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.

17 March 2012

Michigan - Point Betsie Lighthouse

The Point Betsie Lighthouse is located at the southern end of Manitou Passage at Frankfort, MI. It was built at a cost of $3,000 in 1858. The original name given was "Pointe Aux Becs Scies." This was such an important light that the original thirty-seven foot tower was replaced with a new 100 foot tower. The cylindrical light tower is surmounted by a ten sided cast iron lantern and produces a lens focal plane fifty-two feet above the mean low water level of Lake Michigan. It contains a fourth order Fresnel lens with flash panels. It was the last staffed light station on the east shore of Lake Michigan when the Coast Guard automated the light in 1983.  The crystal lamp originally burned coal oil and later kerosene. At the time of my visit in 1998 this lighthouse had been electrified and the light automated. The lighthouse was owned by the Coast Guard and the old keepers quarters were being used for Coast Guard family housing.
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2 comments:

Judy Watters said...

Beautiful. I guess the automated lights was the end of the light keeper. I never think that a lake would need a light house, but then I have never seen the Great Lakes...guess that's why they are called "great."

Sat Mar 17, 07:56:00 PM CDT
Al said...

Hi Judy. Yes, automation was the beginning of eliminating lighthouse keepers. The other action that eliminated them was when a lighthouse was declared non essential
by the Coast Guard.

Sat Mar 17, 08:16:00 PM CDT

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