Point Cabrillo Light Station

Sand Bees II photos by Katy Pye



Point Cabrillo
You can tell it's summer. The last rain we had was in March.

Back in April I did a post about discovering Sand bees at the old, abandoned Georgia-Pacific site in Fort Bragg. When I looked up the life history of Sand bees what I found first was a way to kill them. Below is a link to that post.



A few months ago, my friend and fellow writer, sent me photographs of the Sand bees she found at Point Cabrillo. (You know--my favorite--have given 16 years of my life to--lighthouse.)



Bees' eyeview of Point Cabrillo










Point Cabrillo Light Station


Painting of the Light Station
by Lynne Prentice

I started by leading bird walks at the Point Cabrillo Light Station in 1996, and ended up as president of the non-profit that operates it. I'm still on the Board of Directors.

My favorite time of year to be at the lighthouse is now. March is when the gray whales are migrating back to Alaska, which can be a hazardous 6000 mile journey.


Below is a photo of Orcas attacking a gray whale. A few years ago, people witnessed just such an attack in front of the lighthouse.

Point Cabrillo and the tall ship, the Lynx
by Harold Hauck
That's a Coast Guard cutter on the right
 
 




The 3rd Order Fresnel Lens is back in service
in the Lighthouse
 Thanks to Bruce Lewis for the video.
This is also the time of year when the Harbor seals give birth, often on the rocks only yards offshore from the lighthouse. Within two hours of being born, the baby follows its mother into the ocean, frequently reappearing in the cove just to the east of the lighthouse.
Harbor Seal and Pup by Ron LeValley

THE 2ND WHALE FESTIVAL OF THE MONTH TAKES PLACE ON MARCH 17th & 18th