From the NZ Post site:

In these days of GPS and other sophisticated navigation technology, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of the lighthouse. But today, just as they were 150 years ago, these structures are vital to ensuring the safety of those at sea. Beaming light across the waves, they guide traders and travellers to sheltered waters – a welcome sight on many a dark and stormy night.

50 cents – Pencarrow

New Zealand’s first lighthouse was built at Pencarrow Head in 1858 to illuminate the entrance to Wellington harbour – an urgent requirement given the area’s hazardous coastline. Operated by Mary Jane Bennett (the only woman keeper in the New Zealand Lighthouse Service), the lighthouse remained in service until replaced with an automatic light at Baring Head in 1935. Today, it’s a popular destination for hikers and bikers, and a reminder of the importance of maritime transport to the city’s early settlers.

$1.00 – Dog Island

First lit in 1865, the Dog Island lighthouse is located at the eastern approach to Foveaux Strait, which separates the South Island from Stewart Island. The lighthouse marks a low, flat island that rises only a couple of metres above sea level, and is painted in black and white bands so it stands out in daylight. Featuring a lens powered by solar energy, New Zealand’s tallest lighthouse is now monitored by computer from Wellington.

$1.50 – Cape Brett

The 14-meter-high Cape Brett lighthouse stands at the entrance to the Bay of Islands. First lit in 1910, it was the heart of an isolated settlement of three identical houses for the keepers and their families. The lighthouse was built locally out of cast iron, then barged to a local beach before being winched up 149 metres and assembled on site. It was the first in New Zealand to feature a rotating light floating on a bed of mercury, which enable a heavy and brighter light that could also rotate faster than its counterparts.

$2.00 – Cape Egmont

The cast iron tower on the Cape Egmont lighthouse – which sits on the westernmost point of Taranaki – was built in the mid-1800s in Pimlico, London. The segments were shipped to New Zealand in 1865 and assembled on Mana Island north of Wellington. However, this was often confused with the Pencarrow light, and in 1872 and 1874, two ships confused the Mana light for Pencarrow, and both ships were wrecked, so the tower and lantern were shipped to Cape Egmont in 1881. It was electrified in 1951 and in 1986 became fully automated.

$2.50 – Cape Reinga

Built in 1941, the Cape Reinga lighthouse was the last manned lighthouse constructed in New Zealand. Today, it’s our most well known and most visited, easily found at the end of the road at the northernmost tip of New Zealand. The lighthouse replaced one located on nearby Motuopao Island (built in 1879) and was powered by diesel-generated electricity. Now automated and managed by computer from Wellington, it’s often the first light in New Zealand that sailors see.

This location is also significant to Maori, known as Te Rerenga Wairua (The departing place of the spirits), this is the point in which Maori spirits depart, before starting the ancestral journey back to the homelands of Hawaiki.

Icons of Our Landscape

Our Lighthouses of New Zealand first day cover includes all five stamps, highlighting the structures’ essential similarities while also their stylistic differences. As true landmarks of New Zealand, they continue to have an important role for ships entering and leaving New Zealand’s waters, helping sailors to calculate their distances from land and traveling speeds, providing effective warnings of potential danger and signaling entrances to safe harbors.

Today, all lighthouses are automated – the last to be converted was The Brothers lighthouse in July 1990. And while few of those built of local hardwood have survived due to the harsh conditions on New Zealand’s coastlines, the lighthouses made of hardier materials continue to perform, decade after decade.

Photo Credits: New Zealand Post

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Glow in the Dark Lighthouse Stamps

The nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation is the proud, new “keeper” of Maine’s Whaleback Lighthouse, which stands sentinel on a wave-swept ledge at the entrance to the Piscataqua River, marking the approach to Portsmouth Harbor.

The U.S. Secretary of the Interior accepted the National Park Service’s recommendation that the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) be awarded ownership of Whaleback Lighthouse through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in November 2008.

In a letter to ALF, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne noted, “I applaud the commitment of the American Lighthouse Foundation to the preservation of our nation’s maritime heritage in accepting ownership of Whaleback Ledge Light.”

The lighthouse was declared excess property in 2007 under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 and made available to a suitable new steward. The American Lighthouse Foundation and its chapter, the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (FPHL), subsequently submitted an application to the federal government to obtain ownership of the iconic 1872 beacon.

The United States Coast Guard will continue to maintain the light and fog signal at Whaleback Lighthouse, which is an active aid to navigation.

“Tackling the challenges that come with the stewardship of an offshore lighthouse will take time, dedication and teamwork,” says FPHL chairman Ross Tracy. “As a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is committed to being a part of the passionate team that will ensure a bright future for Whaleback Lighthouse. Many thanks to the federal government for entrusting our organization with this priceless treasure.”

