Lighthouse News

Unless you live in Malaysia, Vietnam or Taiwan, or some few other countries, most of the lighthouses around the world have been automated, some for many years, and the position of lighthouse keeper no longer exists. Yet just like a home, without a lighthouse keeper to tend to the maintenance, these historical gems are in danger of being demolished or just left to rot. The government is in a frenzy to get rid of these beacons of of our maritime past, and while some have been tranferred to non-profit foundations for a dollar, others go wanting due to their offshore locations. The photo to the left is Charity Island Lighthouse, discontinued in 1939, in the middle of Saginaw Bay in Michigan.

Added September 14:

The two new caretakers at Wind Point Lighthouse are Michael and Susan Arts of Racine, Wisconsin. The couple met at a lighthouse in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and were married at a lighthouse on Sullivan’s island, South Carolina.

It’s down to two possible candidates for the Wind Point Lighthouse caretaker according to the Journal Times Online. The hiring committee, after interviewing a dozen of the top applicants for the job, selected just two for a second round of interviews. The committee is comprised of members of the Friends of Wind Point Lighthouse, village officials and members of the community. They received 159 applications for the job. A decision by them is expected to be made later this week.

The Boothbay (Maine) Register had a nice story about the restoration effort at the Cuckolds Island Lighthouse recently, with the highlight of the story coming from Nancy Conley, former Coast Guard wife who served at the station in 1965 and 1966. The event was a trip out to the island to view the progress being made on rebuilding the house, which was demolished in the late 1970s.

Maine Senator Susan Collins was on hand to greet the visitors before they left for the island from the Carousel Marina in Boothbay Harbor. Part of the purpose of the trip was to be on hand as the Coast Guard installed a new lens from Sweden in the tower.

Provision Will Transfer One Light to Douglas County and Another to Confederated Tribes

Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) is advancing a provision that will transfer ownership of the Umpqua Lighthouse to Douglas County and the Cape Arago (also known as Cape Gregory) Lighthouse to the Confederated tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.

“There is a lot of history with these two lighthouses,” Smith said. “They have kept a vigilant eye for over a century, guiding ships safely to shore through fog and storm. Local ownership will help preserve them and ensure better access for future generations.”

The Journal Times Online has reported that 159 people have applied for the position of Lighthouse Keeper at Wind Point (Wisconsin) Lighthouse. These candidates will be winnowed down to the ten best qualified, and from there a decision made to hire one to replace outgoing keepers Jeff and Melissa Peterson. The candidates include single people, couples and retired persons. The board will have to decide what it the best fit for the lighthouse.

Lighthouses in Vietnam are still manned by Lighthouse Guards and Vietnam News has a nice story about their keepers. The lighthouses in Vietnam were all built during the French colonization of the country, from the mid 1800s to 1941, and although a few have been replaces, most are now kept up by the government as historical monuments. Lighthouses were not seen as targets during the Vietnam War, and were thus spared major damage. On Hon Dau Island, fourteen lightkeepers take turns guarding the tower, and making sure the light operates rain or shine.

The Oakland Press, Oakland County, Michigan has a nice story online about Dave and Debbie Parker, Pontiac, who will be vacationing at Big Sable Lighthouse in Ludington State Park for two weeks. It’s a working vacation, in which you have to apply long before you plan to go, complete an application with resume, be interviewed and receive training. Three couples go at the same time, once you’re accepted, and duties range from climbing to the top of the 100 foot tower for tours, running the gift shop to cleaning the outhouse. The couple, who are in their mid-sixties have been in “training” for their vacation, going up and down the stairs at their house, as it’s 130 steps to the tower. Someone is required to be at the top whenever there are visitors.

Lighthouse Keeper Wanted: Not to tend the lights, but to keep the grounds mowed, the buildings maintained, and be an “ambassador” to the city of Racine, Wisconsin. Job perks include five acres with a beach, and a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. Competition for the job is expected to be stiff, as over 135 applications were received last time the job came open. It’s not all good, though, as the departing keepers state in this story in JS Online.

Rose Island Lighthouse, a private aid to navigation in the middle of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, will be offering lighthouse tours beginning July 2. But going to the lighthouse for a quick tour is one thing. Staying for a week as a lighthouse keeper is altogether different.

From the Boothbay Register, comes news of a new book about life at the Cuckolds Lightstation, near Cape Newagen, ME, written by Jim Roche, a former Cuckolds’ resident, entitled, “The Cuckolds Lighthouse: A challenge to all except the Mariner.”

Among the story, though, is news that the efforts to restore this unique lightstation are getting underway. The station was first built as a fog signal station, in 1892. Due to the continuing shipwrecks, it was determined that an actual light would be needed, and because of the limited space, the light was built on top of the fog signal. It was first lit in 1907. It was automated in 1975, and was excessed in 2004. In 2006, the Secretary of the Interior authorized the local Cuckolds Council to take ownership.