off, but did not know that this was the site of Point Sur.

The Volunteer Guide came opened the gates and welcomed us. We had about 7 vehicles with approximately 2 people to a vehicle. We drove over some rough terrain to a parking spot at the base of the rock. The rock jutted upwards about 300ft. In our party we had mixed group of people, men and women ranging from mid 20's to early 60's and a few children.

We were to walk short distances, taking breather as our guide imparted some of the history around Point Sur. He talked about building hoists, rails, roads and any other ways of getting materials from the base to the top of the rock. He said the rock came from a volcanic eruption.

Along the way he showed us photographs of the early days, and of the blimp that came crashing down near Point Sur. It provided a nice distraction from the long trek upwards. This is not a journey for those who are physically challenged. A year ago I would not have made this climb, and in a sense its like the climb at Point Reyes. Not easy as you can appreciate from the photographs, and there is no way for the disabled to make the journey.

As we made our way to the top, two children in our party kept me on edge. I watched as the played and ran towards the edge of the cliff. On wrong move and they would have plunged to their deaths. They ranged between 4 & 8, brother and sister. If I was their parent I would have some harness on them. I knew from the expression on the faces of the other members of the party they where worried. Impending danger, I suppose is always on the mind of the mature person. Especially as our guide informed about the loss of life in building this lighthouse.

As we approached the top and rounded our last bend. The lighthouse and other buildings came into view. This looked historic as if we took a step into yesterday. By far this was the most interesting lighthouse. It can be hard to explain. The site is in pristine condition. Not two many people are allowed access at one time. The barrenness combined with the isolation and the weather all add up to experience. I know that two people will not report the same experience.

Once I had got to the top, I was enthralled by what I saw and the beauty of what I saw. This light station was by far the best lighthouse I had seen and I know I am I have a return journey in mind. From the workshops, water cisterns, living quarters, my sense of what the men and women who manned these quarters grew in respect. As my knowledge increased so did my respect.

By now I knew what a Fresnel lens is, I also knew about some of the barren areas these light keepers resided in. I have learnt they brought culture and learning with them into these barren environment. And lighthouse keepers had in their own way managed to cross the gender barrier.

History Time

The island point was 369 ft high and its top was approx 10-12 ft wide, surrounded by steep rock faced vertical cliffs. A stretch of soft faced sand connected the island to the mainland. Several ships was lost near this point,Ventura was such a ship lost in 1875. In 1935, 2 of the keepers witnessed the the destruction of the airship MACON. It crashed in 1450 ft of sea water. Of 83 crew, only 2 perished.

In 1886 after 11 years of petitioning, the U.S Lighthouse Board set aside a sum of money for the construction of a light station at Point Sur, about $100,000. Aug 1st 1889 the keys of the light station was turned over to head keeper and his 3 assistants. They manned the station 24/7 year

around, though all weather conditions.

Construction of the light station began in May 1887. A railroad was built to transport granite and supplies from a nearby quarry. One landward side it stretched up 319ft, and was over 700 ft long. On the seaward side a roadbed was blasted and the 500ft of track was laid to the towers site,272 ft above sea level. The top of the rock was leveled to make room for the main building, cistern and other buildings.
By Nov 1888, the 40 ft granite tower was nearly finished. Its adjoining rooms was ready to receive fuel storage and whistle or fog horn blowers. The first signal was twin steam whistles. Wood was burned to heat the boiler and produce the steam. air horns replaced the steam whistles . Whenever fog reduced visibility, the signals where used to warn that ships were in danger of hitting the rocks off shore. Then they ran out of money. New money was appropriated in 1889 and work resumed.

It was Aug 1 the first order Fresnel Lens beamed its light unto the Pacific West Coast. it was an alternating red and white beams at 15 seconds intervals. 1970s the lens was replaced by a aero beacon mounted on the roof of the fog signal room later moved into the tower. 1978, the Lens was disassembled and moved to the Maritime Museum of Monterrey for display.
The lens apparatus is 18 ft tall, the optical portion is almost 8 ft tall and 6 ft dia. The optic weighs 4,330 lbs. The apparatus has 16 panels of prisms, each with a "bulls eye" in the center surrounded by concentric rings of prismatic glass. Each ring projects a short distance beyond the previous one. Additional reflecting prisms are located above and below the center. As the cylinder of prisms turns, each panel "collects" and "bends" light into a single focused beam. Light from Point Sur's Fresnel lens was visible for 23 nautical miles.

