A Learning Experience of Sight, Sound &
History at Owls Head Lighthouse
By Bob Trapani, Jr.
Have you ever thought that it would be neat to learn more
about lighthouses and the men and women who served as their keepers?
Maybe you have even obtained a couple books on the
subject to ‘spruce-up’ on the historical facts and interesting stories
associated with your favorite lighthouses, but find yourself still
seeking a more authentic emotional
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Thousands of people visit Owls Head Light
each year and take in the breathtaking views of West Penobscot Bay
experience that is
sprinkled with a touch of romance.
If this is the case, then such a memorable experience is only a visit away
at a lighthouse like Owls Head along the Midcoast of Maine, where on any
given day, this ultimate outdoor ‘classroom’ serves as a special place to
learn by sight and sound as history and beauty are vividly revealed.
A group of participants in a Coastal Senior College program recently
experienced firsthand the charm of Owls Head Lighthouse and its important
navigational purpose as part of a class studying the subject of lighthouses.
The educational
tour also served as the kick-off of the 2009 public access season at Owls
Head Lighthouse, which is cared for by the nonprofit
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Ted Panayotoff (left), a volunteer for
the
Friends of Rockland Breakwater
Lighthouse,
a chapter of ALF, explains the history of
Owls Head Light to participants of the Coastal
Senior College's program "Lighthouses of
Midcoast Maine"
American
Lighthouse Foundation and its local chapter, Friends of Rockland
Breakwater Lighthouse.
“The class is ‘Lighthouses of Midcoast Maine,’ which is
sponsored by the Coastal Senior College, based in Rockland, Maine,” says
Marty Welt, a volunteer instructor for the class. “There are over
fifteen Senior College locations around the state within the network for
seniors,
50 years of age
and over, who can take courses on a wide range of subjects, all of which is
made possible by volunteer instructors and committees.”
Mr. Welt, who also serves as chairman for the Friends of Pemaquid Point
Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, went on to say,
“My goal is to expose seniors to the wonders of the lighthouses around us.
We are learning about the history associated with each lighthouse that the
class visits, while also receiving a tour of the light towers, and sometimes
the keeper’s dwellings as well.”
Lighthouse history books and primary resources on the subject often recount
the many duties of the keeper, which included maintaining a good
light, and
when necessary, a fog horn as well if the station was equipped with such
an
aid to
navigation.
Understanding
the confounding affects of fog and why the fog horn’s bellowing signal
was a light station’s only defense against this shrouded dread to
navigation is not however, something easily conveyed
through words.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Ted Panayotoff explains the history and
function of the Fresnel lens to
tour participants
Like many other visitors to Owls Head Lighthouse, especially during the
warmer months of the year, the Coastal Senior College class had the
wonderful opportunity to observe firsthand the concealing power of fog that
hovered over nearby islands and Muscle Ridge channel on this day.
Thankfully for the visitor’s sake, the fog was not ‘socked-in,’ but just
visible enough to add an element of mystery to the air and trigger the light
station’s fog signal.
Between viewing Owls Head’s fourth order Fresnel lens shining bright inside
the lantern and hearing the station’s fog horn sound two blasts every twenty
seconds outside the light tower, the Coastal Senior College class could
obtain a much deeper ‘feel’ and understanding as to the purpose of a
lighthouse.
“At Owls Head I was struck by the misty fog in the air and the station’s fog
horn sounding its warning,” said Marty Welt. “The setting conjured up
thoughts about what it must have been like back when the keeper, on a
similar day, would have made sure that everything was working perfectly to
ensure the safety of nearby mariners. It was quite a responsibility.”
“Everyone loved the visit to Owls Head. The location is wonderful, and to be
able to climb the tower for the first time, was a real treat for everyone.”
As the Coastal Senior College class learned, visiting a lighthouse can be a
true striking experience for the senses.
For ‘taking in’ a lighthouse or learning about its history is not just about
the historic site itself, but also its inseparable environment, which
includes the sea, nearby navigational hazards, traditional maritime
interests – and of course, the natural elements.
Therefore, to fully understand lighthouses, one must be ready to immerse
themselves in an unforgettable learning experience of sight, sound &
history.
So the next time you visit a lighthouse, look beyond the iconic structure in
front of you as you follow the beam of light back in time and listen for the
echoes of the past at the end of each blast of the horn – America’s wondrous
lighthouse history is bound to ‘speak’ to your heart and inspire you to
become a modern ‘keeper of the lights.’
Owls Head Lighthouse is one of seven lights under the stewardship of the
American Lighthouse Foundation that offers educational public access
opportunities.
Other ALF lighthouses that visitors can tour (schedules vary) include:
Little River (ME), Pemaquid Point (ME) Portsmouth Harbor (NH), Race Point
(MA), Rockland Breakwater (ME) and Wood Island (ME).
To learn more about the Friends of Rockland Breakwater
Lighthouse and how you can volunteer at Rockland Breakwater and Owls Head
lighthouses, visit:
