Designed for Seafarer Safety
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Volcanoguy
N 44° 08.235 W 124° 07.662
10T E 409796 N 4887735
This history sign is located in Devils Elbow State Park.
Waymark Code: WMJ7TD
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member ddtfamily
Views: 2

This sign is located along the trail to Heceta Head Lighthouse in Devils Elbow State Park.

Marker Name: Designed for Seafarer Safety

Marker Text: From top to bottom, Heceta Head Lighthouse is built to guide from afar.
The lights height was more likely chose to maximize its rage while minimizing the chances it would be hidden by fog. Unlike most Fresnel lenses of the day, which were made in France, the lens at Heceta Head was made in England, and is the largest English lens of its type in the U.S. Heceta’s light is the brightest light on the Oregon Coast.

Lighthouse Lingo
Fresnel lens: Parabolic type lens invented by French physicist Augustin Fresnel, classified by size intensity orders (first order being the largest). This lens is a first order.
Kerosene: fuel used in the lamp to produce light.
Lens: curved piece of glass used to bring together or spread light.
Bull’s-eye: convex lens used to concentrate (refract) light.
Characteristic: individual flashing pattern and/or color of light.
Clockworks: series of gears, chains, and counterweights used to rotate the lens (similar to a grandfather clock).
Revolving light: rotating beam of light that produces a flash or characteristic.
Gallery: railed platform located outside the lantern room.
Lantern room: area with glass panels surrounding the lamp and lens at the top of the tower.

How Does a Fresnel Lens Work?
Light shining through a flat plate of glass would disperse in all directions. But light shining through a Fresnel lens hits the angled cuts on the glass and is bent until it all faces outward in the same direction. The Fresnel lens is a technology invented in 1822. The eight sided lens continuously rotates around the light. One of the eight bull’s-eyes in the lens passes by the mariner’s eye every 10 seconds, creating a characteristic flash pattern used to identify the source and triangulate position. This flash can be seen 21 miles out to sea before it is obstructed by the curvature of the earth.

Historic Topic: Pioneer

Group Responsible for placement: State of Oregon

Marker Type: Trail

Region: Coast

County: Lane

State of Oregon Historical Marker "Beaver Board": Not listed

Web link to additional information: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

Include your thoughts and observations pertaining to this location and your visit. Provide any additional history that you are aware of that pertains to this location. If the marker commemorates a historic building tell us what it is used for now or share with us the circumstances of an earlier visit to bring this locations history to life.

Please upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.

Be creative.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Oregon Historical Markers
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
ddtfamily visited Designed for Seafarer Safety 10/07/2013 ddtfamily visited it
Volcanoguy visited Designed for Seafarer Safety 05/20/2013 Volcanoguy visited it

View all visits/logs