Whaleback Lighthouse, which is readily visible from shore, is a rugged granite structure located in fast moving waters and subject to the fury of the sea during storms. It is not uncommon to see waves buffeting the lighthouse during powerful storms, which will sometimes exceed the height of the 50-foot tower, to the astonishment of many viewing the scene from land.

“For the thousands of people who visit the parks and forts on both the Maine and New Hampshire sides of the Piscataqua River, and for the fishermen and pleasure boaters who pass it every day, Whaleback Lighthouse is one of the most familiar and beloved icons of the region,” says Jeremy D’Entremont, founder of the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. “It stands as a memorial to the people who lived and worked on Whaleback Ledge for well over a century. Its past is rich with stories of great sacrifice by its keepers and their families.”

D’Entremont goes on to say, “We look forward to working for the preservation of this historic structure. For the people in the local communities and beyond, if you care about Whaleback Lighthouse, we want to hear from you. If this effort is to succeed, we absolutely need your ideas, energy, and support.”

The American Lighthouse Foundation, a national lighthouse preservation organization headquartered in Rockland, Maine, cares for 20 historic lights throughout New England, including Whaleback Lighthouse.

ALF’s efforts at Whaleback will encompass the restoration and preservation of the historic tower, but will also include a community educational outreach program, and eventually some form of public access to the offshore lighthouse.

“The general public has a real sense of allure when it comes to Whaleback Lighthouse,” says Bob Trapani, Jr., ALF executive director. “It’s kind of like the lighthouse is almost close enough to ‘touch’ from land and yet traditionally it’s been just out of reach offshore.”

Photo Credit: Whaleback Light by Just-Us-3. Some rights reserved.

Copyright © 2008 Lighthouse News

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New Keepers For Whaleback Lighthouse

The Green Island lighthouse compound comprises an old lighthouse built in 1875, a new lighthouse built in 1905, a former European quarters and a former keeper’s house. Both the old and new Green Island lighthouses have served thousands of vessels from the western approach to Hong Kong for many decades and have played an important role in Hong Kong’s maritime history.

The Green Island lighthouse started operation on July 1, 1875, about three months after Hong Kong’s first lighthouse was set up at Cape D’Aguilar. In 1901, there was a plan to move the lantern of Cape D’Aguilar lighthouse to Green Island. As such, a higher and larger tower to accommodate the Cape D’Aguilar light was necessary.

The construction of a new lighthouse adjacent to the old one on Green Island commenced in 1904 and was completed in 1905. Upon the completion of the new lighthouse, the old lighthouse lost its original function. The new lighthouse was fully automated in the 1970s and is still in use.

The Old Lighthouse	The New Lighthouse

The old lighthouse is a 12 meter high small circular tower constructed of granite. Its doorway features projected rock-faced quoins. There are two cross-shaped openings on its wall for ventilation and lighting inside. The openings resemble gun-posts like those found in medieval European castles.

The new lighthouse is also a circular tower. Constructed of granite and concrete, it is about 17.5 metres high with a steel lantern on top. The whole structure is painted white for high visibility to mariners, thermal insulation and protection of the structure itself. The spiral staircase is of fine masonry with beautiful railings while the entrance and window are in the form of segmental arches with ornamental plaster mouldings.

The former European staff quarters, probably built in the late 19th century, forms an integral part of the lighthouse compound. Classical features such as the front porch supported by columns with modified capitals can be found in the building. The quarters was originally a single-story building but an upper floor was added in 1923.

The former keeper’s house is a one-story flat-roofed block in simple L-shape, featuring segmental arched windows and overhanging eaves.

From the 1950s, local staff started to replace Europeans as the lightkeepers in Hong Kong. However, their duties were replaced by automatic operational devices in the 1970s. The two lighthouse staff quarters were once converted and used as the Police Recreation Center. At present, the former quarters, the former keeper’s house together with the surrounding area (except the two lighthouses) are leased to the Wu Oi Christian Center as a drug treatment and rehabilitation center for youth.

The old and new Green Island lighthouses are two of the five surviving pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong. Of the other three lighthouses, the two on Waglan Island and Tang Lung Chau were declared monuments under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance in 2000, and the one at Cape D’Aguilar was declared in 2006.

Photo Credits: Provided with the news release.

Copyright © 2008 Lighthouse News

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

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Hong Kong Lighthouse Declared Monument

Louisiana lighthouse destroyed by Hurricane Katrina touches the public’s heart; earns top spot in JELD-WEN Windows & Doors’ restoration initiative

Released October 29, 2008 —

• New Canal Lighthouse, the winner of the JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative, was selected from a field of 12 worthy finalists and half a million votes.
• New Canal is widely considered the nation’s most endangered lighthouse.*
• The lighthouse will receive a major window and door donation as part of its inspirational rebuilding effort.

