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Lighthouse fan

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/23/2009 : 08:01:02

A good friend is a fan of lighthouses. He has about a dozen scale models of lighthouses in his collection. He's got lighthouse wallpaper, and various artifacts (lenses, etc) he's collected over the years.

For his 50th birthday, I would like to get him a unique model lighthouse for his collection.

While there we talked about Cape Hatteras light, Cape Fear, several west coast lights and he already has New London's Ledge Light. I mentioned that I visited the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, and saw the light there which was built in the late 1890s, even before many westerners were thinking about rocketry.

I know that there are lights all over the Great Lakes, and many in Europe.

I'd like to find him a unique one, with a unique story, maybe a haunted lighthouse (like Ledge) or one of the majors (what's that lighthouse you see in the office posters with huge waves engulfing it, and with a caption underneath like "Persistence"?)

What lighthouses in your area, or in your travels, are particularly noteworthy or have a good story?

For example, I heard about a lighthouse that "went missing" from Massachusetts [it was decommissioned and apparently taken down], and several years later, the light had been complete rebuilt on the US Northwest coast somewhere.

Also, who are the makers and retailers of these models? I imagine there are a few well known makers out there somewhere.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 10:14:46

Every time I sail, I see, to my south, the Barnegat Lighthouse. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/barnlig.html

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 11:08:03

This one of Grand Haven, MI, is only $2,700.00.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 12:18:16

I have 2 that are noteworthy around me. [url="http://waveless.smugmug.com/Friends/The-Sandbar/9750214_eGgh2#660407853_aJK9y"]The Ponce Inlet lighthouse[/url], I believe is the tallest on the east coast and the [url="http://www.staugustinelighthouse.com/"]St. Augustine Lighthouse[/url] that is supposed to be [url="http://www.angelsghosts.com/haunted_light_houses_st_augustine_lighthouse.html"]quite haunted[/url]. Both really neat with a lot of history!

Edited by - DaveR on 10/23/2009 12:32:54

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 12:29:08

I've always been intrigued by lightships. How about a model of the Lightship Nantucket? Here is a beautiful [url="http://www.bluejacketinc.com/kits/nantucket.htm"]kit[/url]. Here is a less expensive [url="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.megahobby.com/productimages/lin/LIN70860.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.megahobby.com/nantucketlightship1-95lindberg.aspx&usg=__kYBQYfg_-RF3_XN30uJBt74_OVI=&h=308&w=500&sz=22&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=8K44f57MzryZoM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlightship%2Bnantucket%2Bkit%26hl%3Den"]one[/url].

Edited by - Nautiduck on 10/23/2009 12:38:22

Tom Gauntt
Navigator

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204 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 12:38:32

Scotch Cap Light.

As a former coastie stationed in Alaska, we spent a lot of time working with the buoy tenders doing ATON work. One of the strangest stories was of the Scotch Cap Light on Unimak Island in the Aluetians. Lighthouse duty was tough enough, but lighthouse duty in Alaska was even more challenging. What makes Scotch Cap Light a compelling story is, it was completely razed by a tsunami in 1946, killing the 5 light keepers. I don't know if you could ever find a model of it, but it is an odd story.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2009 : 07:45:45

Marblehead, Ohio - the oldest continuously operating light on the Great Lakes and home to the first female light keeper on the lakes.
http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/erie/marblehead.htm

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2009 : 08:11:04

Were you thinking of the [url="http://www.celos.net/fastnet/photo/fastnet-rock.jpg"]Fastnet Rock[/url]?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2009 : 14:46:52

Sheboygan, WI (for anyone who hasn't seen a Great Lakes storm...

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2009 : 19:12:22

Dave
Thanks for the pointer.
I tried funnychill.com, searched on lighthouses and up came an ad for Cape Cod Store.com. They have a huge selection of Lighthouses.
See http://www.thecapecodstore.com/nautical_lights.html

John, it could have been Fastnet rock, they're known for getting some pretty good gales in the eastern Atlantic.

Randy, I love the photo, especially the little dink that is marked "Relief". Something about that strikes me as funny.

Edited by - on

Kendall
Navigator

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USA
146 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2009 : 10:44:15

Ive recently visited the Key West lighthouse. That will make a total of three Florida lighthouses that Ive visited. I have more pictures if your interested.

