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.

28 March 2013

New Jersey - Barnegat Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, NJ. The lighthouse is the third to be built on or near the tip of the island.

The first lighthouse was a 40-foot masonry tower constructed in 1834. It has a miserable reputation as a lighthouse. It stood until 1856 when it became inundated by the sea and finally toppled into the sea. Fortunately, the circumstances had been foreseen, and the lamps had been removed to a temporary wooden tower constructed further inland.

Construction of the present lighthouse began in 1857 and was completed in 1859. It is 163-feet tall with a red band painted around the top half of the tower and a white band around the bottom portion. Because of the similarity in size to the Absecon Lighthouse located to the south, Barnegat was given a different day marking. This helped mariners to distinguish it from its southerly comrade, which has a white tower with a wide black band painted around the middle of the tower.

The first-order flashing Fresnel Lens, the largest one installed and the last lens to operate in the Barnegat Light, was removed in 1927. This occurred after the Barnegat Lightship took up station off the Barnegat Inlet. The lens was sent to the Tompkinsville Lighthouse Depot on Staten Island, NY. Years later, in 1954, the lens was returned to the town of Barnegat Light and is on exhibit in the Barnegat Light Historical Museum.

This lighthouse is owned by the State of New Jersey. At the time of my visit here in 2001 the lighthouse was an inactive light, and normally only open to the public during the summer season.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Do you have a photo of the Barnegat Lightship?

Al said...

Hi Richard. Sorry to say I don't have a picture of it. Thanks for your interest. Al

Unknown said...

What a palatial structure! A party light house--stunning!