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.

07 November 2013

Florida - St John River Lighthouse

The St John River Lighthouse is located on the south side of the entrance to Jacksonville, FL in Mayport, FL on the Mayport Naval Air Station. This is the third lighthouse to be built in this vicinity.

The first lighthouse was built in 1830, but was destroyed after five years through storms undermining its foundation. A new tower was built upriver from the original tower in 1835. This tower also was unuseable by the 1850's due to sand dunes forming between the tower and the water line, making the light hard to see by the mariners.

The above lighthouse was built of brick in 1859 at a height of 60-feet. After the Civil War, 15-feet were added to the tower and a third-order Fresnel lens installed. The lighthouse operated until 1929 when it was decommissioned after being replaced by a lightship.

At the time of my visit here in 2000, the light was inactive and the lighthouse closed to the public. Access to the Naval Air Station, to visit the lighthouse, was permitted to those with Military I.D.

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