About Me

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After retirement, for two summers I worked as a tour guide at the Umpqua River Lighthouse in Oregon. This opportunity enabled me to learn more about that lighthouse than any of the others I've seen. Although I have personally visited and photographed over 300 lighthouses in the United States and three Provinces in Canada, the Umpqua River Lighthouse has special meaning for me. That Lighthouse inspired me to write two fictional books with the characters working, living, and enduring the challenges of lighthouse keeping. All pictures posted in this blog were taken by myself, unless noted otherwise.

Book Info.

I hope you will find time to enjoy my books. Preview the book covers below at the right side of page.

Book #1: "The Wickie and the Umpqua Lighthouse." Detail: "The Wickie and the Umpqua Lighthouse" is an 1860's story about the lighthouse keepers and their families at the Umpqua River Lighthouse. It will stir your emotions and warm your heart. Discover the challenges they met but never expected, and their determination to maintain navigational aid to mariners on the Oregon coast. (Wickie is a nickname used by the early lighthouse keepers at the Umpqua River Lighthouse in OR.)

Book #2: "Spirit of The Lighthouse" is a sequel to The Wickie. Detail: Jesse Fayette, assistant keeper at the Umpqua River Lighthouse, finds himself alone to operate and maintain an Oregon lighthouse after the accidental death of his head keeper. After notifying the Lighthouse Board and requesting help, he is surprised but must deal with an acquaintance, Red Saunders, who believes the lighthouse is haunted.

Book #3: "Unexpected Moments" has a different theme than those of Book #1 and #2. Detail: Dan and Megan, as well as their old friends Jim and Anna, experience unexpected moments of hardships and tragedies in Arizona and California. Will they survive these unexpected moments and find any hope for their futures?

All of my books are available on Amazon.

06 June 2013

Virginia - New Cape Henry Lighthouse

The New Cape Henry Lighthouse is located 357 feet south east of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (Off picture - right) on Fort Story, VA, Military Reservation. More specific, it sits inside the Coast Guard Compound. This lighthouse was built in 1881 of cast-iron plates and stands 165-feet tall. The second-order Fresnel lens from the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was removed and installed in this lighthouse. Its light had a focal plane of 157-feet and could be seen for almost 19 miles out to sea. In 1984 the light was replaced and the newer beacon automated .

This lighthouse has the most distinctive day-marks of any lighthouse in the world. The checkerboard markings of the octagonal tower alternate between white and black. Half way up the tower, the pattern changes from white to black making it appear as though the top half of the tower is slightly turned and misaligned with the bottom half. At the time of my visit here in 2000, this was an active light, and the lighthouse was not open to the public.

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