Piedras Blancas Light, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

The Piedras Blancas Light, near San Simeon California, not far from the Hearst Castle, is one of three tall classic lighthouse towers built in California. On the Pacific Coast, since the high bluffs along much of its extent provide the necessary height for a focal plane, these tall structures were not required.

The construction on the 115-foot tower began in 1874 and was first illuminated on February 15, 1875. In 1949, a fierce storm damaged the lantern room, and the lens, lantern room, ornate railing, and the beautiful sculpted upper portion of the tower were all removed. A rotating aerobeacon was placed atop the shortened, capped tower, and the lighthouse returned to service.

The Coast Guard staffed the lighthouse until 1975, when the tower was automated and the station unmanned. Since that time, the housing and station have been used to study sea otters and sensitive plant and animal life. The lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in October of 2001.

nwoehnl ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

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nwoehnl (122) 2005-09-13 14:21

Hi Ned. I like the feeling of vastness and freedom in this one, it makes me want to take a deep breath of the fresh seaside air. A nice clarity and depth in this coastal view in which the lighthouse and the other building further out make good compositional anchors. The flying seagulls and the foam of the incoming surf add a vivid quality. Interesting notes, too, nice work.