California
Click on the images to
see a larger version.
Alcatraz Island Lighthouse-San
Francisco Bay, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco,
California-I was only able to see
this lighthouse from a distance at a lookout point north of San Francisco
Bay...
Point Arena Lighthouse-Point
Arena, California-This was the
first lighthouse that I was able to go to the very top of. The view
is impressive. The fresnel lens in this lighthouse is valued at five
million dollars.
This lighthouse was also used as a background setting in
the Mel Gibson movie "Forever
Young". I have been to this lighthouse twice...
Battery Point Lighthouse-Crescent
City, California-Long inactive
as an aid to navigation, this lighthouse has become a major maritime attraction.
The lighthouse sits atop a little island directly off Battery Point.
Only at low tide can one reach the mainland...
Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse-Los
Angeles, California-Originally
known as the San Pedro Harbor Light, this lighthouse was built on the outer
end of the San Pedro Harbor breakwater. The tower is 69 feet tall
and is automated and still active. I passed by this lighthouse
on my way to and from Catalina Island by boat.
Piedras Blancas Lighthouse-Cambria,
California-In 1949 the Coast guard
removed the lantern and lens
from this 90 foot tower, replacing it with an aerobeacon on the flat area
that became the top of the now 74 foot tower, ruining it's symmetry.
The beacon can be seen for 18 miles at sea. I have been there once...
Pigeon Point Lighthouse-Pescadero,
California-This lighthouse is named
after the ship "Carrier Pigeon", which was wrecked on the rocks at this
site. It shares the honor
of being the tallest lighthouse on the Pacific
Coast with the Point Arena lighthouse. I have been to this lighthouse
two times...
Point Reyes Lighthouse-Point
Reyes, California-To say I have
actually seen
this lighthouse would be an exaggeration. But I did try really hard
to see it, and I even spent the night in my car in the parking lot because
it was late at night when I got there and the fog was way too dense to
even see my own headlights, much less the road in front of me. It
has a cool sounding fog signal and is 265 feet above the sea. From
the top you have to take three hundred steps down to the lighthouse, but
everytime I go there they are not open on that day. I will eventually
see it though :)
I am planning a vacation to the west coast this summer, and am hoping to finally be able to actually visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse. I am also planning to visit the Point Montara Lighthouse near Pacifica, as pictures of this lighthouse have always fascinated me.
Point Sur Lighthouse-Big Sur,
California-This short, grey stone
tower is 50 feet tall and the light shines 270 feet above the sea.
It went into service in 1889 with a flashing red and white light.
In 1950 the light was changed to a flashing white one and today it is automated.
The light station is in the boundries of the Pfeiffer Big Sur State park.
I have just seen this lighthouse from a distance...
To be continued...
This page was last updated
Friday, February 25th, 2005
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