Meredith Graham's Posts
Lighthouses . . . *yawn*
Acadia National Park, Maine: Jordan Pond and the Bubbles
What's the deal with lighthouses? I think they're boring. At one point in history they were very useful and considered by sailors to be life-saving devices. I can totally respect that. Now, however, with electric lights, radio signals, GPS and fancier technologies available to boaters, lighthouses have outlived their usefulness. In short: they bore me.
My husband and I just came back from a trip to Maine and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery, occasionally marred by a lighthouse. Here is an excellent example:
As is evident from the pictures above, the lighthouse is clearly the stinker in the frame. The rocks and the waves look delightful, but when a lighthouse pokes its head into the scene, the photo becomes a snoozer. I took an informal poll and found that about half of my friends agree that lighthouses are boring. I also discovered that some people think they are romantic. I even have a friend who collects miniature lighthouses and pictures of lighthouses.
I'm quite surprised that a structure near a shoreline with an oversized flashlight at the top of it is considered by some to be romantic. When I think of lighthouses, I hear foghorns in my head and see bright flashing lights blinding me. Not exactly what I'd call "romantic". Interestingly, the very first lighthouse, Pharos of Alexandria, (Egypt, 3rd century BC) is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. I'll admit lighthouses went up a notch in my book when I discovered this fact.
On our way back from Maine, we visited my friend Meg, and she told me to watch the movie Pete's Dragon because it evokes happy lighthouse thoughts for her. She mentioned something about painting the lighthouse with Nora. Is painting a lighthouse romantic?
My friend Brent said, "Lighthouses are so passé. Some people think they are interesting and attractive, but really, they've outlived their usefulness and now they simply clutter up the landscape."
In contrast, his wife, Amanda said, "I'm sort- of ambivalent to them, but in general, I don't think they're ugly." Not exactly a glowing endorsement.
Lighthouses exist today as tourist attractions, with the Bass Head Lighthouse in Maine (according to the sign I read there) "one of the most photographed spots in Maine". I'm not too sure about that particular assertion, but since I went there myself and observed all the people with cameras, I guess I can believe it. And since I took a photo of the lighthouse (if only to prove how boring it is) I suppose even I contributed to their tally of pictures. Here I am, looking bored:
Luckily, the rest of Maine is definitely not boring. So go check out Maine. But, my advice is: skip the lighthouses.
Comments
Posted By: Angelo (1/16/2009)
Comment: I think you're boring Meredith.
Posted By: Upsydaisie (12/31/2008)
Comment: Yawn.
Posted By: Scott Montgomery (11/26/2008)
Comment: Then I would also assume you are bored by castles, the Eiffel Tower, petroglyphs, the Iceman, the Tower of London, Machu Picchu... need I go on? Your statement exposes your shallow picture of the human experience and a glib cynical perspective only possible in one who has little respect for anything but your own sliver of life experience. Maybe when you mature a little you'll gain a better appreciation for the accomplishments of those who came before you and the aesthetic value of archetypal artifacts.
Posted By: Simona (8/29/2008)
Comment: Meredith you suck...and understand nothing about lighthouses.
Posted By: Tom Thompson (12/20/2007)
Comment: If you can't see the beauty of lighthouses, nobody else can show it to you. It's that eye of the beholder thingy! Your photograph of the Bass Harbor light is possibly the worst photo I've ever seen of that view. Any photo to be effective needs light...the more dramatic the light, the better the image. Your brief essay reminds me of words my mother used to say to me, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." For the most part you said nothing at all, but you revealed much about your character by what you did say. It's really too bad...
Posted By: Home Accents Furniture (12/13/2007)
Comment: Light houses might be low tech in navigation system but its a visual representation of history a living history I light say...
Posted By: alfaux (12/6/2007)
Comment: Do you go boating? Lighthouses are low tech when compared to modern electronic navigation systems, but they work when all else fails. Try navigating when you suffer an electrical failure onboard. Remember, the GPS signal can be downgraded to limit it's exactness also. These are just some of the reasons why any prudent mariner should learn to navigate using manual as well as electronic means. BTW, manual navigation includes lighthouses.
Posted By: Doug (12/1/2007)
Comment: What a narrow minded view of some of the most intresting pieces of American history that still exsist.
Posted By: Mercedes Exhaust (11/13/2007)
Comment: I think light houses are cool.. They stood their for decades... They are the reminder of history...
