PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Pescadero, California
This beautiful lighthouse, a conical tower, rises 100 feet to the focal plane of the 1st order Fresnel lens. Along with Point Arena further north, the two are the tallest lighthouses that are still active along the Pacific Coast. It sits out on a little finger of land with a rocky cliff shoreline around three sides. It is now the site of a youth hostel and tours are offered for a small fee. I took the tour and found it to be very informative. Plus you get to go up and see the lens, a magnificent work of art. I had a fisheye lens and could see the entire piece in the frame. Now if I can just find that slide again.
It was named for a clipper ship, called the Carrier Pigeon, that sank off the point on June 6, 1853. However, it wasn't until July 20, 1868, that Congress finally allocated a sum of $90,000 to build a lighthouse in the area. Not soon enough though and another ship sank in November of 1868, the Hellespont. Construction was at last completed in 1872 and at sunset on November 15, 1872 the 1st order lens pierced the sky. It still continues to flash every ten seconds.
This lighthouse is very easy to find as are most lighthouses along the coast of California. All you have to do is drive north out of Santa Cruz on Highway One, and before you reach the turnoff to Pescadero, you can't help but see this giant sentinel. Since it faces west, there is a definite change in the lighting patterns throughout the day for photography. Many pullouts are available both north and south of the lighthouse, allowing for a wide array of compositions.
Here's how I
saw it:
PP1
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A Recent Trip to the Lantern Room:
PPL1 PPL2 PPL3 PPL4 PPL5 PPL6 PPL7 PPL8
OF THE MOUNTAINS
John B Caddell
Copyright 2001