Beautiful Images of Lighthouses

The Admiralty Head Lighthouse

The Admiralty Head Light is a deactivated aid to navigation located on Whidbey Island near Coupeville, Island County, Washington, on the grounds of Fort Casey State Park.  The restored lighthouse overlooks Admiralty Inlet. This is the second lighthouse built on this site. The present lighthouse was built in 1903

"Sunset at Yaquina Head Lighthouse"

This magnificent old lighthouse stands as a symbol of the past and yet serves a useful purpose today as a navigational aid to watercraft in the Newport, Oregon, area. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse was built in 1872 and remains in operation by the U.S. Coast Guard today.

A Stormy Evening at Cape Disappointment

The North Head Light was constructed in 1897 after mariners complained that the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, installed in 1856, was obscured to ships approaching from the north by the headland extending southwest from the light. In November 2012, the Coast Guard turned over ownership of the light station to Washington State Parks. Repair and restoration efforts are being undertaken by the state and an independent preservation group, Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse, which is an arm of the non-profit Friends of the Columbia River Gateway. On this particular day I was treated with clouds and wind with some small but colorful breaks in the clouds at just the right time.

"Sunset at  Yaquina Head Lighthouse"  

This magnificent old lighthouse stands as a symbol of the past and yet serves a useful purpose today as a navigational aid to watercraft in the Newport, Oregon, area.  The Yaquina Head Lighthouse was built in 1872 and remains in operation by the U.S. Coast Guard today.

"A Clear Spring Evening at the Point Robinson Lighthouse" 

The Point Robinson Lighthouse was dedicated in 1885 and is still an operational navigational aid located on the east end of Maury Island in Puget Sound.  When the weather is clear one can catch a beautiful view of Mount Rainier to the east..

"A Clear Spring Evening at the Point Robinson Lighthouse" 

The Point Robinson Lighthouse was dedicated in 1885 and is still an operational navigational aid located on the east end of Maury Island in Puget Sound.  When the weather is clear one can catch a beautiful view of Mount Rainier to the east..

"Sunset at the Kilauea Lighthouse"

 With every sunset and sunrise on Kauai, nature struts her stuff, providing the viewer with a brief but unique display of beauty.  Here the sunset accents the Kilauea Lighthouse in the rich, golden, last light of the day.

"Haceta Head Lighthouse"

 Heceta Head is named after the Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, who explored the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century. Before him, Heceta Head was a spot of frequent fishing and hunting by the Native American tribes that populated the area.  In 1888, white settlers moved into the area and claimed 164 acres (66 ha) of the surrounding land. That same year, the United States Lighthouse Service approved the building of the lighthouse, and the government bought 19 acres  out of the 164 acres previously purchased, for the lighthouse structures. In 1892, a crew of 56 began construction the light. Because of the site's seclusion, building materials were either shipped in if the weather and tide permitted, or brought from Florence by wagon, the latter usually taking four or five hours. Stones were brought from the Clackamas River and bricks came from San Francisco. Completed in August 1893, the entire project cost $80,000

"Big Waves at Cape Disappointment 8088"

"California Lighthouse - Aruba"

 This beautiful old lighthouse stands tall to warn unwary ships of the treacherous northwest coastline of Aruba.  My wife and I were fortunate to watch a beautiful sunset here in 2010.  This image is a great memory for me.

The Yaquina Head Light, also known early in its existence as the Cape Foulweather Lighthouse, is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast in Lincoln County, near the mouth of the Yaquina River near Newport at Yaquina Head.

The Point Wilson Light is an active aid to navigation located in Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend,  Washington. It is one of the most important navigational aids in the state, overlooking the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, the waterway connecting the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.

"The Lighthouse at Cape Mearas" This old lighthouse is located 10 miles west of Tillamook, Oregon.  It became operational in 1890 but now stands a monument of the past and home to a wildlife refuge. The beauty of this old lighthouse is extraordinary.

The Yaquina Bay Light was built by Ben Simpson[1] and first lit on November 3, 1871.  It was active for only three years due to the establishment of the larger Yaquina Head Light in 1873 that was located just 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the Yaquina Bay Light.  So the lighthouse was decommissioned on October 1, 1874, because the newer Yaquina Head Light made it obsolete.  The fifth-order Fresnel lens was then installed in the Yerba Buena Light in California for its opening in 1875.

"Fan Wave at Cape Disappointment 8235"
During times of extreme surf unique wave patterns occur that boggle the mind.  This is one of my favorite "fan waves."

"Big Waves at Cape Disappointment 8313"
The top of the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse stands 174 feet above sea level.  On this day in January, 2018, 24 foot waves came crashing in providing bystanders with a spectacular if not dangerous show.  Since the Park Service closed the road to vehicular traffic because of debris that had been washed up into the road the night before, we had to hike to the parking lot of Waikiki Beach.  I arrived about 2 hours before high tide.  The surf was raging and the debri on the beach would rise then settle down as the water receded.  However as the tide rose a big wave actually came crashing into the parking lot.  No one was hurt, but one photographer lost some expensive equipment.  The Park Service immediately closed the parking lot to all traffic until the tide receded adequately to ensure safety.

1. The Lime Kiln Light was established in 1914, when acetylene lights were placed on Lime Kiln Point, a name derived from the lime kilns built there in the 1860s. It was the last major light established in Washington. The light was updated five years later with a 38-foot octagonal concrete tower rising from the fog signal building, a design that matches the  Alki Light in Seattle. Two keeper's houses and other structures also date from around this time. A fourth-order Fresnel lens was first exhibited from the new tower on June 30, 1919. The Coast Guard automated the Lime Kiln Lighthouse in August 1962, using photoelectric cells to turn the light on at dusk and off during daylight hours. In 1998, the drum lens was replaced with a modern optic, flashing a white light once every 10 seconds.  Sitting on the rocky shoreline at a height of 55 feet, the beacon is visible for 17 miles .

This fine old Lighthouse located at the end of the runway at the Lihue Airport appears to be incomplete, but in fact it is. images of lighthouses Dean Byrd Photography

"Churning Seas at Cape Disappointment"
The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse was built in 1856 and was lit with a first order fresnel lens.  It was also equipped with a fog bell that was often inaudible due to the churning surf.  The lighthouse demonstrated shortcomings in this dangerous area and was subsequently replaced by the North Head Lighthouse nearby.