Posted By: Rich Hughson (10/10/2006)
Comment: Historically, Acadia National Park, with it's great beauty and natural wonders, has been blamed as the inspiration for many philanthropic endeavors. And you come back with this Grumpy Gussie routine? Geez-loo-weez. :o) Rich
Posted By: Kendall Keyes (10/9/2006)
Comment: I'm ambivalent about lighthouses. Some have fine asthetic value as would an interesting house or barn. I don't admire or photograph lighthouses simply because they are lighthouses. But they do serve to add scale to a seascape, so sometimes your seaside pictures are better off with them than without them if only to show the size of the rocks, waves, island or dunes. KK
Posted By: Pete S. (10/9/2006)
Comment: Hey Meredith - I like lighthouses. Maybe it's a throwback to yesteryear when my family used to vacation on Martha's Vineyard (lots of lighthouses there). Don't get me wrong, I don't collect lighthouse miniatures, and I don't need to take pictures of every one in existence. But I do think they do have some romantic charm (not about 'love'), as it harkens back to a slower time when ships were actually navigated by experienced captains using paper maps and compasses. The lighthouses would guide sailors home and help them avoid danger. Yes, in some cases, lighthouses are no longer necessary since GPS, Radar and Sonar allow safe passage while navigating even in complete darkness. Many lighthouses have unique architectural elements that make them more than just utilitarian, and it is that uniqueness that, to me, makes visiting a new lighthouse an interesting experience. Each lighthouse has a history, and those stories are a connection with, as you point out, ancient times. But it even connects us to the not so distant past, just some ten or twenty years ago before GPS was a consumer reality. Finally, it might surprise you to learn that theater lighting has a history that is inexorably tied to the development of lighthouses. Just read up on the Fresnel lens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens).
Posted By: Hammer (10/9/2006)
Comment: Maine has over 225 miles of coastline and over 3,400 miles of shoreline, yet your blog is entirely about your dislike for the 60+ lighthouses? You must not have strayed too far from the travel guide. Too bad.
Posted By: Cap'n Crunch (10/9/2006)
Comment: Yarrr, the sea's a cruel mistress, and she'll happily crunch yer craft against the rocky shores if ye don't have the lighthouses to guide ye! GPS is for the lily-livered! Ye should be ashamed of yer land-lubbin self for disparaging the beacons that have guided generations of seafarers! Yarrr, I say!
Posted By: David L (10/9/2006)
Comment: I must say that I don't at all agree with the premise that lighthouses are boring and useless. There are a number of arguments, practical and "romantic" to support that they are something whch should draw us all in to appreciate them. #1 - They are a symbol of human ingenuity; evidence that mankind can tame, in some small way, a dangerous world and make life safer. #2 - They engender an important sense of community in the locales in which they're built. Much like the church steeples of New England or the bridges in San Francisco, they define a visual landscape for coastal communities in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest. #3 - They reflect our history and teach us how life used to be. And they are certainly a more interesting and educational destination than say, Disney World. #4 - Photographically, they certainly add an element of interest, the sense of a story to be interpretted or a past to be explored, to what is otherwise yet another generic shot of a coastline with trees, rocks, and waves (which themselves aren't all so boring of course). #4a - They most definitely provide a better sense of where the photograph is from, enhancing its story. I can show you rocky coasts from Canada, Lake Superior, Mexico, or Italy, but regional lighthouse architecture adds a sense of identifiable geography. Remember, the tie to a "romantic" ideal for the lighthouse is not so much some sappy contemporary idea of sunsets and first kisses as it is a tie to our past and a tie to a simple beacon that saved countless lives in tough seas. They are a sense of pride and identity for small coastal towns and a place for people to commune and appreciate what they have. Oh, and I'm sure each one has seen its fair share of those awkward first kisses.
Posted By: Melissa (10/9/2006)
Comment: Lighthouses may represent a type of seaside living. Those who live in them need to stare at the sea constantly and make money in the process. With this as a model, you can assume that people who like lighthouses are people who are attracted to this idea. I'm not one of them. Like you, Meredith, I prefer the pure unadulturated roaring seaside with its perilous cliffs and rhythmic tidal action as nature provides it - without mankind's interference and profit. The sea of mytholgy is wild and untamed, not cozily nestled into someone's idea of retired neighborless living. I completely understand. The pictures are gorgeous! A trip to Maine in early autumn... what a treat!
Posted By: Autumn (10/9/2006)
Comment: I think the picture with the lighthouse is better than the picture without it!