The light station housed 4 Keepers and their families, they lived in a triplex of buildings on top of the rock. Each of the keepers was allotted an area to grow vegetables. A fence was built to protect the children. Their life was isolated and a teacher had to be brought in for the education of children. Due to high winds, both children and animals where tethered.

At the time the journey to Monterrey was both long and treacherous, so trips to Monterrey were rare.A horse and wagon was provided to retrieve mail and supplies from Pfeiffer's Resort. Every 4 months a 'lighthouse tender' brought bulk supplies coal, firewood, animal feed, and some food The ship would anchor south of the light station and send in a 20ft whaler towing a skiff, loaded with supplies. The supplies, sacks and barrels, boxes were hoisted in nets to a platform at the base of the rock. At the base they were loaded and then secured to a flat rail car, which was and winched up to the dwelling area using a steam-driven donkey engine. Point Sur was very self-sufficient.over time, isolation at Point Sur became less of a problem, after the completion of Highway One in 1937, it was a major factor in ending the treacherous journey to Monterrey.

1939, the U.S. Coast Guard assumed responsibility for all aids-to-navigation. Lighthouse employees were absorbed into the new program, and allowed to become either members of the U.S. Coast Guard or remain civil service employees. In the 1960s, the U.S. Coast Guard began LAMP in an effort to make more efficient use of their personnel. In 1974, the last keeper left Point Sur. Today a U.S. Coast Guard crew services the lighthouse regularly.

Reference:

California Lighthouses, Umbrella Guide, Sharlene and Ted Nelson
The History Of Point Sur

Point Pinos

This was the start to a nice weekend with my wife. The first opportunity to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. Imagine we are 33 years in wedlock, and we are still going strong.We set off from our house early on Saturday, about 10:00 am. Our journey was comfortable we took 880 to 101 and then 152 to the coast, as we drove we listened to the radio and took in the farmland and coastline views of the surrounding areas. As we drove past the Gilroy shopping outlets, I teased Jean about going shopping, because I know she likes to browse through the outlets looking for a bargain, she is a good bargain hunter.

From Gilroy we headed towards the coast, I was intrigued by the vast areas of farmland and how well organized the fields where. The long neat furrows that stretched for miles and their symmetry as I observed them lying next to each other. It was a form of mans man made beauty alongside God's creation. I could not help but think about the Mexican migrant workers and the back breaking work, they performed in the fields, with hot overhead sun beating down on them as they toiled the land. Looking out over the fields, I imagined them laboring from dawn until dusk, either planting or reaping the harvest. All for a meager pay. Many of these workers are undocumented,no medical or no descent living quarters. We must consider the fact that we the people are taking advantage of their predicament, and we are exploiting their cheap labor for lower food prices in the store. Mostly these migrant workers are hardworking people trying to eke out a living in this wonderful free land.

As we continued our journey,I also pondered the thought, "what a beautiful area to live nearby and to spend time to photograph." There is something about the rustic nature of the countryside that appeals to my inner consciousness. Maybe I long for the lushest green Fields and the rolling hills of Ireland. We listened to and enjoyed a variety of music from the radio and cd player, Country, Irish and Christian music as we drove along. I laid back in my seat, occasionally closed my eyes and basked in the rays of the sun coming in my window, as we made our way towards Monterrey. Jean continued to drive.






I have travelled this road so many times over the years, I am still enamoured by the scenery of its wonderful country backroads, the peacefulness of the waterfronts, and the rustic nature of its farmlands, often times I am reminded that in the 1850's this was part of the wild west and the people out here had to hard in character and nature to survive.They did not have the highways we had today, nor the communications. The region was theirs to create, and their legacy is what we enjoy today. Its their story that I try to tell. We have our stories about the cowboy, the frontiersmen, the pioneers, but what about the Lightkeepers stories especially the lighthouse women who so wonderfully added another dimension to the west.

