Pemaquid Point, Maine Harbour Lights Open Edition #435 The beckoning water off Maine’s coastline holds plentiful bounty and unpredictable peril. Fishing provides a livelihood for many towns, giving both sustenance and income. But on dark days, when the fog engulfs the harbor or a nor’easter slams the shore, fishing vessels can easily founder in the frigid seas. If it weren’t for the many lighthouses dotting Maine’s coastline, many lives and ships would be lost. Pemaquid Point, an outcropping at the entrance to Muscongus Bay, was an ideal spot for a lighthouse. Originally built in 1827, the rubblestone lighthouse was constructed at a cost of only $2,800. But the tower began to shed its stones soon after completion. Apparently, the mason who laid the original mortar and stone used inferior materials. Another contractor was hired in 1835 to rebuild the tower with double walls, this time with instructions to use only the best materials and fresh water to mix the mortar. Although standing only 38 feet high, the lighthouse tower sits on a high cliff, resulting in a 79-foot focal plane. In 1857, the antiquated lighting system was replaced with a fourth order Fresnel lens. Mariners could now see the flashing beacon for 14 nautical miles. In that same year, the stone keeper’s cottage, suffering from the same poor workmanship as the original tower, was replaced by the current white frame dwelling. Automated in 1934, Pemaquid Point was one of the first stations in the country to operate without a keeper’s assistance. This historic beacon, with its 11,000 candlepower, has operated uninterrupted until the present day. Visitors to this picturesque sentinel are usually awestruck by the natural rock sculptures lying just below the light. Incredible formations have been carved out by centuries of pounding surf. Standing on the ancient granite bluff on a clear day, you can sometimes see beautiful Mohegan Island, lying ten miles to the east. |
Captains Cove 851 W Harbor Drive C, San Diego California 92101 
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