Photos, videos and interviews are available, more information is accessible via links below.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – With a story of devastating destruction followed by unwavering hope and hard work, New Canal Lighthouse in Louisiana captures the spirit of New Orleans’ rebuilding efforts and has earned the top spot in this year’s JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative.

Guided by nearly half a million votes cast for 12 deserving national lighthouse finalists, JELD-WEN determined that New Canal Lighthouse had the most compelling need for restoration. The lighthouse, located on Lake Pontchartrain off the Gulf Coast, stood since 1890 before being demolished by the force of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Now three years later, like much of the New Orleans community, the lighthouse is rebuilding. While many lighthouses are recognized as beacons of safety, the effort to bring New Canal Lighthouse back from destruction also serves as a beacon of hope to a region and a nation still recovering from the devastation of Katrina.

“New Canal has an overwhelming need for restoration,” said Lynne Butterworth, JELD-WEN lighthouse project manager. “We’re proud to help spearhead the restoration of such a historic and beloved landmark. We hope that new JELD-WEN windows and doors will help raise greater awareness and support for New Canal Lighthouse, and inspire an entire Gulf Coast region that is working so hard to rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike.”

As the winner of this year’s JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative, New Canal will receive 16 new windows and two exterior doors, designed to match the 1890 originals as closely as possible in appearance, while offering the ultimate protection from severe weather. The new JELD-WEN® fiberglass doors and windows made with AuraLast® wood and impact-resistant glass will help the lighthouse withstand extreme conditions. AuraLast is the company’s exclusive water-based preservation process that protects to the core against wood decay, water saturation and termites. Reconstruction of the lighthouse is expected in 2009. Video footage of the lighthouse is available online.

“The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and the entire New Orleans region are so grateful to JELD-WEN for their most generous donation of windows and doors for the New Canal Lighthouse,” said Anne Rheams, deputy director and New Canal Lighthouse keeper. “This gift will help reconstruct a historic icon for the citizens of New Orleans and provide hope to an area still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.”

Rebuilding of a historic landmark

Originally built in 1838, New Canal Lighthouse symbolizes an era of maritime commerce along Lake Pontchartrain, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. After the U.S. Coast Guard moved its operations in 1999, a local environmental nonprofit, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, began to take care of the prominent landmark. (See complete New Canal history in fact sheet below.)

New Canal was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and in the aftermath deteriorated beyond repair. The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation was able to salvage material from the original structure to use for its reconstruction efforts. The lighthouse will be restored in 2009 with the goal of bringing back its original glory as a working aid to navigation, historic museum and environmental education center. The Foundation has raised a third of the $600,000 needed to launch reconstruction.

Advocating for lighthouse restoration

The JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative began in 2005 to preserve these beloved U.S. landmarks with the latest window and door technology and help restore the original historic architecture. Considered “America’s castles,” lighthouses face some of the most severe climate conditions in the world and many are threatened by age and lack of resources for restoration. New Canal will follow in the footsteps of three impressive lighthouses that JELD-WEN has helped restore: Umpqua River Lighthouse in Oregon, Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Maryland and Wind Point Lighthouse in Wisconsin. Follow the progress at www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse/, Flickr and YouTube. More information can also be found in the JELD-WEN Newsroom.

Other finalists this year (in alphabetical order) were Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse in Maryland, Bodie Island Light Station in North Carolina, Cedar Island Lighthouse in New York, Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Michigan, Grays Harbor Light Station in Washington, New Dungeness Light Station in Washington, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine, Plum Island Station in Wisconsin, Point Arena Light Station in California, Rose Island Lighthouse in Rhode Island and Toledo Harbor Lighthouse in Ohio.

Butterworth encourages those passionate about helping save the nation’s treasured lighthouses to volunteer, support and continue to advocate for them. More information is available through many local lighthouse organizations, as well as the national U.S. Lighthouse Society and American Lighthouse Foundation.

About JELD-WEN

JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant with 15 employees in 1960 and has grown to more than 20,000 employees in nearly 150 locations worldwide. Today the company manufactures a full breadth of windows, doors and garage doors, and has earned numerous awards and endorsements for reliability, innovation and excellence. For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN® products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482, ext. PR036.

*Source: Krutein, W. (2008). American Lighthouses. Mud Puddle Books, Inc.

JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative Fact Sheet

2008-2009 Project: New Canal Lighthouse – New Orleans, Louisiana

Brief History:

Originally built in 1838, New Canal Lighthouse was established to support maritime commerce along Lake Pontchartrain, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It marks the entrance to the New Basin Canal between the lake and the port of New Orleans on the Mississippi River and was replaced with a taller lighthouse in 1890. Hurricanes in 1915 and 1926 severely damaged the station and it was raised onto concrete piers. However, the lighthouse was severely damaged by the force of Hurricane Katrina and deteriorated beyond repair in the aftermath of the storm.

