It's a Long Way Up

It's a Long Way Up. . , Yaquina Head's light is 81’2" (25 m) above the ground and 162' (49 m) above mean sea level; the top of the tower is 10' (3 m) higher still. , Higher is better , On America's rugged west coast, keeping lights low enough to be seen under the fog was often a problem. , However, if they were placed too low, they couldn't be seen far enough away to be useful. , The higher a light is, the further it can be seen at sea. At 162 feet (49 m) above sea level, Yaquina Head's light can be seen about 19 miles (32 km) out to sea. , Late nights at the office , Imagine spending all of a long winter's night sitting on a stiff chair 70 feet (21 m) up in the tower watching the light. , Now try to imagine doing it in the years before there was radio, TV, or even electricity! The building attached to the light tower has two rooms which once served as the "oil room and office." However, the keepers stood nightly watch in the tower itself. , Still Lighting the Way , Many ships and boats continue to depend on lighthouses for navigational aid. Equipment in the small building attached to the light tower keeps a light on in case the electricity fails. A small battery-powered back-up light is attached to the railing surrounding the “lantern deck;” you can see it from the observation deck at the base of the tower.