Getting ready to shine again

JB: I first became a docent at Pigeon Point in 1999 while I was working full time and started working for state parks in 2007.

DJ: Why did you decide to become a docent?

JB: I have lived in Half Moon Bay for over 30 years. For me, being on the coast provides a sense of time and place in a way no other place does. On my first visit to Pigeon Point, I fell in love with the history and mystery of the area and wanted to share it with others. During my prior career, I had the opportunity to manage a number of public outreach efforts. That gave me quite a bit of experience taking facts and weaving them into something that people could connect with and identify with, and perhaps become more curious about. This transferred very well into telling the story of Pigeon Point, the people who lived here and the surrounding natural world.

DJ: Have you worked at other sites?

JB: When I started with state parks, I was first assigned to Año Nuevo State Park. In 2009, I was assigned to Pigeon Point because of my time as a volunteer there. I have also worked at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park and handled a number of special projects at other state parks here in San Mateo County. However, Pigeon Point is my dream job! I feel very honored to be a part of restoring this important piece of California’s maritime history.

DJ: What most interests visitors about the lighthouse?

JB: People from all over the world visit Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park. We probably have as many out-of-state and international visitors as we do Californians. I love to learn about why visitors are drawn to lighthouses. Folks want to know how our lighthouse works. It’s great to be able to stand in front of the Fresnel lens and share how it was used to warn mariners of the dangerous coastline as well as to let them know where they were in relation to their likely destination of the Golden Gate and the gold fields.

DJ: What is happening to the lighthouse during the current restoration work?

JB: The restoration is a top-to-bottom, inside and outside, project. The contractors are evaluating the brick, mortar and ironwork for their integrity and determining what can be refurbished and what must be replaced. We know that the original damage to the upper cast iron ring, or belt course, compromised the structural stability of the building in late 2001. This damage caused the US Coast Guard to close the building to public access. Since then, rainwater and moist, salty sea air have continued to erode the ironwork and masonry. And, like almost all historic structures, the building contains hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint which are being removed.

DJ: Is there a connection between the Pescadero — Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and the lighthouse itself?

JB: Pigeon Point Hostel is housed in the 1960s bungalows built by the U.S. Coast Guard for the light keepers and their families. Prior to that time, a Victorian four-plex stood in that same area for the keepers and their families.

DJ: What would you say to someone who has never visited the lighthouse?

JB: Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park connects visitors to a part of California history not often told — its maritime history. More people came by sea to San Francisco and the gold fields during the Gold Rush era than any other way. Without lighthouses to guide them, many more ships would have been lost along the treacherous and rugged California coastline. Come to learn about the history of the site and stay to experience the wonderful marine life just offshore. Harbor seals, pelicans, cormorants and many other birds can be seen here. And, of course, gray whales and humpback whales can be seen here at Pigeon Point.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse restoration particulars: Rehabilitation contractor Sustainable Group Inc. of Moraga and subcontractor ICC Commonwealth of North Tonawanda, New York, have extensive experience in lighthouse rehabilitation and restoration. Jointly, they have worked on nearly 100 lighthouses, including several built to the same blueprints as Pigeon Point, including Bodie Island, North Carolina; Currituck Beach, North Carolina; and Yaquina Head, Oregon. For the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, the contractors will refurbish or replace all the ironwork throughout the building. Masonry elements will also be repaired or replaced as needed. To learn how the public can support the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Restoration project or enhance the visitor experience at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park visit CoastSideStateParks.org. Restoration project updates are available at parks.ca.gov/PigeonPointLighthouseRestoration.