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- Lighthouses of the world
Lighthouses of the world
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Lighthouses of the world
There are over 20,000 functioning ligIhthouses around the world. I have seen about 75 of them over the years.
Many of them on the Pacific coast and the Great Lakes
Sorry it took so long to set up this next topic!
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How many lighthouses are there in America?
The United States has approximately 1,000 lighthouses, including light towers, range lights, and pier head lights. Michigan proudly holds the record for the most lighthouses, boasting over 150 past and present lights. Some notable lighthouses include ¹:
- Tallest Lighthouses:
- Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina: 210 feet (64 meters) tall
- Ponce de Leon Light, Florida: 175 feet (53 meters) tall
- Point Pinos Light and Point Arena Light, California: 115 feet (35 meters) tall
- Oldest Lighthouses:
- Boston Light, Massachusetts: built in 1783
- Sandy Hook Light, New Jersey: built in 1764
- Notable Lighthouse States:
- Michigan: Over 120 listed lighthouses
- Maine: Home to the tallest New England lighthouse, Boon Island Light, at 133 feet (41 meters)
- California: Features historic lights like Point Pinos Light (1855) and Point Arena Light (1895)
These numbers may vary as new lighthouses are discovered, and some may be decommissioned or destroyed over time.
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The lighthouse pictured is the South Mole Lighthouse, located at the entrance to Fremantle Harbour in Western Australia.
Overview
Location: It sits on the South Mole peninsula in Fremantle, near Perth, Western Australia.
Construction: The lighthouse is a 15-meter tall structure made of prefabricated cast iron sections, built by Chance Brothers in the United Kingdom and assembled on-site in 1903.
Color and Function: The tower was originally painted French grey but was repainted green sometime after World War II. The green color and light signal are used to guide incoming boats on their starboard side when entering the harbor channel.
Accessibility: The lighthouse area is a popular spot for walking, fishing, and watching sunsets and ships, and is accessible to the public, although visitors cannot go inside the tower itself.
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Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The light station sits on a headland at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. The light station is automated, and the tower, beacon, and foghorn are maintained by the United States Coast Guard, while the former lighthouse keeper's house is a maritime museum within Fort Williams Park.
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Why are lighthouses still active?
Lighthouses remain active for several reasons ¹:
- Navigational Aid: They serve as beacons for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways, marking dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, rocks, and safe entries to harbors.
- Advancements in Technology: While electronic navigational systems have become more prevalent, lighthouses continue to be useful due to advancements in lighting technology, such as energy-efficient LED lights that can be powered by solar panels.
- Unique Identification: Each lighthouse has a distinct light characteristic, such as flashing patterns or colors, which helps mariners identify specific locations.
- Supplementing Electronic Navigation: Lighthouses can provide a visual aid when electronic systems fail or are not available, ensuring safe navigation.
- Historical and Tourist Significance: Many lighthouses are preserved and maintained as historical landmarks and tourist attractions.
In the case of the lighthouse in the post, without knowing the specific location, it's hard to say why it's still active. However, given its depiction as a functioning lighthouse with a lit beacon, it's likely serving one of the purposes mentioned above.
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The Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States. It is located at the northern end of the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in the Highlands. Amazingly well-preserved, this unique octagonal tower dates back to the 18th century and has been in service since 1764. Except for being darkened during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I and II, the beacon has been operating ever since. Today the National Park Service preserves the tower and the U.S. Coast Guard maintains the light. The National Park Service offers tours of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse on a seasonal basis. Visitors must be accompanied by a park ranger to climb the 95 stairs and 9 rung ladder to the top of the lighthouse. To join a tour, visitors must be at least 48" tall and sign up in person at the Sandy Hook Visitor Center on the day of the tour. The National Park Service encourages visitors to call the Sandy Hook Visitor Center directly to learn about tour times and seasonal closures. The lighthouse is on the grounds of Fort Hancock and is just one of the unbeatable tourist attractions at Sandy Hook. The peninsula also boasts a spectacular holly forest, excellent surf fishing, hiking, beaches, trails, salt marshes, more than 300 species of birds and other historical sites.
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A.L.🎄🎅🗼🗼The Thomas Point Shoal Light, also known as Thomas Point Shoal Light Station, is a historic lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay on the east coast of the United States, and the most recognized lighthouse in Maryland. It is the only screw-pile lighthouse in the bay which stands at its original site. The current structure is a 1½ story hexagonal wooden cottage, equipped with a foghorn as well as the light.
Constructed 1875
Automated 1986
Photo credit: motoxdms
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@DaveMcK wrote:Wind Point Lighthouse, Wind Point Wisconsin. Today, after a big snow storm yesterday, and a beautiful Christmas wreath. I feel like I live in a postcard. Its beautiful 🎄.
Edit: The lighthouse was just painted a few months ago. So it looks so clean.
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