Over a year has passed since the January 2024 storms. At many light stations like Marshall Point, the harm these storms caused, still lingers.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Fifteen months have passed since the back-to-back storms in January 2024 wreaked havoc along the New England coastline. In Maine alone, over one-third of the state’s sixty-six lighthouses suffered damage.
As it always does, time has marched on. Yet for most of the light stations adversely impacted by the storms – from Kittery to Cutler, haunting evidence still remains.
The focus of some in society has moved on, but not so the lighthouses, nor their “keepers.” In the wake of these historic storms, an urgent appeal has gone forth to communities and preservationists alike.
The plea? That light stations must be made more resilient if they are to endure the wrath associated with ever-increasing and more frequent extreme weather events.
Maine light stations like Grindle Point need critical resiliency measures to safeguard their future.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Resiliency! We must begin today – not tomorrow. For lighthouses stand, shine and do battle in a world untamed. Unpredictable and exacting are the climate forces that collide with these historic and cultural treasures. Dire is the plight facing our lighthouses, and as such, there is no time for complacency.
However, before lighthouses can be made more resilient, we as stewards of these enchanting realms by the sea must buoy and strengthen our own ability to be resilient. We must throw off disheartened feelings, frustration with cumbersome processes and disappointment over the lack of resources.
Yes, our emotions can weigh heavy, and the job ahead is no doubt daunting, but there is only one way to go – forward. Straight into the proverbial storm. Out there on the edge of the unknown stand our beloved lighthouses, steadfast and beckoning.
Whether lighthouses are on the mainland or located offshore like Petit Manan, they all deserve to be made more resilient. Let’s get to work!
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
We have answered this call before, and I am confident we will answer it once more. Let our passion serve as a compass. Let our efforts forge the “chart” for the future.
Integrating vital resiliency into the fabric of our historic light stations is not without challenge. But this is our mission. So let’s rise up and meet it like the “keepers” we are. May our endeavors be inspirited, our headway, inspiring – and most of all, keep the faith. For when we believe, all things are possible!
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