Searchlight Cellar - San Diego, CA
Posted by: 
bluesnote
N 32° 40.228 W 117° 14.302
11S E 477650 N 3614780
A cellar which held a movable searchlight to illuminate suspicious boats entering San Diego Harbor. It was in use during WWI and WWII, but never was used for its intended purpose as no enemy ships were ever seen near the San Diego Harbor.
Waymark Code: WM16NRC
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 09/05/2022
Views: 1
Located along the Bayside Trail within Cabrillo National Monument. The cellar doors are still built in the side of the hill, but they no longer contain the searchlight. During WWI and WWII the searchlight was meant to be moved to the corner of the trail about 50 feet to the east of the plaque.
The plaque says, "Soldiers carefully guarded this harbor during World Wars I (1917-1918) and II (1914-1945). As part of the night patrol, two or three soldiers operated a searchlight hidden behind this door. The five-foot diameter light was 8000 million candlepower-bright enough to blind someone. It was visible at up to 35 miles.
If a suspicious boat approached, the soldiers would quickly roll the searchlight on track out to the edge of the bluff. There they would plug it into an electrical socket. By turning and tipping the massing searchlight, they could illuminate a moving target. This would help patrol boats to attack an enemy ship on even the darkest nights."
Related Website: Not listed
Supplementary Related Website: Not listed
Admission Fee: Not listed
Opening Days/Times: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Posting a picture(s) of the location would be nice although not required.