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.

12 January 2017

Grand Haven Pier, Summer and Winter



The Grand Haven Lighthouses are located at Grand Haven, MI. The red cylindrical tower stands 52- feet tall and was first lit in 1839. Its light can be seen for 15 miles out on the lake. This tower and the red lighthouse at the end of pier are both situated on the South Pier which juts out into Lake Michigan.

The two lighthouses are positioned to create a range light system. These pictures also show a good example of elevated cat walks built to enable lighthouse keepers to get to the lighthouses during times of ice and high water from storms.

I visited these lighthouses in the summer of 1998. The public was not permitted inside the lighthouses but were free to enjoy the pier. Evidenced by the attire people were wearing in my picture, it was a much warmer time than the winter conditions depicted in the other picture. (Credit - Google) The bottom picture shows the hazardous conditions which lighthouse keepers often had to work in during the winter, sometimes worse than pictured.
 

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