Episodes

Christian Fiedler Solargraphy – also called solarigraphy – is a niche form of pinhole photography that stretches single exposure images to an extreme exposure length. Relying on homemade cameras, darkroom paper, and a small pinhole instead of a glass lens, solargraphs allow an image to be captured over months or years. The path of the sun and the landscape appear directly on the surface of the paper. Solargraph image of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, New Hampshire. The walkway out the lighthouse...

In addition to their nature cruises, Bar Harbor Whale Watch in Maine runs regular sightseeing cruises that go near several of the local lighthouses. For years, pre-pandemic, the company also ran occasional all-day lighthouse cruises that passed close to as many as 15 or 20 lighthouses. An annual July cruise was known as the Grand Slam cruise. The cruises were put on hold during the pandemic. The tradition is being revived, with an all-day cruise going near at least 20 lighthouses this September ...

Burnt Coat Harbor Light Station on Swans Island, Maine, is one of the sites participating in Maine Open Lighthouse Day. Photo by Jeremy D’Entremont. Maine Open Lighthouse Day is a popular annual event that’s sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maine Office of Tourism, and the American Lighthouse Foundation. It attracts between 15,000 to 18,000 visitors each year and offers the general public the rare opportunity to climb and learn about more than a dozen historic Maine lights. The event takes...

Slip Point Lighthouse, courtesy of Slip Point Lighthouse Keepers The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a body of water the Salish Sea’s main outlet to the Pacific Ocean. Clallam Bay, Washington, is an indentation on the south side of the strait, about 30 miles from its mouth. Slip Point is at the east end of Clallam Bay. A fog signal was established at Slip Point in 1905. A lantern was hung on the fog signal building to provide a navigational light until another appropriation paid for the addition of a ...

Pilot Island, Wisconsin. Photo by Tim Sweet, courtesy of Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands. Porte des Morts, from the French meaning “door of the dead,” is a strait that connects Lake Michigan to Green Bay, Wisconsin. A lighthouse was established in the strait on Plum Island in 1849, but it was determined to be too far west to aid shipping. It was replaced by a lighthouse and fog signal on Pilot Island, less than two miles to the southeast. Plum Island Rear Range Light, Wisconsin. Courtesy of F...

Jeff Gales and Augie This episode features a wide-ranging conversation between Light Hearted host Jeremy D’Entremont and Jeff Gales, executive director of the U.S. Lighthouse Society (USLHS). Topics include the early history of the USLHS, the Society’s move from San Francisco to Point No Point Light Station in Seattle, the passport program, overnight stays at the Society’s properties and other lighthouses, and the changing role of foghorns in today’s world — and more. Jeff Gales became the Soci...

This episode features two re-edited interviews from past years, Karen Zacharuk and Chris Mills. For more than 15 years, Karen has been the keeper at Cape Beale in British Columbia. Cape Beale is one of 27 lightstations that remain staffed on the coast of British Columbia. As keeper, Karen maintains the navigation equipment and buildings, monitors weather and sea conditions, and watches for emergency situations. Karen Zacharuk and friend at Cape Beale Chris Mills is originally from Ontario, but...

Seal Point Lighthouse is on Cape St. Francis in South Africa, close to the southeasternmost point on the continent. At 91 feet tall, it’s the tallest masonry building on the South African coast. Seal Point Light Station (courtesy of Seal Point Lighthouse) Construction began in 1874, and materials had to be hauled by oxcart to the remote location. The light station began service on July 4, 1878. For many years, Seal Point was considered one of the most isolated staffed light stations on the coun...

The waterfront of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is home to one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions: Titanic Belfast, also known as the Titanic Museum. The museum opened in 2012 and attracted more than six million people in its first seven years of operation. In 2018, two important new attractions – the Great Light and Titanic Walkway – officially opened to the public near the museum. The so-called Great Light is the world’s first and largest hyper-radial Fresnel lens — the largest and most p...

Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has the distinction of being New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse and the nation’s third tallest masonry lighthouse at 171 feet. The tower was designed by George Meade, who later commanded the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. The light went into service in early 1857. Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey, at sunrise. Courtesy of Absecon Lighthouse. Buddy Grover and Jean Muchanic Buddy Grover After three quarters of a century as a family ...

The first lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest was established in 1856 on the north side of the entrance to the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, in the state of Washington. High land blocked the view of the light from the north, so Congress appropriated funds for a second lighthouse at North Head, just two miles north of Cape Disappointment. North Head Lighthouse, a 65-foot-tall brick tower with a sandstone base, began service in 1898 with its light 194 feet above the water. North Head Lig...

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, or NHLPA, was created to aid the preservation of federally owned historic light stations. The NHLPA program is a partnership that includes the Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the General Services Administration, or GSA. The NHLPA allows lighthouse properties to be transferred at no cost to federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit corporations, or educational and community development organizations. Sonia Allo...

Erie Land Lighthouse, photo by Brian Berchtold. There are three lighthouses on the Lake Erie shore within the state of Pennsylvania. The first of the three, Erie Land Lighthouse, was erected to mark the entrance to Presque Isle Bay. It has the distinction of being the earliest commissioned light station on the American side of the Great Lakes. The present 49-foot tower was built in 1867 of Berea sandstone. Erie Harbor North Pierhead Light, photo by Brian Berchtold. Presque Isle Light Station, p...

