Whaleback Light House

Whaleback Lighthouse






This isn't the best photo that I have of this lighthouse, but it is the only one of it that I have taken with my digital camera.

This lighthouse station dates back to 1830, and the present structure was rebuilt in 1872 after the first one was demolished in a powerful northeaster that this region is known for.

It is the Whaleback Lighthouse and it is constructed of solid granite blocks.

It stands in Portsmouth harbor, and is included in the border between Maine and New Hampshire.

It has been automated since the mid 1960's and it's light shines strongly every 10 seconds. The fog horn lets off a blast about every 30 seconds.

I posted a couple of days ago about standing on a cement dock and showing the view to the south.

This photo was taken from the same dock, and this was the view to the east.

I was lucky enough to catch a lobster boat at work with a flock of seagulls overhead, waiting for their daily share of the haul.

Between the lighthouse and the boat there is a red harbor marker that helps guide the boats in and out of the harbor. When the wind blows through it - which is pretty much all the time - it makes a low, groaning sound that is just about as loud as those fog horn blasts.

This old sentinel has always been one of my favorites - standing tall and sturdy in the harbor with it's classic shape outlined against the sea and sky.