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.

08 June 2017

A Lighthouse Unique In At Least Two Ways



The Ludington N. Breakwater Lighthouse is located at Ludington, MI on Lake Michigan. Built of steel in 1924, it replaced a previous acetylene light on a concrete column. The tower stands 57 feet high and is a four-sided pyramid style. First, this lighthouse is unique with its round windows.  Second, the dark base of the tower is unique in that it was made to help deflect water during storms, like the prow of a ship. My picture doesn't show it well, but the prow like structure is on the left side of the tower base. The lower portion of the tower houses a fog horn. Originally the lantern room housed a fourth order Fresnel lens and the light could be seen for 15 miles out on the lake. In 1972 the light was automated, and then in 1995 the lens was replaced with a beacon light.   


The Coast Guard declared the lighthouse excess in 2005. Under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, they offered it at no cost to eligible entities. After a review process in May 2006, custody of the lighthouse was transferred to the City of Ludington. Later, the city signed an agreement with the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association to maintain the lighthouse and open it to the public.

2 comments:

Judy Watters said...

Hi Al,
So glad they decided to keep this piece of history maintained and open for the public. We just visited Pemaquid in Maine last week for the second time. Still as beautiful. It would be fun to travel the rocky and jagged shoreline of Maine to see all of that state's lighthouses.
Blessings, Judy

Al said...

Hi,Judy;
So glad you were able to visit and enjoy Pemaquid Lighthouse again. You be careful or you may get hooked on lighthouses and you'll end up spending your summers on the coast of Maine. Blessings.
Al