Lighthouse Nostalgia

Sabine Bank Lighthouse

The PAYC 18 mile light race/cruise, scheduled for this past weekend, was canceled because of wind and current conditions.  I was really disappointed because it’s been a few years since the club actually completed this race and even more since I made the trip.  In fact, I last made that trip with my brother Art on his Catalina and don’t even remember if it was in this millennium. Regardless, it’s always nice to get offshore into the Gulf. 

Lighthouse Preserved

The 18 mile light, as we call it, officially named the Sabine Bank Lighthouse was built in 1903, to direct ships through the shallow Sabine Bank.  It is my understanding that very little of its structure still stands offshore; however, parts of it can still be found in the area.  For instance, the original third-order Fresnel lens, manufactured in Paris can be seen at the museum of the Gulf Coast (www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/) in Port Arthur.  Also, the top section of the lighthouse tower and the lantern room (pictured left) have been refurbished and can be seen at Lions Park in Sabine Pass, Texas. 

Sabine Pass Lighthouse

Though we did not race we did manage to make it as far as the Sabine Pass Lighthouse.    This lighthouse is on the Louisiana side of the Sabine-Neches channel across from Sabine Pass.  This amazing structure went into operation in 1857 and stayed lit for 95 years with the exception of a period of time during the Civil War.  When I was the PAYC cruise director a couple years ago we made a trip to the lighthouse.  We discovered that the structure, though still standing, is in poor condition.  This was a very enjoyable trip and pictures can be found in the April 2013, PAYC newsletter.  

Even if you are not a member of a lighthouse preservation group or even a lighthouse enthusiast you might want to visit one of these old abandoned lighthouses before they are no longer a part of our horizon.  Happy birthday Dad. We miss you.  More to come.....