Today is National Lighthouse Day. I love lighthouses. I grew up a block away from the harbor in Grand Marais, Minnesota and often times went to sleep with the sound of the foghorn. Back in those days, it was an actual fog horn – a deep, bellowing sound that could be heard for miles. For those who were not accustomed to the sound, it would be irritating and keep them awake . . . but for me it was like a blanket keeping me safe.
Whenever I travel, if I am within forty miles of a lighthouse, I will make a side trip to the lighthouse to photograph it. It is estimated that there are about 680 lighthouses in the United States. I have photographs of five of them. I only have 675 to go.
It was just recently that I learned that every lighthouse has a different light flash sequence. These flashes would help ships navigate in the dark. For the same reason, lighthouses are painted differently to assist ships in determining where they are during the day. Of course, now ships have sophisticated navigation systems so most lighthouses are obsolete. There is only one manned lighthouse left in the United States on Little Brewster Island in Boston.
Because this is a blog of photos taken every day and since I’m currently about 210 miles from the nearest lighthouse, I’m going to have to photograph some lighthouse replicas I have collected. To see some of my actual lighthouse photos, go to my cat, Tuxedo’s blog (click here). He posted some of the photos I’ve taken of different lighthouses in the U.S.
Happy National Lighthouse Day!!!
Maralee
Through My Lens 
Love this:) I have lighted Christmas houses that are a tradition….it is funny how a certain sound can be comforting…I have my Grandparents antique clock that bongs on the half hour and hour…I love hearing it in the night as I can remember going to their house and it was a comforting sound….now I have it and while to me it is a comfort, my hubby thinks it is annoying….
Thank you. I only have a few lighthouses collected. I try to collect them when I go to different places that have lighthouses. I had a lighthouse snow globe that I really liked but it got dropped and broke.
Way in the back of my head, but not forgotten, is the idea of how neat it would be to actually live in a lighthouse.
People do live in some of the lighthouses. And some you can rent for a while. It would be kind of fun.
I’m also a lover and collector of lighthouses as you know. I am glad to see yours. I also have the two end Lighthouses in your photos. Your photos of them are beautiful, they look like they are standing on a hill in the dark lighting someone’s way. Thanks for sharing.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
I hope to collect more. I try to pick them up when I’m traveling to places with lighthouses. I’m landlocked here so no lighthouses here.
Lovely share.. I love that the fog horn was a blanket for you.. and I think I would have loved it too… we have a good few light houses on our coast line a few of which I’ve had the privilege of climbing to the top.. the views are always breath taking and one can understand why they were so placed…
I have photos of one and the views from the top.. maybe I should blog them one day…
I was able to go to the top of the lighthouse at Haceda Head. It was beautiful up there and I learned a lot about lighthouses. I’d love to see your photos.
Oh, I love these replicas!!! They’re magic! I also love foghorns, sad that we hardly hear them anymore. 🙂
They’ve automated most lighthouses now and the foghorn is more like a little air horn now. Not nearly as nice as the old bellowing foghorns.
Reminds me of my college years on the New England coast. Tiuxedo’s link not working for me….
Thanks for telling me. I’ve fixed the link now.
¡Preciosas miniaturas!, me encantan los faros!!, abrazos
Thank you.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Oregon – my favorite photo …. and I love your miniatures here – a big sucker for real lighthouses too – they are so mighty, strong, powerful and proud. They stand there against wind and storms – sunshine and rain. I would like to find a man … like a lighthouse sending out the right signals all the time. Really enjoyed your the post with all lighthouses.
I like your analogy of finding a man like a lighthouse. Would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Daughter and Inwent with a group to tour a lighthouse in northern California (near Bodega Bay if memory serves). Very interesting. I’ve always bee fascinated with them as well, just not had too many opportunities to see hem up close and personal. I love these photos of your collectibles.
Darned iPad. Should be “Daughter and I went”. 😦