Portland Head Light Station

The highlight of a trip to Portland, Maine for any photographer has to be the Portland Head Light Station on Cape Elizabeth, because the lighthouse is one of the most photographed in the country.

I had seen some of the spectacular shots of the lighthouse before we left on the trip, so I wanted to get over there as many times as possible to take pictures under varying lighting conditions. This wasn’t much of a problem since our hotel was only 20 minutes from Cape Elizabeth, and the weather during the two days ranged from cloudy and rainy on Saturday morning to bright and sunny (and windy) on Sunday afternoon.

Moon over Portland Head Lighthouse (Click on photo for info)

According to a number of sources, the lighthouse has an historic past. George Washington engaged two masons from the town of Portland in 1787, while Maine was still part of the colony of Massachusetts, and instructed them to take charge of the construction of a lighthouse on Portland Head. They were Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols.

The tower was completed during the year 1790 and first lighted January 10, 1791. The old tower, built of rubblestone, still stands as one of the four colonial lighthouses that have never been rebuilt. Today Portland Head Light stands 80 feet above ground and 101 feet above water, its white conical tower being connected with a dwelling. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a native of Portland, often visited the Portland Head Lighthouse and was friends with the keepers. It is believed he received inspiration at the lighthouse for his 1849 poem, The Lighthouse.

Clouds over Portland Head Lighthouse (Click on photo for info)

Portland Head Lighthouse sits majestically on the rocky Maine coast adjacent to Fort Williams Park. The park is a popular destination for picnicking, barbecuing, hiking, all types of sports, and spectacular views of the ocean. Kids love exploring the remains of the old abandoned fort and battery on the grounds. It’s a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon. I understand it’s also a great place in the winter for cross-country skiing, sledding, and ice skating. The lighthouse itself is not open to the public, but there’s a small museum and gift shop attached. The beauty of photographing this lighthouse is that you can shoot from so many different angles and elevations.

Portland Head Lighthouse in the Fall (Click on photo for info)

Portland Head Lighthouse (Click on photo for info)

On our drive from Plymouth, Massachusetts up to Portland, Maine, we took a side trip to the scenic fishing village of Rockport, Massachusetts, which will be the subject of my next post.

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Monterey, California – Part II

Continuing on our tour of the Monterey Peninsula area, we spent some time in the famous town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, situated at the south end of the 17-Mile Drive. As with the entire region, Carmel is noted for its scenic beauty, as well as being the home of many famous writers, poets, artists, and movie celebrities. Carmel is a wonderful town to walk, with many high-end shops, restaurants, and art galleries. While in Carmel, we paid a visit to the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission. The mission was first established in 1770 and was destroyed by fire in the mid-1800’s. The current buildings were restored starting in 1884. Carmel Mission is considered one of the most beautiful missions in the chain of nine missions that stretches along California’s Central Coast.

I’ve been to the Monterey area a number of times in the past, but never took the opportunity to drive south along the scenic coastline of Big Sur. On this trip, we decided not to miss out on the chance to see the stunning views.

We didn’t make the entire drive from Carmel to the south end of Big Sur, but went as far south on California Highway 1 as the Nepenthe Restaurant. The highway winds along the western edge of the Santa Lucia mountain range mostly within sight of the Pacific Ocean, varying from near sea level up to a thousand-foot sheer drop to the water, providing some of the most spectacular views in the world. On the way back we also decided to take a side trip into Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to look around the Big Sur Lodge and take a hike out to Pfeiffer Falls.

Big Sur Beach (Click on photo for info)

Though technically not in Monterey, I wanted to include one of the most picturesque and photographed lighthouses on the Pacific coast. Located on the scenic coastal highway (California Route 1), midway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the west coast of the US. We stopped to take pictures on our way to San Francisco from Monterey. Unfortunately, the tower has been closed to tours since 2001 because of collapse of brickwork supporting outside access walkways on the top of the structure, but the restored lighthouse keepers housing serves as a hostel for travelers. The four three-bedroom houses next to the lighthouse have overnight lodging for up to 50 people of all ages.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse (Click on photo for info)

If you have a chance, please check out my ImageKind Galleries and Flickr Collections