Thursday, May 31 – We drove down to the Umpqua River Lighthouse (pronounced Oom-kwa) this morning. It is located six miles south of Reedsport, OR, above the entrance to Winchester Bay. The lighthouse with its 65-foot tower overlooks the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area from a hilltop 165 feet above the bay.
Back of the Umpqua Lighthouse and the working room.
Identical to the Heceta Head Lighthouse, which we tried to view yesterday but found it encased in scaffolding and tarps for renovation, both being illuminated for the first time in 1894. The lens emits a distinctive red and white automated signal.
Maudie and David are the workampers at the light house. They both work in the Lighthouse Museum. We toured the Museum which gives a historical background of the lighthouse, its keepers, and the Coast Guard attachment located at Umpqua. The museum is housed in the former Keepers home.
It was explained to us that each lighthouse has a distinctive signature that can be used by ships to identify their location. The Umpqua flashes two white lights followed by a red flash. This signal can be seen from 21-miles out to sea. It is the only one of its kind on the West Coast.
After the museum, we paid our fee for the lighthouse tour ($5 each but only $3 for seniors over 60 and students) and received a very informative and enjoyable explanation of the working of the lighthouse by our guide David. We were the only people of this first tour of the day.
David gave us a super tour. He was very knowledgeable about the Lighthouse and answered all our questions.
This is not the original Lighthouse. Below will explain what happened to the original one.
David discussed the construction of the new lighthouse from outside.
When the new Lighthouse was constructed, it was all brick.
Then he led us up the cast iron spiral stairway to the top where we were able to view the working light and its rotating Fresnel lens.
Paul going up the steps to see the lens.
The working lighthouse has gone through various updates and changes over the years from being lit with kerosene to its present day 1000 watt halogen electrical bulb.
Explains how all the prisms work.
When they used kerosene to light the lantern, the opening, at top, was necessary to allow the fumes to escape.
Prisms
Lens gear.
The handles that window washers must hold on when they clean the outside windows.
Not sure she should be behind this wheel.
We were very impressed with our tour and would highly recommend it to those in the area.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!
