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| Nice photo by www.unc.edu of the light |
This light is typical of the sparkplug lights built during the late 1800's and early in the 1900's. Goose Rocks was built in 1890 with a cast iron caisson filled with concrete. It was painted red until 1908 when the present paint scheme was adopted. It can be reached only by a small boat, the boat was hoisted up to the deck because the tides run nine to ten feet.
A Coast Guard Crew during 1958-1960 left an apt description of living on the Light. There was a crew of three, and one of them was always off duty and onshore. The other two took turns working 12 hour shifts, someone was always awake to log changes in the weather. The fog bell ran with a mechanism must like a clock, and during times of fog had to be wound, like a clock, every four hours. The water was collected rain water, the light, interior lights, TV, and radio were all run one one battery, which was charged by a diesel engine. The bathroom consisted of a one-hole affair and the waste was discharged overboard. To take a bath water was heated on the gas stove. Each crew was assigned for two years, but the duty was enjoyed - because no one else wanted their jobs!
The light flashes red every 6 seconds with a white sector.
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| How the lens is set up to show the white sector. |
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| A Coast Guard photo shows the power now that the light is automated. |
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| Goose Rock is located right about center on this map |
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