Northern Harrier

Cool, foggy morning at the lighthouse. Northern Harrier (aka Marsh Hawk) soared over the wetlands, alternately gliding and pumping its wings. See also Logbook entry on December 4, 2005.

Closed for repairs

The lighthouse is closed for repairs from November 8th to 21st and November 29th to December 13th. Tim is working downstairs refinishing the floors in the parlor, bathroom and hallway. Sanne is working upstairs repainting the windows and trim in the bedrooms and hallway. Meanwhile, I've been working outside fixing the dock. The list of projects is long, so we'll stay busy throughout the time allotted for repairs.

Shipwreck

Yesterday, the low-tide for the afternoon was especially low due to west winds. The lower than normal waterlevel exposed the wreck of the steamboat Saugerties. In 1903, the steamer Saugerties caught fire and burned to the waterline at its dock on Esopus Creek. The remnants of the steamboat were towed into the cove north of the lighthouse and scuttled. The remains are visible during extremely low-tides. Taking advantage of the rare opportunity, I kayaked with a friend across the north cove to get a closer look.

Adirondack I & II

The twin 80-foot schooners Adirondack and Adirondack II sailed by the lighthouse on a sunny afternoon on their way from New York Harbor to Albany, where they will be hauled out for the winter.

Flood tide

Someone asked me recently what kind of surprises I encounter as lighthouse keeper. Well, here's a perfect example. Yesterday, high southerly winds (25-45 knots) along the Atlantic coast pushed up 2 to 2.5 extra feet of water with the afternoon tide, causing flooding along the Hudson River and lower Esopus Creek. I became suspicious earlier in the day when I noticed water still covering parts of the trail at low-tide.Combined with stormwater run-off from heavy rains, the tide rose within 6-12 inches of topping the granite base of the lighthouse. The basement filled with over 3 feet of water, approaching dangerously close to the breaker box. To be on the safe side, I shut off the electrical power to the lighthouse at the utility pole in the parking lot. The creek was too swollen with stormwater for safe passage by canoe, which meant I had to wade through waist-deep water along the trail. To stay dry, I wore my waterproof chest waders...well, ALMOST waterproof, I found out. Here are some photographs I took along the way:


Water splashing over the top step at the lighthouse

The deck area enveloped by the river

Both bridges along the trail submerged

New sportscar belonging to a crewmember of the Coast Guard cutter WIRE

Rising Tide

High tide is still over two hours away and already the water is already covering the dock by several feet. By this evening, this might amount to the highest flood tide I've seen.

more questions for the lighthouse keeper

A high school student from Georgia emailed to ask about my job. He is working on a school project researching his future job. He states, "truly, there has been no other job that I have ever wanted to do more than be a lighthouse keeper." The project requires him to find out as much as he can about the job, so he sent me a list of questions to answer. Since I have heard from other people interested in the job of lighthouse keeper, I thought it might be helpful to share my answers to this young man's questions.

By way of introduction, here is the job description I received when I was hired:
This year-round position requires a highly organized and versatile individual capable of functioning independently in a broad variety of responsibilities and duties. Tasks include booking guests by phone or online, greeting and orienting visitors to the local area, preparing breakfasts, some housekeeping, some shop keeping, maintenance of an indoor composting toilet and an outdoor portable toilet, transporting food, laundry, and trash one half mile (either by boat, backpack or sled) to and from the lighthouse, and minor maintenance of the lighthouse, boats, motors, docks, and trail.

Here is the Q&A, with the questions in italics:
1. What is your responsibility as a lighthouse keeper, since most lighthouses have now become automated?
Since the light is automated, the job of lighthouse keeper places less emphasis on the light and more on the house. I am responsible for upkeep of the historic structure, performing regular maintenance and making repairs as necessary. Since this lighthouse operates as a bed & breakfast, I am also the innkeeper, providing hospitality to overnight guests.
2. What is your "office", or in what room do you spend most of the day in?
Half of the kitchen pantry is the lighthouse "office." There is a small desk, telephone, and credit card machine for processing bed & breakfast reservations. I also have a computer in my bedroom, where I answer emails and maintain the website. I work outside as much as possible as weather and work permits.
3. What are the "hours" of a lighthouse keeper? I work long days at the lighthouse. At 7:00 AM, I start preparing breakfast for B&B guests. My day is usually not over until 4 or 5 PM. Since the Bed & Breakfast is open Wednesday afternoon-Monday morning I usually only get one day off per week on Tuesdays.
4. Are there any risks or surprises that one might encounter when one works in a lighthouse? I skipped this question--it's full surprises!
5. Do you have to dress a certain way every day for work?
I do not have a uniform, but I dress semi-casually so that I am not only presentable to guests but also comfortable while working on chores or maintenance.
6. What equipment does a lighthouse keeper most often use?
The telephone and a pancake spatula.
7. How often does a keeper see other people?
The lighthouse receives visitors almost everyday.
8. Is a keeper ever allowed to leave the lighthouse, for example, for a vacation abroad or a wedding?
Substitute lighthouse keepers fill in for me whenever I need to get away for a week or two.
9. Does a keeper need any special training or education?
The lighthouse keeper position that I fill requires being a "Jack-of-all-trades." I went through a week of training with the previous lighthouse keeper to learn about specific tasks, such as servicing the composting toilet and operating the emergency water pump.
10. What is the salary of a lighthouse keeper?
I am considered an independent contractor hired by the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy, which owns and operates the lighthouse. I get paid a commission for the bed & breakfast and an hourly wage for special maintenance projects.
11. What benefits or perks lighthouse keeper do keepers get?
The perks are living in a unique, scenic location and meeting the interesting people who visit.

Hope this is helpful to any aspiring lighthouse keepers.

Duck-hunter missing

About one mile upriver from the lighthouse is Green Flats, a shallow tidal flat popular with duck-hunters. A hunter who built a duck-blind on the flats has been missing since Friday night. His boat was found on the river on Saturday. Newstory covered by the Daily Freeman: Duck hunter from Saugerties missing.