We recently ran a report of the workings of Hope Town Lighthouse in the Bahamas by J and Marci Kolb, in which they described the process of keeping the light in good order. (See Chartroom Chatter, print issue No. 115). The keeper climbs the many stairs and manually fills and pressurizes kerosene tanks and lights the flame. One reader, whose family lives in Hope Town, has expressed concern that a plan by the Bahamas government to automate the light, will be a significant cultural loss.
“The Hope Town Lighthouse is one of three manual/kerosene lit lighthouse’s left in the world,” wrote Matt Thompson, a professional meteorologist. “The lighthouse is in danger of becoming automated and it would take away not only the job of the light keeper, but the historical significance of it. There is currently a local effort to save the lighthouse from becoming automated, and spearheading the effort is the Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society, under Dave Gale. Their site ishttp://www.go-abacos.com/news/whatson/whatson_lighth.html
