“Point Reyes is the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the second foggiest place on the North American continent. Weeks of fog, especially during the summer months, frequently reduce visibility to hundreds of feet. The Point Reyes Headlands, which jut 10 miles out to sea, pose a threat to each ship entering or leaving San Francisco Bay. The historic Point Reyes Lighthouse warned mariners of danger for more than a hundred years.” From the Pt. Reyes National Seashore website.
For as much as I enjoy Pt. Reyes National Seashore, I studiously avoid it in the summer. One reason is the fog. That’s true for much of the Pacific Coast. The other is tourists, gazillions of them. Traffic slows to a turtle’s pace along Highway 1, campgrounds are full, and popular sites such as the lighthouse are packed. I have a limited sense of humor about any of the above, especially given that I can visit during the late fall, winter, and early spring when few tourists are out and about and days are often crystal clear. Or, if I am particularly lucky, a raging storm will send huge waves crashing ashore producing spectacular views. I love both.
It was mainly sunshine when Peggy and I visited the National Seashore in early March to celebrate my birthday. The lighthouse was closed due to Covid, but I have visited it before. This time, we admired it from above.
The lighthouse served its purpose for over 100 years, finally shutting down in 1975 when the US Coast Guard replaced it with an automated light found just below the historic lighthouse. Up until then it was tended by a lighthouse keeper whose responsibility was to keep the light burning. In addition to warning mariners off of the treacherous rocks, the lighthouse served as a navigational aid. Each lighthouse along the coast has a different frequency of light that ship pilots recognize. At Pt. Reyes, the light flashed once every five seconds.
Peggy and I parked Quivera and followed the trail that led out to the lighthouse. Along the way, we found trees that showed the effects of the high winds that frequent the headlands.
NEXT FRIDAY’S TRAVEL BLOG: I’ll wrap up my Pt. Reyes series with a pleasant walk out to Abbot’s Lagoon and a visit to the colorful town of Pt. Reyes Station.
Wandering through Time and Place 
Very nice this lighthouse and to read this short piece of the history about it.
As soon I read this post, it came to my mind a lighthouse that I have visited few months ago here in Greece. Should you be interested, feel free to check it out here: https://olympusmountaineering.com/2020/08/03/cape-tainaron-hiking-to-the-southernmost-point-of-mainland-greece-family-friendly/
Thanks for the comment and the suggested tour of Cape Tainaron! I jumped right to it and enjoyed it very much. –Curt
Beautiful pics of the lighthouse! I have only visited Pt. Reyes once and it was cold and windy. I’d like to go back.
Thanks, Juliann. There are no guarantees with coastal weather, but my luck has tended to be best in late winter. I also experienced some great weather on the Oregon Coast in fall this past year. –Curt
Certainly a wild-looking place.
Particularly when there aren’t many tourists about, Gerard. 🙂
Wonderful pics of the lighthouse. It would have been a scenic, if remote and wild, place to live.
I’ve always fantasized about a lighthouse, job, Peggy. But I don’t think it would fit with my wandering ways… –Curt
SO cool… how I wish I could go there someday
It is a beautiful area. Well worth the visit! Thanks. –Curt
I love lighthouses and the history behind each of them. I can understand why summer would be a time to avoid the area. Thick with fog and tourists is never fun.
Love that photo of the wind effect on the trees.
Thanks, Sue. And wind makes a pretty good barber! 🙂
It’s always fun to have your view of a place that I know. Pt. Reyes is a wonder — especially when the tourists are gone. It’s much the same here. I never head to Galveston in summer, especially on the weekends, unless I go very early in the morning and head for the far west end — away from the bars and the crowds. Winter is a perfect time for a visit, although we never have views like these. I especially like the last photo, with the whipped-cream-like water.
My brother operated a motel on Galveston for a while and I would stop by to visit. Then one of the cartels started running drugs out of the motel. Marshal called in the police and one of his friends told him to get out of town post haste, that he was marked for elimination. Marsh was packed and out of there in an hour. And he had really like Galveston. –Curt
That doesn’t surprise me. The Maceo family held on to the island with all of its ‘entertainments’ for decades, and they still were in control when Marshal was there (or so I presume). Of course, the cartels were putting pressure on the old-line crime families; things got complicated. One of the great ironies of Island life was that Vic Maceo eventually became head of the Beach Patrol, which is a law enforcement agency. He did a good job, too, and retired not so very long ago.
Gambling, prostitution, rum-running — those were the good old days! In Seabrook, which is part of my stomping grounds, there used to be a dive bar called Maribelle’s. It sat next to the water, and you couldn’t miss the shocking pink exterior. One memorable evening (I was in town, but not at the bar) they found a local pol dead in the restroom: shot, as a matter of fact. Every year there was a Miss Wharf Rat contest there. Remember Dirty Dale, who came back from the dead? He was a judge for a few years.
“that Vic Maceo eventually became head of the Beach Patrol” It sounds a bit like the old movie “It Takes a Thief to Catch a Thief.”
Seems you know quit a lot about it all, Linda. Hmmmm? Pretty sure it all had to do with your interest in Texas history, not to mention local flora and fauna. 🙂 Right?
Let’s just say Maribelle and I both were around, back in the day.
LOL.
100% agree about avoiding the tourist season. OK to do that if you’re retired 😉
I managed ir even when I was working…. 🙂
Yep! We are in total agreement. Summertime is when we hunker down and work on the house. That North wind can simply be nasty (anyone for a face peel?) It took me a few years to figure out the best seasons out here. Even some of the wild winter storms can be exhilarating. 🌊
I love the wild winter storms, Gunta. We escape in the summer but focus more on remote areas and backpacking. –Curt
And we were those same tourists trying to see the lighthouse in the fog. Didn’t happen. We even climbed down the stairs to the sea — in the fog. So, to this day, I can say we got there but didn’t really SEE Pt. Reyes!
Only one solution for that, Rusha… 🙂