The Need:

According to American Lighthouses, published in 2008, New Canal is widely considered the nation’s most endangered lighthouse. The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, owners and operators of the lighthouse, are planning to rebuild the structure using material salvaged from the original lighthouse. To date, the Foundation has raised a third of the $600,000 needed to begin rebuilding the lighthouse.

Timing:

Reconstruction efforts for the lighthouse are scheduled to begin in Spring 2009.

Products:

To restore the lighthouse’s architectural integrity and preserve it for years to come, New Canal will receive new JELD-WEN fiberglass doors and windows made with AuraLast wood and impact-resistant glass, to help the lighthouse withstand extreme conditions. The 16 new windows and two exterior doors will match the 1890 originals as closely as possible in appearance, while offering the ultimate protection from severe weather.

The new JELD-WEN pine wood windows will be made with AuraLast®, a revolutionary wood process developed by JELD-WEN that offers a 20-year warranty against wood decay, water saturation and termites. The windows will also feature impact-resistant, laminated glass designed to resist shattering by windborne debris in hurricane-prone areas. The new JELD-WEN® Custom Fiberglass exterior doors will be visually indistinguishable from wood, yet require very little maintenance and, most importantly, won’t expand, swell or absorb moisture. These doors are also engineered to withstand the harshest climates, including coastal conditions.

Lighthouse Facts:

• Francis D. Gott built the first New Canal Lighthouse in 1838 at the entrance of the New Basin Canal on Lake Pontchartrain.
• The original architectural structure was white with a red roof, featuring a tower made of Cypress wood with a lantern on top.
• Until its dismantling in early 2008, New Canal was one of only four wooden lighthouses in the Gulf Coast region, and was one of the last lighthouses in active use with a light tower atop the keeper’s dwelling.
• The original light had a Fifth Order Fresnel lens that has an occulting, or flashing white light and a mechanical fog bell that sounded once every 10 seconds when needed.
• Keepers and their families operated the lighthouse until the 1950s when the U.S. Coast Guard took over the aid to navigation and operated multiple missions from there until it moved operations in 1999. A local environmental nonprofit, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, then took over ownership.
• Some of the most notable keepers included several women, many of whom inherited the position because their husbands, the original keepers, died while on-duty at the lighthouse.
• During the Civil War in 1863, the light was extinguished for a few months by order of General Sherman, after union forces took command of New Orleans.
• In 1985, New Canal Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information about New Canal Lighthouse, visit www.saveourlake.org.

Photo Credit: New Canal Lighthouse on Lake Ponchartrain by Rosevines. Some rights reserved.

Copyright © 2008 Lighthouse News

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

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New Canal Lighthouse Winner of New Doors and Windows

WASHINGTON - Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today introduced legislation to create a competitive grant program that will help to pay for the preservation and rehabilitation of historic lighthouses in Michigan and across the country.

The grants will help nonprofit organizations, which serve as caretakers for the historic landmarks, to maintain the beauty of the lighthouses and keep them accessible to the public.

“Michigan’s lighthouses beautify our shorelines and are central to our state’s rich maritime history,” Levin said. “As the federal government has been divesting ownership of these American castles, local communities and historical societies have struggled to maintain these magnificent structures. This funding would help ensure our lighthouses remain cultural beacons for generations to come.”

“Michigan is home to over 120 lighthouses that draw thousands of visitors to Michigan each year and create jobs throughout our state,” Stabenow said. “I am pleased to join my colleague Senator Levin in support of this bill, which will help communities preserve these national treasures for years to come.”

In October 2000, Levin authored the National Lighthouse Preservation Act with Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), which helped facilitate the process of transferring historic lighthouses from the government to non-profit historical organizations.

The bill established an expedited process through the Government Services Agency to help ease lighthouse transfers by helping to cut through the bureaucratic red tape.

As a result of the law, 45 lighthouses to date - and nine in Michigan - have been transferred to custodians who will preserve them and keep them accessible to the public.

After obtaining custody of the lighthouses, however, some of the nonprofits organizations have struggled to come up with funding to adequately restore and maintain the lighthouses.

To address this problem, this legislation establishes a pilot program, run by the Secretary of the Interior, that would enable state and nonprofit groups to apply for competitive grants to help with restoration and maintenance efforts.

This pilot program would authorize the secretary to distribute $20 million a year for three years.

The legislation directs that funds would be distributed to states based on the percentage of historic lighthouses in the state.

Michigan has more lighthouses than any state in the country.

Photo credit: Grand Traverse Lighthouse © CWBash. Some rights reserved.

Copyright © 2008 Lighthouse News

For the very best in lighthouse photos and gifts visit The Lighthouse Guy.

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Michigan Senators Sponsor Lighthouse Funding Legislation