On Jun 8, 3:45*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
Recently, we were in Hopetown in the Abacos and we met the lighthouse keeper. *He asked if we'd like to watch him light the light. *"Sure" we said because the light mechanism is original from 1863 and it burns Kerosene. *So, inside the tower, he has to haul a 5 gal container of kero up to the top with a pulley and empty it into the original tank. He then pumps it to pressure with an 1863 hand pump. *He goes up to the light and opens a valve and preheats it by getting a tiny flame. *After 10 minutes, he opens a valve and a large Coleman mantle like thing lights up slowly. *He then opens curtains around the glass of the windows. *When I asked why they had curtains, I was surprised to learn that otherwise the sun would come thru the huge Fresnel lenses and set the mechanism afire (these are BIG Fresnel lenses). *The entire light mechanism weighing several tons is floating on a pool of mercury and has so little friction you can turn it with a finger. *He then winds a falling weight clockwork mechanism to cause the light to rotate. *TRULY, TRULY cool steampunk fantasy. *he has to climb the stairs every two hours at night to wind the mechanism.

Wow! 150 years in operation and probably no modifications since the
day it was built. That's definitely 'old school' . I suppose "if it
works, don't fix it!"

Thanks for sharing that, frog. Beats the tar out of the political crap!

On 6/9/2012 3:08 PM, Tim wrote:
On Jun 8, 3:45 pm, wrote:
... he has to climb the stairs every two hours at night to wind the mechanism.

Wow! 150 years in operation and probably no modifications since the
day it was built. That's definitely 'old school' . I suppose "if it
works, don't fix it!"

I'd fix the climb the stairs every two hours part.

On Jun 9, 11:45*pm, thumper wrote:
On 6/9/2012 3:08 PM, Tim wrote:

On Jun 8, 3:45 pm, *wrote:
... *he has to climb the stairs every two hours at night to wind the mechanism.
Wow! 150 years in operation and probably no modifications since the
day it was built. That's definitely 'old school' . I suppose "if it
works, don't fix it!"

I'd fix the climb the stairs every two hours part.

good exercise though

On Friday, June 8, 2012 4:45:18 PM UTC-4, Frogwatch wrote:
Recently, we were in Hopetown in the Abacos and we met the lighthouse keeper. He asked if we'd like to watch him light the light. "Sure" we said because the light mechanism is original from 1863 and it burns Kerosene. So, inside the tower, he has to haul a 5 gal container of kero up to the top with a pulley and empty it into the original tank. He then pumps it to pressure with an 1863 hand pump. He goes up to the light and opens a valve and preheats it by getting a tiny flame. After 10 minutes, he opens a valve and a large Coleman mantle like thing lights up slowly. He then opens curtains around the glass of the windows. When I asked why they had curtains, I was surprised to learn that otherwise the sun would come thru the huge Fresnel lenses and set the mechanism afire (these are BIG Fresnel lenses). The entire light mechanism weighing several tons is floating on a pool of mercury and has so little friction you can turn it with a finger. He then winds a falling weight clockwork mechanism to cause the light to rotate. TRULY, TRULY cool steampunk fantasy. he has to climb the stairs every two hours at night to wind the mechanism.

The light at "Hole in the Wall" I visited last year is probably higher and has a nearly identical mechanism but is in very poor condition. I was told that somebody emptied all the Mercury out onto the ground too. The light at Hole in the Wall is difficult to get too as it involves an 18 mile four wheel drive road (or a rental car which we had). The steps are in such bad shape that you do not dare put your feet in the center. I'd love to see the Hole in the Wall light restored because it is such a dramatic location atop high cliffs looking east and south. The light there is currently NOT operational although it probably covers a more dangerous area than Hope Town (Elbow Cay) light. Hole in the Wall has the remains of numerous cisterns for water, batteries for an electric lamp and a lot of other abandoned stuff.
When we got back from Hole in the Wall, we spent an hour buffing out the scratches from the car before returning it. We had not asked if we could take it there but found out later it was a No-NO. This time, just out of curiosity, I asked a car rental guy (a different agency) if I could take one of his cars to Hole in the Wall and without hesitation he replies, "HELL NO".
So, this time we decided to go to a Blue Hole up near Treasure Cay. It's about 4 miles down a dirt road and then off the road about 1/4 mile in the piney woods. It looks a lot like N. FL but with lots of limestone hummocks all over. The Blue Hole that was featured in National Geo cuz they found a skull of some kinda prehistoric critter int wasn't very impressive. N. FL sinkholes are more impressive.

On Jun 9, 9:30*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
On Friday, June 8, 2012 4:45:18 PM UTC-4, Frogwatch wrote:
Recently, we were in Hopetown in the Abacos and we met the lighthouse keeper. *He asked if we'd like to watch him light the light. *"Sure" we said because the light mechanism is original from 1863 and it burns Kerosene. *So, inside the tower, he has to haul a 5 gal container of kero up to the top with a pulley and empty it into the original tank. He then pumps it to pressure with an 1863 hand pump. *He goes up to the light and opens a valve and preheats it by getting a tiny flame. *After 10 minutes, he opens a valve and a large Coleman mantle like thing lights up slowly. *He then opens curtains around the glass of the windows. *When I asked why they had curtains, I was surprised to learn that otherwise the sun would come thru the huge Fresnel lenses and set the mechanism afire (these are BIG Fresnel lenses). *The entire light mechanism weighing several tons is floating on a pool of mercury and has so little friction you can turn it with a finger. *He then winds a falling weight clockwork mechanism to cause the light to rotate. *TRULY, TRULY cool steampunk fantasy. *he has to climb the stairs every two hours at night to wind the mechanism.

The light at "Hole in the Wall" I visited last year is probably higher and has a nearly identical mechanism but is in very poor condition. *I was told that somebody emptied all the Mercury out onto the ground too. *The light at Hole in the Wall is difficult to get too as it involves an 18 mile four wheel drive road (or a rental car which we had). *The steps are in such bad shape that you do not dare put your feet in the center. *I'd love to see the Hole in the Wall light restored because it is such a dramatic location atop high cliffs looking east and south. *The light there is currently NOT operational although it probably covers a more dangerous area than Hope Town (Elbow Cay) light. *Hole in the Wall has the remains of numerous cisterns for water, batteries for an electric lamp and a lot of other abandoned stuff.
When we got back from Hole in the Wall, we spent an hour buffing out the scratches from the car before returning it. *We had not asked if we could take it there but found out later it was a No-NO. *This time, just out of curiosity, I asked a car rental guy (a different agency) if I could take one of his cars to Hole in the Wall and without hesitation he replies, "HELL NO".
So, this time we decided to go to a Blue Hole up near Treasure Cay. *It's about 4 miles down a dirt road and then off the road about 1/4 mile in the piney woods. *It looks a lot like N. FL but with lots of limestone hummocks all over. *The Blue Hole that was featured in National Geo cuz they found a skull of some kinda prehistoric critter int wasn't very impressive.. *N. FL sinkholes are more impressive.

There is a boating program called 'Distant Shores' aired up here on
cable that went to that old lighthouse in the Abacos one episode.
Very interesting watching the lightkeeper go through his routine.