When we arrived in Monterrey, we headed straight to Pacific Grove, along Lighthouse Ave until we reached Asilomar Ave. As soon as we got to the coast road we where able to drink in its beauty. The sun was shining brightly, the weather's temperature was mild and the light blue water seemed to be playing as it splashed against the rocks,it was like a child running free of responsibility and without a care. I believe their is a spiritual side of life and you can see it in nature. Water, sand, seashells and color with its natural saturation and hue, just blended perfect for all to see. And it does not cost a dime to enjoy. Its free to rich or poor, to small and great, to people of all creeds, races or gender. We pulled into the side of the road, not realising we could have driven to the parking lot at the lighthouse.

When you arrive at the lighthouse a few things strike you. It is located in the middle of a golf course, close to a golden state park beach. The golf clubhouse is only a stone throw from the lighthouse. Nearby is a fairly populated urban area, surrounded by a quaint public park, there was wedding celebration when we arrived.


















Even though the lighthouse is located near the coast, it appears to be a fair distance back from the shore. Its location in the sand dunes and its cottage style building are very picturesque. I have made selection of pictures of this lighthouse hopefully to show off its cottage nature, and simplicity of beauty.

I spent an hour or two circling the building taking pictures. This lighthouse does not appear at the outset to be one of those lighthouses that require of its keepers strenuous or isolated lighthouse tending. You certainly don't get the feeling that the lighthouse keepers had a tough time operating the lighthouse here. looking at its quaintness and the tourists, you get an almost envy that you could reside here. Its a very comfortable and beautiful area, surrounded by a luscious golf course and a wonderful golden sandy beach.This is the oldest continuous active lighthouse in California, coming from the mid 1800's.

The lighthouse volunteers have done a great job, in restoration and story telling. As you meet them they will enrich your life with there stories they recall about the early lighthouse keepers, and the famous people who dropped by.You will also be embellished with the the lifestyle of the various keepers. Wondering through a lighthouse is often times a journey to the past. An insight to the men and women who manned these lighthouses and the countless lives and ships they saved. You also get the sense of isolation these people lived in. Today many of the lighthouses are surrounded by urban life, sometimes the hardship that the families of the keepers had to endure is forgotten. It is a longing for something that is deep within us, a symbol of sacrifice against the odds and the survival in the midst of a storm. It has so many parralles with life that it propels us towards the enormity of the providence of God.

From the outside you have a beautiful white cottage, almost new England style, next windswept trees. Almost enchanting and separated from time. But once you cross the doorstep, you met with a sense of history that envelopes this house.



History Time.

Its one the original 8 lighthouses built in California during the 1850's. Point Pinos is the oldest continuous active lighthouse in the West Coast. Its 3rd Order Fresnel Lens gleams from atop its lantern tower. Construction began in the Spring of 1853, workmen came form San Francisco, onboard the ship Oriole. The government purchased 25 acres of the Rancho Punta de los Pinos, with an additional 67 acres being purchased later on. granite was quarried from nearby, to build the Cod Style lighthouse. Due to difficulties with the delivery of the lenses and prisms from France, Point Pinos got its lens from Ford Point in San Francisco, it delayed the lighting of the lantern until 1855. Building and locating the lighthouse had its obstacles, one being the lighthouse Inspector Bach was unhappy with the Location of the lighthouse. He said it cut its arc of visibility.

Point Pinos had several light sources over the years, the first was a whale oil lantern, the oil was forced up from a tank by a gravity-operated piston. This was followed by Lard oil, kerosene, incandescent vapor lamp and electric lights in 1915. The present light source is a 1000 watt bulb, amplified by the lens and prisms to produce a 50,000 candle beam visible for 15 miles. A falling weight mechanism rotates a metal shutter around the light causing the beam to be cut off to seaward for 10 out of every 30 seconds. 1926 a fog signal was installed. 1975 the lighthouse was automated.

