I read a very interesting item from The Associated Press on Yahoo News Thursday about a
missing Cape Cod lighthouse being found in California. Apparently the Montara Lighthouse originally operated at Mayo Beach in Massachusetts. Local historians there thought the lighthouse had been demolished in 1925. Recent research though shows that it was taken down, probably bolt by bolt, and then transported overland to Yerba Buena ( I guess the island in San Francisco Bay) where it was reconstructed and then moved to Montara. For more information visit LighthouseFriends.com.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
As we were just one mile away at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, I wanted to go and have a look at this lighthouse. It was very hard to find though. Everybody expects lighthouses to be tall and easy to spot many miles away but that is not the case here. I knew roughly where it was because I checked on the map but it was nowhere to be seen. We drove through Montara and then turned around and drove back again. I knew it was just south of 14th street so we retraced to route until we found 14th Street and then kept our eyes peeled.
The only clue to its whereabouts is a picture advertising a hostel so we turned into the entrance. There was a sign inside advising us that there was no parking but we found somewhere to park and made our way to the office to make inquiries. On the way we saw the lighthouse. No wonder it was hard to see from the road as it is only 30′ tall and it is just the light on the top which gives any clue as to what it is.
It is still used as a navigational aid to ships but the light is automated. Because of its height, the light can be see below the fog. The fog signal, which used to be housed next to the lighthouse, has been moved offshore. Now the old lighthouse keepers house and surrounding buildings are used as a hostel and the location is perfect - unless of course it is blanketed by thick fog!
June 10 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Point Reyes Lighthouse is 50 miles north of San Francisco in the Point Reyes National
Seashore. This is a protected area covering approximately 71,000 acres and is a wonderful area to explore. There is only one, very small town in the whole area and that is Inverness. Most of the area is uninhabited but there are quite a few historic dairy farms which are still in operation so there are lots of cows.
Point Reyes itself is a curiosity as it is moving north at a rate of 2 inches a year. The rocks and vegetation are completely different here than on the opposite side of Tomales Bay.
There are a number of interesting places to visit. North of Inverness there are three, small secluded beaches on the Tomales Bay side - Shell Beach, Hearts Desire Beach and Marshall Beach. They are hard to find and not signposted at all from the road. At the northern end of Point Reyes there are free roaming Tule Elk and they are a wonderful sight. Also in the same area is the Historic Pierce Point Ranch with a self guided tour around the complex. Running past the ranch is the lovely Tomales Point Trail.
Today though we are headed for the lighthouse. This involves a drive of 20 miles from the entrance of the National Seashore, passing a few of the dairy farms. At weekends and holidays during the whale watching season, no cars are allowed to drive to the lighthouse and there is a bus shuttle instead. At this time of the year we can drive all the way to the small car park at the end.
As we got out of the car we had a marvelous view of the Farallon Islands. There is a 0.4 mile walk with some breathtaking views to get to the beginning of the lighthouse complex. There is a small visitors center before you get to the top of the steps leading down to the lighthouse.
As we approached the steps, we met a lady who was waiting for her son to return from his trip down to the lighthouse. We had a fascinating conversation with her. What an interesting life she had led. In the ten minutes or so we were talking to her we almost had her life story. The highlight was her telling us that for a few years she had been a hooker in Berkeley. I won’t give any more information in case anybody who reads this knows her!
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November 18 2007 | Special Places | No Comments »
missing Cape Cod lighthouse being found in California. Apparently the Montara Lighthouse originally operated at Mayo Beach in Massachusetts. Local historians there thought the lighthouse had been demolished in 1925. Recent research though shows that it was taken down, probably bolt by bolt, and then transported overland to Yerba Buena ( I guess the island in San Francisco Bay) where it was reconstructed and then moved to Montara. For more information visit LighthouseFriends.com.