Edited by - Kendall on 10/25/2009 10:44:33

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 05:29:30

<center>[url="http://www.visithopetown.com/lighthouse.html"]Elbow Reef Light House[/url]</center>
Located at Hope Town Harbour, Elbow Cay, Abaco, Bahamas

From Hope Town's website:
"Probably the most recognizable landmark in Abaco, the lighthouse is one of the last manual lighthouses in the world. Rated at 325,000 candlepower, the lamp burns pressurized Kerosene oil with a wick and mantle. The Fresnel lenses concentrate the mantle’s light into a beam directed straight towards the horizon. The lenses and burner equipment, weighing 8,000lbs, float in a circular lubricated tub (of mercury!). This reduces friction so that the 700lb weights, when wound up to the top of the tower by hand, smoothly rotates the 4-ton apparatus once every 15 seconds. The lighthouse keeper on duty must wind up the weights every 2 hours in order for the red and white candy-striped lighthouse to be seen from 17 miles away.

To get an uninterrupted view of the surrounding area (and enjoy a cool breeze on the warmest calm day), climb 100+ steps to the top of the lighthouse. Most importantly, make sure you bring your camera and leave your fear of heights at home."

I shot two rolls of film of this lighthouse when I visited there aboard my C-25 in 2003.

-- Leon Sisson

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 07:04:29

Leon, I suspect the keepers there suffer from mercury poisoning--gradual brain, organ, lung, and nerve damage--from the vapor, and presumably never know it.

See [url="http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2945_5105_47868-181553--,00.html"]this video[/url].

I think I'd pass on that job.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 07:05:57

Here is an [url="http://cgi.ebay.com/Thomas-Point-Light---kit-1017-from-BEST--HO%2FHOn3_W0QQitemZ150385452936QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20091102?IMSfp=TL091102172002r9976"]elaborate kit[/url] to build a model of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis. Sure is unique!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 08:28:43

You can climb around in a very similar "screw-pile" lighthouse that was moved to the dockside by Baltimore's Inner Harbor--an interesting little museum.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/24/2009 08:29:29

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 09:52:29

check out this wb site for Great Lakes Lighthouses and history.

http://www.lighthousegetaway.com/lights/g_lakes.html

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SailCO26
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 10:00:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Leon Sisson
 [url="http://www.visithopetown.com/lighthouse.html"]Elbow Reef Light House[/url]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">(Dam, Leon beat me to it...)
+1 for Elbow Reef!!!

Have visited that site 4 times to date and on my way for a 5th on Thu (11/26) - this will be the first visit w/o having a sailboat in Hope Town harbour, tho...

Jim

Edited by - on

Rich P
1st Mate

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USA
77 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 10:06:37

http://www.longislandlighthouses.com/

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 19:02:10

After looking at all the light houses and reading the lore, the one that my wife and I chose was none other than Staten Island Light. It has a beautiful house and the light is 65 feet. But there are two features that make it special.
(1) It is the first light that European immigrants saw (his grandparents) when they came to America and
(2) The light is just off Richmond Hill on Staten Island, which is the tallest hill [except for Maine] anywhere on the east coast.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2009 : 21:14:32

Interesting that it's about a mile and a half from the water. Made me curious... It turns out to be the rear light in a range for the Ambrose channel into NY Harbor, where the front light is the West Bank Light in the Lower Bay.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/24/2009 21:28:13

Loonsong1
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2009 : 06:02:35

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Seeing that Lighthouses are being discussed, take a few minutes and check out the Lighthouse Photos I've shot over the past 10 years or so.
http://loonsong.smugmug.com/Light-Houses

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2009 : 16:42:13

This is an awesome set of photos. Question is, Maine and Hawaii are about 1/4 the way around the world. What's the connection?

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gop711
1st Mate

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Armenia
83 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2009 : 08:52:05

Leon,

I notice where you stated you were at Hopetown lighthouse in 2003 on your C25.

We spent 40 days this pass summer cruising the Bahamas in a 33' Gib Sea.

I have a C25 and was wondering if you had any problems crossing the Gulf Stream? Did you by chance go anywhere besides the Abacos? One of my concerns in taking my C25 wing keel is that the outboard might not be much help at certain times when you would need it most. Did you ever have any concerns with your C25 going or coming or in the Bahamas? Whale Cay Pass?

Thanks
Greg

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