Connie and Elson Small in the 1940s Constance Scovill Small was born into a Maine family that included sea captains and lighthouse keepers. Connie had dreams of being an artist or writer, but when light keeper Elson Small asked her, “Do you love me enough to go with me on a lighthouse?” she knew she had to say yes. They were soon married. Connie Small and Jeremy D’Entremont in 2003 Connie and Elson had a 28-year career at light stations including Maine’s Avery Rock, Seguin Island, and St. Croix...

Dianne Wolfer’s 2009 book Lighthouse Girl won the West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award for Picture Books. Lighthouse Girl tells the poignant story of Fay Howe, who was the daughter of the lighthouse keeper at Breaksea Island, near Albany in Western Australia, during World War I. In late 1914 a fleet of 36 troop ships left Albany bound for Egypt and Gallipoli. Fifteen-year-old Fay communicated with many of the men using semaphore flags or Morse code. The sight of Fay Howe waving to them from...

Courtesy of Barry Porter Barry Porter was born into a farming family in Porterville, on the north coast of Newfoundland, Canada. After working as a welder, Barry applied to be a relief lighthouse keeper with the Canadian Coast Guard. He spent the next 23 years working as a lightkeeper in four different locations. He has written about his colorful career in a new book, Adventures of a Lightkeeper. Barry Porter and his wife Alice at Bacalhao Island Lighthouse. Courtesy of Barry Porter. Stephanie ...

Barry Porter This is the second part in a three-part interview with Barry Porter, whose new book Adventures of a Lightkeeper tells the story of his 23 years (1983 to 2006) with the Canadian Coast Guard as a lighthouse keeper on the northeast coast of Newfoundland. Barry started his years as a full-time principal keeper in 1984 at Long Point Light Station on North Twillingate Island. Long Point, with its distinctive red lighthouse tower, is one of the 23 light stations in Newfoundland that are st...

Barry Porter (courtesy of Barry Porter) Barry Porter worked as a lighthouse keeper on the northeast coast of Newfoundland with the Canadian Coast Guard for twenty-three years, 1983 to 2006. Born in the small farming community of Porterville, Barry has worked in several professions, as a welder, a photographer, a lighthouse keeper, and later as the curator and manager of the By the Bay Museum in Lewisporte. His lighthouse adventures began at Surgeon’s Cove Head Light Station on Exploits Island. H...

St. Helena Island Light Station, Michigan, courtesy of GLLKA Michele and Mark VanderVelde at St. Helena Island. Courtesy of Michele and Mark VanderVelde. The idea for the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, or GLLKA, was born at a gathering back in 1981 at Grosse Point Lighthouse in Illinois, and in the following year the first informal meeting was held in Michigan. The organization was officially launched in 1983 and it’s going strong 40 years later, remaining dedicated to the restorat...

Elliott Bay, on Puget Sound in the state of Washington, extends southeastward between West Point in the north and Alki Point in the south. The city of Seattle was founded on the bay and the city now surrounds it completely. The bay has served as a key element of the local economy, enabling the Port of Seattle to become one of the busiest ports in the United States. The first navigational light at Alki Point was a kerosene lantern hung on the side of a barn in the 1870s by the property owner. Al...

Point No Point is at the north end of Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula in the small town of Hansville. Construction of a lighthouse at Point No Point began in April 1879. Point No Point is the oldest lighthouse on Puget Sound, and it consists of a square 30-foot-tall brick and stucco tower between an attached office and a fog signal building. Point No Point Lighthouse at sunrise. Photo by Jeremy D’Entremont In the late 1990s, the last Coast Guard personnel left Point No Point and the property was ...

Browns Point Lighthouse, Washington. Photo by Jeremy D’Entremont Browns Point is on the east side of the entrance to Commencement Bay, which leads from Puget Sound to the Port of Tacoma. The first navigational aid at Browns Point was a simple post light established in 1887 – two years before Washington became a state. A new square wooden lighthouse began service in 1903, and a fog bell was mounted on the side of the tower. In 1933, the current 38-foot concrete lighthouse tower was built. It’s un...

Jack Graham had a long career with Pennysylvania State Parks, and since 2005 Jack and his wife Tobi have lived at lighthouses all over the map as resident docents and caretakers. They’ve also been involved in historical re-enactment groups since 1976, both as performers and costume makers. Jack also does old-time storytelling as Pennsylvania Jack, performing at venues all around the state. And he is an avid lighthouse researcher who has written dozens of articles for the U.S. Lighthouse Society’...

Jack Graham was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A retired Pennsylvania State Park manager, he’s been an active volunteer in many areas of state and national history. Jack is also an old-time storyteller who performs as Pennsylvania Jack. As Pennsylvania Jack, he has performed at events at the state museum in Harrisburg, and at many other venues and events. Jack is also a longtime lighthouse aficionado who has written many articles – around 50 in all – for the U.S. Lighthouse Society...