The First lighthouse Keeper Charles Layton paid $1000 a year, was killed while on a posse chase for bandit Garcia. His wife Charlotte took over as lighthouse keeper, with her 4 children. She was the lighter of the lantern only days after Alcatraz, it was the second lighthouse to be lit. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote about lightkeeper Lucie in 1879, praising Luce's hospitality, his piano playing, his ship models and his oil paintings. Giving us an insight into the life of some of these light keepers. Mrs. Emily Fish, was probably the most interesting of the Point Pinos lightkeepers. She served from 1893 to 1914. and was known as the "Socialite Keeper" she loved to entertain guests at the lighthouse. She was a fifty year old widow with a Chinese servant Que. She furnished the lighthouse with Books, paintings, and silver. Que planted trees and grass. Also she attended to her duties of maintaining the light. following a rigid schedule she lit the lamp one hour prior to sunset, and extinguished it one hour after sunrise.
Finally our current keepers are volunteers, spending their weekends and other time, tending to the needs and maintainance of the Point Pinos lighthouse. They are knowledgable and friendly and a good source of local information about the lighthouse.

Reference

Calfornia Lighthouses Umberlla Guide, Sharlene & Ted Nelson
Point Pinos Museum

Oakland harbor Lighthouse

It was the same day that mark and I visited the lightship that we went to see the Oakland harbor lighthouse. We took the freeway to Embarcedaro Cove, it was a short distance. We could have stayed on the road from Jack London Square instead of getting on the freeway. If you plug the the address into your GPS system, you may wind up a supermarket. Its just a minor correction. Just stay on the Embarcadero cove road and you will see the lighthouse on your right. Its facing the harbor and water.

lighthouse. The building is now Quinn'sYou maybe surprised a little when you first see the restaurant, and it is surrounded by historic buildings and a beautiful harbor full of yachts. The surroundings are quaint, with their trees, old buildings, fences and piers to stroll along and this makes for some interesting photographs. The atmosphere is almost surreal, being so close to the freeway and city you would never know that hustle and bustle of the freeway and city was just a breath away. As I walked the pier, I enjoyed the harmony and tranquility of the harbor and its surrounding area.


The outside of the lighthouse is well maintained, the flags in the tower fly proudly above the building. Once this structure was used to save the lives of mariners, but now it serves as a restaurant for the general public. Its hard to say it has the semblance of its former glory years as a sentinel on Oakland's Harbor and gone is its colorful past. The restaurant is a pleasant place and worth the visit. We did not spend a lot of time at this lighthouse. I took a few photographs, the surroundings, the harbor and the light buoy. Some of the buildings around could have come from other lighthouses, I will have to investigate later.

HISTORY

the original lighthouse was established in 1890, It was a sentinel to the port of Oakland. Its story is intertwined with railroad, that reached the bays eastside. 1879 the lighthouse board received an appropriation for a small lighthouse and a fog bell. Like other lighthouses it encountered land title problems which delayed its building until 1890. The lighthouse was located at the end of a pair 2 mile long piers, 750 ft apart and located on the Oakland Estuary. About 240 ft off the jetty, it sat on 11 wooden pilings, driven into the bays muddy estuary. The structure was a 2 story 20 x 20 dwelling that the central tower extended through. The lantern room housed a fifth order Fresnel Lens. The lens is now located in the Mark Abbot lighthouse in Santa Cruz. A walkway surrounded the wooden building which housed the 3500 lb fog bell and a water tank. Located on the west of the north pier, which served as a wharf for the railroad.

The sound of the bell which was only feet from the lightkeepers quarters sounded every 15 seconds. And was a horrendous sound to the ears BONG and the building shuttered when the bell rang The structure was also made unsound by the attacks of marine borers.

1902 the lighthouse board concluded that a new lighthouse was needed. By 1903, July 11th a new building was in operation and it had been built to withstand the marine borers. The building stood several feet above water on steel piles, which where supported by concrete arches.It also was 2 story building like the first. The first story contained the store rooms, while the second story housed the lightkeepers and their families. Also a ornate railing surrounded the balcony on the second story, also on the second story was the fog bell and the water tank. At the top was a short tower to house the lamps it was converged upon by 4 roofs. As the port grew so did the piers extend to the lighthouse so that the row boat was no longer used to go ashore, or bring supplies to the lighthouse.

in 1966 an automatic beacon was placed in front of the lighthouse, the lantern was removed and sent to Mark Abbotts lighthouse in Santa Cruz. The building was sold to Quinn's restaurant for $1 and barged up the estuary for $22,000. To day it sits in Embarcedero cove not too far from its original station.

Reference

California Lighthouses, UMBRELLA GUIDE, Sharlene & Ted Nelson