Cape Spencer Light
Encyclopedia
The Cape Spencer Light is a lighthouse
in Alaska
,
United States
, next to the entrance to Cross Sound
and Icy Strait
. The light is still an active aid to navigation. It is located on an islet in the southernmost end of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
.
Another light with the same name is operated by the Canadian Coast Guard
in New Brunswick
, where there has been a Cape Spencer Light since 1873.
at Cape Spencer was requested as early as 1906, but it wasn’t until 1912 that this rocky region received its first light — an unmanned acetylene
lantern
. Funds for a lighthouse to properly mark Cape Spencer were later granted, and construction
commenced in May 1924. A single-story reinforced concrete building (51’ x 62’) was built at the summit of the rocky mass to house both the fog
signal equipment and the keepers. From the center of the structure’s roof, a 14-by-14-foot tower rose another twenty-five feet. The Coast Guard
removed the Fresnel lens from Cape Spencer in 1974, the same year in which the lighthouse was automated. The small lighthouse
, perched atop the seventy-foot-tall rock, is still considered an important navigational aid and receives regular Coast Guard visits.
When manned the crew of Cape Spencer light consisted of four men. One was a First Class Boatswain's Mate (commanding), a Second Class Engineman, a Seaman and a Fireman. Each man was assigned a tour of duty on the island which lasted one year. Under normal conditions, no crewman ever left during this period. Each crewman had his own bedroom and stood a four hour watch. Not only was the light maintained but a permanent radio watch was kept.
Supplies were provided by buoy tender operating out of Ketchikan. Each crew member was allowed a per diem amount which was pooled and set aside in an account which could be used to purchase food from a civilian food store in Ketchikan. Generally, the men ate very well, depending on their cooking skills. The basement of the light structure contained a large food storage room as well as a couple of freezers for frozen foods. The resupply was done every two weeks, weather and other missions allowing. There were periods of over three weeks without any resupply ship. This was difficult not only for the food situation but for lack of mail and a new supply of movies, no other entertainment being available the station being 100 miles (160.9 km) west of Juneau.
The station was powered by three Caterpillar Diesel Generator sets. One ran at all times providing power for the station. Multiple storage tanks were situated around the station to hold fuel for these generators. On a lower level from the station was a boat house and a crane engine building. The crane was operated by another Caterpillar engine. The island had no landing place with sheer cliffs rising on all sides. To get on or off the island, other than by helicopter, the crane was hooked up to a sixteen foot fiberglass boat with an outboard engine, The men would climb into the boat and be swung by the crane over the edge of the island and dropped the sixty feet to the water. To get back on the boat had to be maneuvered under the hook at the base of the cliff, attached and lifted back up. Needless to say this was not any easy feat and was seldom done in rough weather. Resupply was accomplished the same way, hoisting cargo nets of supplies up onto the boathouse deck.
To get men back and forth from Juneau, the boat would bring them into Dick's Arm, a fjord, located about a mile from the island which shelter provided a calm landing place for bush pilots to bring float planes in. Dick's Arm was also used for recreation for the men on the light when they could get off. It teemed with black bear, grizzlies and had Dall sheep on the higher slopes. The waters were full of giant halibut, salmon in season and giant king crabs. Seals basked on the rocky islands around the light and occasional herds (pods?) of killer whales would pass between the light and shore.
Considered "isolated duty", Cape Spencer was still not the worst nor most isolated post manned by the Coast Guard.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
,
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, next to the entrance to Cross Sound
Cross Sound
Cross Sound is a passage in the Alexander Archipelago in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Alaska, located between Chichagof Island to its south and the mainland to its north...
and Icy Strait
Icy Strait
The Icy Strait is a strait in the Alexander Archipelago in southeastern Alaska, at about . The strait separates Chichagof Island to the south and the Alaska mainland to the north. The strait is from its west side at the intersection of the Cross Sound and Glacier Bay to its east side at Chatham...
. The light is still an active aid to navigation. It is located on an islet in the southernmost end of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park is a national park in Alaska. The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. It was changed to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve on Dec. 2, 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation...
.
Another light with the same name is operated by the Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, where there has been a Cape Spencer Light since 1873.
History
A beaconBeacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
at Cape Spencer was requested as early as 1906, but it wasn’t until 1912 that this rocky region received its first light — an unmanned acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
. Funds for a lighthouse to properly mark Cape Spencer were later granted, and construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
commenced in May 1924. A single-story reinforced concrete building (51’ x 62’) was built at the summit of the rocky mass to house both the fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
signal equipment and the keepers. From the center of the structure’s roof, a 14-by-14-foot tower rose another twenty-five feet. The Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
removed the Fresnel lens from Cape Spencer in 1974, the same year in which the lighthouse was automated. The small lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, perched atop the seventy-foot-tall rock, is still considered an important navigational aid and receives regular Coast Guard visits.
When manned the crew of Cape Spencer light consisted of four men. One was a First Class Boatswain's Mate (commanding), a Second Class Engineman, a Seaman and a Fireman. Each man was assigned a tour of duty on the island which lasted one year. Under normal conditions, no crewman ever left during this period. Each crewman had his own bedroom and stood a four hour watch. Not only was the light maintained but a permanent radio watch was kept.
Supplies were provided by buoy tender operating out of Ketchikan. Each crew member was allowed a per diem amount which was pooled and set aside in an account which could be used to purchase food from a civilian food store in Ketchikan. Generally, the men ate very well, depending on their cooking skills. The basement of the light structure contained a large food storage room as well as a couple of freezers for frozen foods. The resupply was done every two weeks, weather and other missions allowing. There were periods of over three weeks without any resupply ship. This was difficult not only for the food situation but for lack of mail and a new supply of movies, no other entertainment being available the station being 100 miles (160.9 km) west of Juneau.
The station was powered by three Caterpillar Diesel Generator sets. One ran at all times providing power for the station. Multiple storage tanks were situated around the station to hold fuel for these generators. On a lower level from the station was a boat house and a crane engine building. The crane was operated by another Caterpillar engine. The island had no landing place with sheer cliffs rising on all sides. To get on or off the island, other than by helicopter, the crane was hooked up to a sixteen foot fiberglass boat with an outboard engine, The men would climb into the boat and be swung by the crane over the edge of the island and dropped the sixty feet to the water. To get back on the boat had to be maneuvered under the hook at the base of the cliff, attached and lifted back up. Needless to say this was not any easy feat and was seldom done in rough weather. Resupply was accomplished the same way, hoisting cargo nets of supplies up onto the boathouse deck.
To get men back and forth from Juneau, the boat would bring them into Dick's Arm, a fjord, located about a mile from the island which shelter provided a calm landing place for bush pilots to bring float planes in. Dick's Arm was also used for recreation for the men on the light when they could get off. It teemed with black bear, grizzlies and had Dall sheep on the higher slopes. The waters were full of giant halibut, salmon in season and giant king crabs. Seals basked on the rocky islands around the light and occasional herds (pods?) of killer whales would pass between the light and shore.
Considered "isolated duty", Cape Spencer was still not the worst nor most isolated post manned by the Coast Guard.