Fishing gnome Brian has packed away his rod and gone big game fishing in the Caribbean for the winter season. Says he does it every year. Didn’t know. Alright for some.
Makes a lorra sense to me. No brainer really if you can do it. The kingfisher has also departed. Feels as if the fish levels in the lake must have dropped off. Where do kingfishers go for winter? South? Dunno.
Anyway I’ve taken the opportunity to have the rescue boat taken out of the water and moved to its winter shelter away from the elements. It will now undergo a maintenance programme designed to keep it in good nick for next season. Not much point having a rescue boat if the engine conks out on you mid rescue.
Was listening to the shipping forecast this morning, as you do, when the subject of automatic lighthouses entered my mind. It specifically came during the inshore forecast section. The Sandettie light vessel automatic for example but there are others. The point is whether lighthouses that aren’t specifically mentioned as being automatic are actually automated or not. They must be, surelement. The next name that came up after that thought was Jersey. I wondered if there was a keeper of the Jersey light. A good sounding title.
Well “no, the lighthouse in Jersey, specifically the La Corbière lighthouse, does not have a resident, full-time keeper anymore. The lighthouse became fully automated in 1976, eliminating the need for keepers to man the station continuously, says google.
The lighthouse is now maintained by Ports of Jersey and looked after by part-time attendants, sometimes referred to as “guardians”, who perform routine maintenance tasks like polishing brass and oiling hinges for the automatic light system. Dave Turner, one such long-serving guardian, retired in 2015 after 25 years in the role. Apaz. Wonder if he got a gold clock or similar when he finished. Model lighthouse maybs.
The former keepers’ cottages at the base of the causeway are still owned by the States of Jersey, and at least one former keeper has been known to still live in them.”
If I was such a “guardian”, and it would probably be a nice retirement job, I’d still want to be called the keeper of the Jersey light. It would really be my only reason for wanting the role. I’d probably subcontract the brass polishing to someone better suited to that activity.
Mind you I would want to be able to set my own hours. No good relying just on me. I’d need to be able to shoot off for weekends or even a few weeks at a time. Perhaps just give me the honorary title and just ask me to turn up on special occasions where a little pressing of the flesh might be required. The occasional speech of welcome perhaps outlining the history of the Jersey light and its importance to seafarers. Would need to get it in the diary well in advance. A year makes sense.
No overnight fox action around the lake although Reynard was spotted trotting briskly out of the front drive at 04:08. He didn’t come down the side of the house so must have come directly through next door’s front fence/railings.
Breakfast was three (small) slices of seeded sourdough toast and half a grapefruit. Had to remove my specs to eat the latter. HipHop2 + 12.