Point Reyes National Seashore

There is an historical lighthouse that sits at the point of Point Reyes National Seashore. It attracts visitors from all over the world. However, the 800+ steps down to the lighthouse is not for the faint of heart. Going down is not necessarily the problem, it is coming back up.

Few people know of the story about Joshua and Mary Ann, the couple that lived and managed the lighthouse during most of the 1940’s. They were a newly married couple. They met in high school and instantly fell in love. Throughout their time at school, they were inseparable. If you saw one, the other was close by. People said the love they shared was so tightly bonded that

nothing would ever tear them apart.

One thing you learn in life is you never say never.

In November of 1948, the coast of California saw one of the worst storms that has ever been recorded in recent history. The sea was showing swells of well over twenty feet and winds were gusting to well over 90 miles per hour. It was said that you could not measure the rain in inches, but rather in feet. And when the rain hit your face along with the wind, it felt as if you were being sand blasted. Joshua was quoted as saying, “If I live through this storm, I would have survived hell itself.” A quote that he would soon want to take back.

Joshua and Mary Ann both knew, in storms like this, you stay inside. Walking outside is not only looking death in the face, it is death taking your life. But nonetheless, when the light on a lighthouse goes out, it is the responsibility of the lighthouse manager to fix it. Out at sea, there are ships that are relying on this light to show their proximity to the shore and their location at sea. Joshua knew this, and he knew what he was doing when he walked out of the house that night.

Mary Ann begged Joshua not to go outside. “Wait for the storm to die down. It’s way too dangerous.” But her pleads were ignored.

As Joshua left the house, Mary Ann watched from the kitchen window. She saw Joshua fight the wind and the rain to get to the storage shed to get the spare light. When he made it to the shed, she breathed a sigh of relief. But that was short lived, knowing that he would have to exit into the storm again.

Joshua retrieved the spare light from storage and headed back out into the storm. Mary Ann, once again, watching from the kitchen window, saw Joshua make it into the lighthouse. Once again, she was relieved. She watched for a few minutes. She knew if she saw the lighthouse light up, then Joshua had done his job.

About ten minutes had passed and the light came on. She was relieved and she turned to return to her supper on the dinette table to await the return of Josh-

ua.

As she sat down, she could hear the wind starting to blow even harder. She noticed the rain was coming down harder and faster. The sound of the rain and wind were deafening as it hit the windows and roof of the house. Looking out towards the sea, waves were breaching the cliff side where the lighthouse stayed. Worried about her husband, once again, she returned to the kitchen window to watch for his return.

She waited and waited. What seemed to be an eternity, she never saw Joshua come out from the lighthouse. She retrieved her jacket and headed outside to find him.

Your turn. Finish the story: