About Me

My photo
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.

23 July 2015

A Washington Beauty - Alki Point Lighthouse

The Alki Point Lighthouse is located at West Seattle, WA. The first light displayed at the Point was a lantern hung out by a landowner in 1880 to warn ships of the Point because it sticks out so far into Puget Sound. The Lighthouse Service built a lens lantern in 1887 and mounted it on top of a post. Then in 1913, this 37-foot octagonal tower was built along with the attached fog-signal building. The tower's lantern room originally housed a fourth-order Fresnel lens.

The U.S. Coast Guard took over operation of the lighthouse in 1939. They replaced the Fresnel lens in 1962 with a rotating beacon light, similar to those used at airports.

The light station was automated in 1984, which eliminated the need for keepers on site .

At the time of my visit here in 1999, the lighthouse was active and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)