Beacons Of The Beach -- At Lovingly Restored Lighthouses, Learn About The Romance And Hard Work Of Providing Safe Passage For Generations Of Seafarers

Casting rays of light over dark and treacherous waters, Washington's majestic lighthouses have guided sailors along the state's jagged coastline for more than a century.

They're icons of the Northwest's seafaring heritage - boasting unique architecture, colorful history and modest charm.

Although a few have been retired by technology or government budget cuts, about 20 of the state's 25 existing lighthouses still light up the night. In recent years, several of the towers have been turned over to nonprofit groups for restoration and public tours.

But unless you plan on visiting America's first beacon, the Boston Lighthouse, which has lit up Boston Harbor since 1716, don't count on seeing any flames or full-time attendants. Most lighthouses were converted to electricity in the early 1900s, and automation has eliminated the need for lighthouse caretakers - the heroes who kept the midnight oil burning, so to speak.

Their jobs were tough, lugging heavy, 10-gallon barrels of kerosene up steep spiral staircases and ladders, from sunset to sunrise.

"It was a lifestyle people think was, `Oh let's write poems or paint pictures,' but they had daily, weekly and quarterly chores," says Barb Kachel of Ilwaco, who teaches "pharology," the study of lighthouses.

"They were looked on in the same realms as ministers and clergymen." Mukilteo Signature

First lit by a small kerosene lamp in March 1906, the Mukilteo Lighthouse still blinks 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

From the water, boaters can identify the quaint lighthouse by its two-seconds-on, three-seconds-off "signature."

Sights from its 30-foot octagonal tower are well worth the 36-stair climb. On most summer days, you can take in a 360-degree view of Possession Sound's deep sapphire waters; Whidbey, Hat and Camano islands; the Cascades; the Olympics and the fluffy, white peak of Mount Baker.

While you're up there, you'll also learn how the station operates. Volunteers carefully open the elaborate reflector, an 1852 Fresnel lens, and reveal the source of the beacon's bright light: a skinny, 120-volt halogen bulb that's about the size of a Christmas-tree light. Similar technology is used in most lighthouses; when the light passes through a beehive of small prisms that make up the lens, its strength is increased to the brightness of 7,000 candles.

"You can see it (for) up to 12 miles on a clear day," said lighthouse tour guide Ellen Koch.

The rectangular lobby also serves as a museum, displaying the beacon's original log book and a copy of the 1855 Peace Treaty, which was signed at the tiny waterfront town by 82 Indian leaders and territorial Gov. Isaac Stevens.

Historical society members hope to eventually restore the station's two humble caretaker houses into a gift shop and museum.

Admiralty Head

The two-story Admiralty Head Lighthouse at Fort Casey on Whidbey Island is also managed by volunteers during the summer.

Although its Fresnel lens was removed just 20 years after it was built, the 1902 building still illuminates the hearts of locals and visitors.

One of the most modern light stations of its time, the tall, round tower was built directly next to the lighthouse keeper's spacious living quarters.

Inside, there's a black and white photograph of the first Admiralty Head lighthouse, which was built in 1858 on the fort's south bluff. It resembled an old-fashioned schoolhouse or grange, with a wide tower that stood 41 feet from the building's base to the lantern.

The beacon was originally fueled with whale oil, said volunteer tour guide Bill Blair. Most lighthouses began using kerosene in the 1880s, and then electricity in the early 1900s.

"They called lighthouse keepers wickies because they had to trim the wick, polish the glass and take care of the brass," he said.

But the wooden lighthouse's location provided a prime view toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca, so it was demolished to make room for Fort Casey's massive gun batteries during the Spanish-American War era. The existing white and red-roofed brick lighthouse, sitting 127 feet above the tide, was built as a replacement.

Steamships and new navigational technology ended the need for its light rays, so the U.S. Coast Guard closed the lighthouse during World War II and sent the Fresnel lens to the New Dungeness Lighthouse near Sequim.

Sometime later, the light station's stucco walls were painted drab olive green, and the station was converted into living quarters for high-ranking Army officers.

In the early 1990s, Washington State Parks and Recreation, Lighthouse Environmental Programs and other groups began restoration efforts, giving the beacon a fresh coat of white paint and installing new Plexiglas windows.

The hard work has paid off.

For years, the Admiralty Head Lighthouse provided a ray of hope for others.

Now it has one of its own. ------------------------------- If you go

The Mukilteo Lighthouse in Mukilteo and the Admiralty Head Lighthouse at Fort Casey State Park on Whidbey Island can both be toured in one day. For a longer day trip, visit the New Dungeness Lighthouse near Sequim, on the Olympic Peninsula.

There's no charge for admission to the lighthouses, but donations are accepted.

-- The Mukilteo Lighthouse is on the Mukilteo waterfront, south of the ferry terminal. Hours are noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, April through September.

Group tours can be arranged during other times. Information: Call Mim Loree, 425-355-9656.

Take Exit 182 off Interstate 5 and follow signs to the Mukilteo/Whidbey Island ferry. The lighthouse is in a small park left of the terminal.

-- The Admiralty Head Lighthouse is in the northeast corner of Fort Casey State Park.

Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., April through October. Information: Fort Casey State Park, 360-678-4519.

Take the Whidbey Island ferry out of Mukilteo to Clinton, and go north on Highway 525 for about 28 miles. Signs will direct you to Fort Casey State Park, which will be on your left. Take the north entrance to the parking lot at the end of the road, and you'll see the lighthouse.

-- The 1857 New Dungeness Lighthouse is on the Dungeness Spit near Sequim. Hours are 9 a.m. to two hours before sunset. It's about five miles to the lighthouse, so you'll want to leave about 4 1/2 hours for the hike and tour (vehicles are not permitted on the spit). Information: New Dungeness chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society, 360-683-9166.

From Highway 101 in Sequim, take Kitchen-Dick Lane north, following signs to the Dungeness Recreation Area. A user fee of $3 per family allows you onto the spit and to use the trail to the lighthouse. Check the tide tables first if you plan on walking out on the spit.