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THE LIGHTHOUSE PEOPLE, BOB & SANDRA SHANKLIN, ARE "ALL PAU"!

In 1987, we set out in a quest to photograph every lighthouse in the U.S. It was a long
path we had ahead of us and we truly didn't realize the magnitude of what we were attempting. We have traveled by every type of boat imaginable, and many different aircraft, as well as driving rental cars, hiking, wading underwater paths.

In 1997, 10 years later, we had photographed every standing lighthouse built by the U.S.
government, in the Continental United States. Due to the expenses involved, we despaired of ever getting to Alaska and Hawaii, and thought we would be content with what we had accomplished.

The Lighthouse People at Kalaupapa Lighthouse on Molokai.

Kauhola Point Lighthouse on the north end of Hawaii.  (the Big Island).

Then, in May, 1998, out of the blue, the wonderful folks at Harbour Lights gave us a grant to finish our quest. With the grant, and the help of the U.S. Coast Guard, we were able to finish photographing every lighthouse in the U.S.

In September of 1987, we photographed our first lighthouse, Portland Head, Maine. On February 3, 1999, on the north end of the Big Island, (Hawaii), we photographed our last lighthouse, Kauhola Point.

Hawaii is wonderful. There are lighthouses on five islands. We started with the three on Oahu: Barber's Point, Diamond Head and Makapuu Point. Makapuu is in an especially beautiful place, sitting on a high cliff. It is a fairly long hike to get there. The lens at Makapuu is not a Fresnel Lens like many lighthouses have or had, but a HyperRadiant. As far as we know, there are only two of them in existence. This lens is much bigger than a first order Fresnel. Diamond Head is easily photographed from a park right beside it. We got lost one day on the other side of Oahu, looking for Barber's Point. We drove all over that side of the Island looking for it. We went as far as the road would go on that side. We thought it would be near the Barber's Point Naval Station and couldn't see it. Finally that night, we called some friends in Washington, and THEY told us where it was. It was so surrounded by industrial buildings that it was hidden unless one knew where to look for it. The next day we found it and photographed it. Then, a night or two later, we went to a luau and the bus pulled up: where else? Right beside the Barber's Point Lighthouse. We were able to photograph it in the sunset.

We went on, by helicopter to photograph the Kalaupapa Lighthouse on Molokai. It is a
tall slender tower and in our opinion, one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the Islands. We were rushing to take our photos, as we just had a short time to get it done, and I, (Sandra) in my rush to photograph the lighthouse, stepped back off the stairs, onto a round lava rock, which rolled, pitching me head or I should say, nose first onto those hard cement steps. I cut the end of my nose, which bled like a head wound, but I kept taking my photos, with blood running from the end of my nose down the back of the camera. I still have a small scar 
to remember it by.

Kalaupapa Lighthouse on Molokai
 

Barbers Point Lighthouse on Oahu.
 


Diamond Head Lighthouse on Oahu

 

Makapuu Point Lighthouse on Oahu
 

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