One of the most recognizable lighthouses on the Great Lakes has now gotten more recognizable thanks to the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay and Station/ANT St. Ignace.

The world famous tower was last painted in the 1980’s and was in desperate need of a new coat of paint. This was a unique project for the crew of the Biscayne Bay because they completed the work while the cutter was in the shipyards in Cleveland.

The “tiger-team” made up from selected members of the ship’s crew worked with the local Coast Guard Station from their homeport of St. Ignace, Michigan, traveling daily by a small Coast Guard vessel to the light to complete the demanding job of painting the 121-foot tall light tower.

Located in northern Lake Michigan at the head of the Beaver Island Pass, White Shoals Light is the only “candy-cane” striped lighthouse on the Great Lakes. In addition to being a key navigational aid for ship traffic on the Straits of Mackinac and the treacherous Beaver Island Pass, its size and unique color pattern make White Shoals one of the most photographed lights in the region.

This story appeared in the September 2000 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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