Point Atkinson Lighthouse, British Columbia.

The iconic lighthouse. A metaphor that speaks of desperate times and warnings. Before modern navigational aids, ultra-accurate maps, and a flotilla of warning buoys, the lighthouse was the sole means by which sea-captains could navigate the dangerous shoals and reefs besieging their craft. Rocks, reefs, and wrecks could tear open a ship's hull. A wise seafarer would heed the warnings given by the beacon of light.

Lighthouses also marked important positions. When far out at sea, all coastlines look pretty much the same. It is hard to tell an island from the mouth of a river or the entrance to a port; missing your point of entry could spell disaster. The lighthouse provided a means to distinguish one from the other and to provide a clear and recognizable landmark with which to navigate. This was especially true at night when the land and sea seemed to be swallowed up by perpetual blackness. The lighthouse direction and position.

In the event of disaster, the lighthouse also acted as a bastion of safety and support. Keepers could contact authorities and facilitate rescues, albeit on a small scale. Food, warmth, and dryness awaited souls who survived the ravages of the sea brought on them by its merciless onslaught. Many a sailor owes their lives to these stoic structures.

Most of them are now redundant; their existence is but a reminder of times that were. Yet, their beauty and historic value should not be ignored. We erect memorials to fallen soldiers that gave their lives that we might live. The lighthouse of today may not be needed, but it memorializes those fallen to the sea and reminds us that, without due care and attention, there is still an ongoing war with the elements that can claim others.

We need lighthouses, not only because of their beauty and historical significance but because they stand to remind us that the ocean does not suffer fools easily.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen