Keeper’s Log Battery Point Lighthouse June 29

I swept the walkway first thing this morning and met a nice couple from Switzerland.  I invited them to return while we were open for tours.   They did!  I also swept the stairwell from top to bottom and Teare cleaned right up until the time the first tour started at 12:00.  

We conducted tours until 4:45 with the help of volunteers Bill and Gretchen.  I was in the tower all day. The morning fog gave way to beautiful sun shine during the early afternoon.  In addition to the couple from Switzerland, we had a number of families from Washington state today. 

It is ironic that water was a concern before the days of pumped city water given that the lighthouse is virtually surrounded by water!  As you know, you can not drink sea water, nor use it for baths.  When in the tower, I point out the pile of timbers that are the remains of a water tower that was installed sometime after 1907 when the upstairs bathroom was built.  The water tower was built so that it was higher than the upstairs bathroom so that it could be gravity-fed. Originally, all the water was gathered off the roof and stored in the 1200 gallon cistern under the kitchen and the 5000 gallon tank outside.  There was a hand pump that would pump it up to the kitchen.  Everyone took a bath Saturday night and used the same water.  The water was heated by firewood which came by horse and wagon up the ramp.  In those days, the ramp was built of wood and stone and had to be rebuilt several times a year.  They also gathered driftwood and stored it in the shed on the north side of the lighthouse.  This is just one of several aspects of life in the early days of the lighthouse to illustrate how difficult life was then.  

The other visible illustration of life in the 1850's is when we point out where the original outhouse was located.  It was perched litterally on a cliff and accessible via a wooden ramp that you would have to walk from the very top of the point.  If it was windy or stormy - and especially if it was dark, it would have been a treacherous ordeal simply to go to the bathroom.  This is when I remind them of the value of the chamber pots they saw in the Piland bedroom. It was the children’s duty to take the chamber pot down the spiral staircase and empty it.  That’s what I call earning your allowance!     

After the tour day was done, the clean up began.  Once again, I swept the stairway.  We used up a variety of foods for dinner as Teare made a farm scramble   Egg, bacon, cheese, pepper, and toast.  I know this sounds like breakfast food, but we used up the last of the pancake mix at that meal!  We are trying our best to use up all remaining food.  

After dinner, we took a break and went outside to soak in the sun.  Fred was waiting for us!  I fed him and we sat down on the picnic table.  Fred joined us from an adjacent rock.  We decided that we needed to climb on the rocks around the lighthouse.  The photo below is from our rock scrambling.  The area to the west of the lighthouse has a natural rock cove and the waves thunder and spray high in the air.  This is the what we hear from the lighthouse that sounds like explosions.  I also took various other photos from outside the lighthouse.

This carving is made from part of the old cypress tree!

Here is a view of the lighthouse from the base of the rocks.

High tide slamming into the rocks.

A different view from below showing the old cistern.

A close up of the volcanic rock.

A view of  the rock as we scrambled down.

Geraniums are starting to bloom in the flower box.

Soon it will be time to start packing for the next phase of our adventure. Tomorrow is our last full day as lighthouse keepers.  We hope you have enjoyed the Lighthouse Blog.  Thanks to those of you who encouraged us and supported the blog through your reading of our posts and your comments! For those interested in continuing to follow our adventure, I will publish periodic highlights from the US Olympic Trials of Track and Field from Eugene, Oregon on this same blog.   Look for our final lighthouse post tomorrow.  Our best to all!