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The narrow road leading to the Point Reyes National Seashore and its weather-beaten lighthouse was honeycombed with periodic potholes, herds of cattle and sweeping landscapes along one of northern California’s most rugged coastlines.
Ninety minutes north of San Francisco, the West Coast’s only National Seashore was also difficult to navigate for seafaring ships. Try to imagine English explorer Sir Francis Drake beaching his ships inside what is now known as Drakes Bay just east of where the lighthouse is today in 1579. The estuary inside Drakes Bay is now known as Drake’s Estero. Drake used the mouth of the estuary to careen his ship and repair its battered hull before continuing on his circumnavigation of the globe, the first venture of its kind.
Point Reyes is one of the windiest and foggiest places on the entire Pacific Coast and the United States. Powerful winter storms that often come howling in from the southwest dump volumes of water along the Inverness Ridge and continue across the Central Valley to blanket the Sierra Nevada with snow. In addition, springtime wind speeds can exceed 130 mph. In summer, the temperature differential between the cool Pacific Ocean at around 52 degrees and the warmer inland areas causes dense fog to form along this coast. These hazardous conditions threatened the safety of cargo ships and sailors that pass by the point. In the 1850s, as San Francisco became a major port, Congress authorized the construction of a lighthouse at Point Reyes.
After strolling through a shady grove of Cyprus trees, I still couldn’t see the lighthouse. It was overcast and the ocean was a dark cobalt blue, swirling currents sweeping down the coast. It wasn’t until I got to the edge of the craggy point that I caught a glimpse of the lighthouse. Three hundred stone steps lead down to the steep point. There were convenient pullouts on the side of the steps for those who needed a rest on the return.
Because of persistent weeks of fog and its low hanging ceiling, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was strategically built near the bottom of the point to give sailors and cargo ships a better chance to see its light and navigate along this desolate stretch of coastline. An area 300 feet above sea level was blasted with dynamite creating a level spot to transport materials to and construct the lighthouse. On December 1, 1870, the Point Reyes Light was first shone.
Maintaining this remote lighthouse was an adventure all its own, a 24-hour job requiring the lighthouse keeper and his three-man crew to share four 6-hour shifts. Their duties for the keepers included cleaning the lens, polishing the brass, stoking the steam-powered fog signal and making necessary repairs. At the end of each shift, the keeper trudged back up the then wooden staircase. Sometimes the winds were so strong that he had to crawl on his hands and knees to keep from being knocked down. The highest wind speed recorded at Point Reyes was 133 m.p.h., and 60 m.p.h. winds are common.
The hard work, wind, fog and isolation at Point Reyes made this an undesirable post. Even so, one keeper stayed for about 24 years, a testament to his devotion and love of Point Reyes!
The historic Point Reyes Lighthouse served mariners for 105 years before it was replaced. It endured many hardships, including the April 18, 1906 earthquake, during which the Point Reyes Peninsula and the lighthouse moved north an amazing 18 feet in less than one minute! However, the only damage to the lighthouse was that the lens slipped off its tracks. The lighthouse keepers quickly effected repairs and by the evening of the eighteenth, the lighthouse was once again in working order. The earthquake occurred at 5:12 am and the lighthouse was scheduled to be shut down for regular daytime maintenance at 5:25 am. Although the earthquake caused much devastation and disruption elsewhere, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was essentially only off-line for thirteen minutes!
When the Point Reyes Lighthouse is open for tours, it provides a glimpse into the 19th century when machines were kings. The historic equipment – manufactured in Paris – was installed in 1870, and warned mariners for 105 years until its retirement in 1975. The first order Fresnel lens with 1032 pieces of hand-ground crystal, and the clockworks that drove it, are in good condition and look as if they had just been installed.
The Point Reyes Lighthouse is located on the western-most point of the Point Reyes Headlands. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10 am to 4:30 pm, Thursday through Monday. Here, you can see historic photographs of shipwrecks and lighthouse-keepers, and handle items on the touch table, including whale baleen. A display of local birds will introduce you to the birds you might see just off the cliffs. A small bookstore offers books, maps and other educational products. To get to the lighthouse itself, you must walk a half-mile from the parking lot to the Visitor Center, and then down 308 steps. The stairs are open 10 am to 4:30 pm, Thursdays through Mondays. When wind speeds exceed 40 miles per hour the steps to the lighthouse are closed for visitors’ safety.
Seasonally, there are tours of the lantern room and evening lighting programs. On weekends and holidays during whale-watching season, the road to the lighthouse is closed to private vehicles. Visitors must ride a shuttle bus. For more information you can call the Lighthouse Visitor Center for details at 415-669-1534.
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