Coast Guard Wants To Dim Mukilteo Lighthouse
By Sue Clark on Oct 31, 2008 in News, Opinion 
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Reviewing Its Navigational Necessity
Wow. Just in time for Halloween comes this scary news out of Coast Guard District Thirteen. They are currently soliciting comments and input from local mariners around Puget Sound, Washington, to determine the navigational necessity of Mukilteo Lighthouse, with an eye to possibly replacing its light with another beacon on the tower, the seawall, or nearby on the water. Or even shut it down completely. Mukilteo is one of the few lighthouses in the United States that beams its light on a 24 hour basis.
From the News Release dated October 30, 2008:
SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is conducting a study regarding the navigational necessity of the Mukilteo Lighthouse in Mukilteo, Wash.
The study is focused on determining the need for an active federal or private aid to navigation in the lighthouse based on waterborne commerce, marine casualty information, port/harbor resources, emergency response plans, routine and emergency communication capabilities and future development projects.
The Coast Guard is soliciting local mariners for their comments and input.
The lighthouse’s beacon is a historic Fresnel lens which is currently owned and operated by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard would like to operate the lighthouse as a privately maintained aid to navigation by permit to a public or private entity.
Any mariner who desires to comment about or participate in a survey of the Mukilteo Lighthouse as a federal aid to navigation should contact Lt. Pat Marshall at (206) 220-7278 or email to patrick.a.marshall@uscg.mil.
“The Light As We Know It Would Be Gone”
In a story at the Herald Net, John Petroff, president of the Mukiteo Historical Society, which maintains the land and buildings arund the lighthouse, said the Society, the city and the Coast Guard have talked about privatizing the lighthouse. Petroff said the society would prefer to keep the current partnership in place. If the Coast Guard does decide to privatize the landmark, he said the city likely would get to keep the Fourth Order lens, made in France in 1852, and be responsible for maintaining a functioning light. The Coast Guard donated the land, the tower and the surrounding buildings to the city in 2001.
It’s Often the People On the Land Who Want the Light
The above is also a quote by John Petroff from the story, and while that may be true, no one can ever convince me that lighthouses do not fulfill a navigational need. And still save lives. GPS may be good for navigating a strange city (although not always…see here and here), or for trekking in the woods, but as a very visual person, I personally would want to see where I’m heading and not rely on an electronic device that can fail at any time. Or fall overboard if it’s a portable unit.
I’m hoping that recreational boaters in Washington will write to the Coast Guard or call and let them know that it’s not only land people that want the lighthouse. But I fear most mariners won’t care. Perhaps it remains up to those “people on the land” to mobilize a campaign to keep the light shining.
Photo Credits: Lighthouse, Ferry and Flags and Mukilteo Lens by Ankneyd. Some rights reserved.
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3 Comment(s)
By David Gamage on Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
So what has been the outcome of this? It has been two months since the CG requested input from local mariners.
By Sue Clark on Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
Just sent an email requesting an update. There’s nothing on the Coast Guard site revealing any decision, but hopefully I’ll have something in the next day or two.
Thanks for jogging my memory.
By Sue Clark on Jan 15, 2009 | Reply
I received an email response from the Lighthouse Officer at District 13 today. I never heard back from the lighthouse group. Here is the reply:
We just wrapped up our Mukilteo/Possession Sound waterway user survey a few days ago. We determined that a light at Mukilteo is necessary but not critical for safe navigation, therefore the light can operated as a private aid to navigation (PATON).
At this point the light is still being operated by the Coast Guard as an active federal aid to navigation.
Future plans include possibly transferring the light to a private entity for operation as a PATON or the Coast Guard may continue to operate it as a federal aid.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about any Washington or Oregon lighthouses.
Sincerely,
LT Jon Lane
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District
Lighthouse Officer
915 Second Ave., Room 3519
Seattle, WA 98174
(206) 220-7283
So it’s good news for Mukilteo’s future.