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.

19 February 2015

A New Hampshire Beauty - Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located in the Fort Constitution State Park, New Castle, NH. Once known as Great Island, New Castle was originally a 17th century fishing village. Today's settlement, with its narrow streets and old homes, retains much of the Colonial charm.

In 1694, the British built Fort William and Mary on the northeast side of the island. The area's first navigational aid, little more than a beacon on a pole, went up at that site. The New Hampshire citizens replaced that primitive signal with a small wooden tower, which they subsequently ceded to the new federal government. The Lighthouse Services replaced the structure with an 80-foot, wood-frame tower officially called Newcastle Point Light. However, with establishment of the granite-blocked Whaleback Light at the harbor's entrance in 1820, it downgraded the New Castle Station to a "simple harbor beacon." Gradually deteriorating over time, the octagonal shingled tower was replaced in 1877 by today's white, cast-iron lighthouse, which is only slightly more than half the size of its predecessor. This light was automated in 1960 and flashes a green light from 52-feet above the fast flowing harbor water.

At the time of my visit here in 2001, this light was active.

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