Run An Inn and the Lighthouse Too

A dream job has become available for a couple who long to be lighthouse keepers, at East Brother Island Lighthouse in San Pablo Bay, California. This one acre island in the bay, about a 10-15 minute boat ride to their nearest neighbor, the harbormaster at Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor, is a bed and breakfast. The successful applicants will watch over the flashing light and foghorns, and will run the inn housed in the 1874 lighthouse, which is still an active aid to navigation. And it’s a well paying position too, with the salary earned set at between $70,000 and $100,000, plus room and board. A health plan is also included.

The lighthouse was automated in 1969, and the Coast Guard left the buildings to the elements, and to teens looking for a place to tryst and party. Although the windows were boarded up and chains put in place, that didn’t stop the determined youngsters and others looking for a place to party. In order to preserve the light station and buildings, a group of people in the area successfully campaigned to have it placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1979 and 1980, the entire station was converted to a bed and breakfast, with five rooms available to pay for the upkeep and the salary of the lighthouse keepers.

About East Brother Light Station

Four of the rooms are located within the lighthouse itself and one room is located in the original Fog Signal Building. A stay at the lighthouse includes champagne & hors d’oeuvres upon arrival, a multi-course dinner with wine and a full gourmet breakfast the next morning. Guests are also provided with a full tour of the island taking in all of the buildings and being regaled with the history of the island and its life as a lighthouse up to the present day.

Life is a little rough out there, with power coming from a mix of solar panels, propane and an underwater electric cable from the shore. A tiny septic system handles waste. Water comes from a 70,000-gallon cistern that collects rainfall. Supplies are so scarce that guests are not allowed showers unless they stay a second night.

When the guests leave, the only ones left behind are the gulls and the waves. And the foghorn, which fortunately only operates from October through March. Well, in theory anyway. According to local legend, those who enjoy a romantic interlude on the island sound the foghorn to celebrate.

How To Apply/Requirements of the Job

This is a job for a couple, loosely applied. The job requires two people who must live together in close quarters; they do not have to be married. One of the individuals must possess a valid U.S. Coast Guard commercial
operators license for a boat carrying six passengers. If you do not have this or cannot obtain it within a short time, the East Brother Light Station requests you do not bother to apply. Keepers must have culinary experience or abilities, must be warm and presentable to the public, and must be enthusiastic and self-motivated. Children are incompatible with this job, as are pets. Smoking is not permitted. Previous food service or hotel type experience may be helpful but is not required.

The couple will operate the five-room inn, serving both dinner and breakfast, as well as providing ferry service for guests and all other tasks from chef to maid. The inn is open four days a week, and the island is also available for day use and special events. The new keepers will start about April 1, 2009.

The complete application package is available as a pdf file, or you may mail or fax your resume and proof of Coast Guard license to:

Tom Butt, President
East Brother Light Station
117 Park Place
Richmond, CA 94801
FAX 510.232.5325.

More information on the lighthouse, including an excellent history, can be found at  

Photo Credit: East Brother Lighthouse by Catcubed. Some rights reserved.

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