Sunday, September 25, 2022

Battery Point Lighthouse Keeper's Log

It was a foggy day from beginning to end.  I thought it might burn off, but it never did.  It would look a bit brighter, then a whole new blanket of white enveloped us and we were once again living in a snow globe where the entire outside world was a where the snow was!

I usually observe the sabbath as a day of rest on Sundays.  Here, if the lighthouse is open for tours, there is work to be done.  My day began with the flag and the gulls.  Once again, the gulls knew there were people about, so they were slow to come get their food.  Next I swept the lower walk where the ocean was lapping up over the paved surface.  I was using a push broom on a big pile of rocks and shells when I looked up and saw a wave larger than me coming in.  By the time it curled, crashed and spread forward, it came within feet of me on the sloped incline.  That got my attention!  

Since we had a day away yesterday, there was also inside work.  I wound the 166 year old banjo clock and vacuumed the first and second floor. 

We had lunch and relaxed a bit before our tours.  We called brother Art and sister-in-law Kathy for our usual Sunday visit.  The tours ran from 3:30-5:00.  We had 34 guests and collected $323.84 in donations and sales.  We had a couple families where the parents had grown up in the area and wanted their children to see the lighthouse.  

After the tours, we video chatted with our dear friends Tony and Sue Vicari.  Tony works for Westfield Insurance and he and Sue live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

Later, when I went to feed the gulls, they were nowhere to be seen.  Once again, as I walked by I noted a man standing down in the rocks.  That explained why the gulls were not in their usual perch.  It was starting to get dark and I made another swing and two more guys came up out of the rocks.  I asked "Can I help you?"  They responded that they were paying respects to the guy's father who had previously had his ashes scattered over the same rocks.  We chatted a while. I expressed my condolences, and they moved on down the hill.  I turned to see a couple walking up with a young girl.  The man was carrying a dog.  Outside of service dogs, we do not permit dogs on the property.  It looked like my work was not done...  We talked a while and I learned the guy's lady friend had never seen the ocean.  This was her first view of it....fog, dark and crashing against the rock.  I was happy she saw her first ocean here, but still had to explain our policy.  Turns out the guy was the pilot of a carrier in the Navy.  He was very good about it and soon they walked back down the dark path, still carrying the dog...

It was a full day.   We hope everyone who reads this blog will have a good day as well!

Keeper's Bill and Teare signing off from a dark, foggy rock.