Picture of the day - February 14, 2007

Mukilteo Lighthouse In Puget Sound

Photo courtesy of Winston Rockwell.   Puget Sound is a very large saltwater estuary on Washington state's Pacific coast that has been shaped and re-shaped by glaciers over the eons. In times past there were many lighthouses in Puget Sound to guide and protect the numerous vessels that sail into and out of her busy ports, but modern technology has made them more or less obsolete. Only a few of them are still around today. One of them is the Mukilteo Lighthouse, and photographer Winston Rockwell submitted this wonderful photograph of it for the "Picture Of The Day". Here is his story behind the image: "The Mukilteo Lighthouse is one of the few remaining lighthouses in Puget Sound. Located next to the Mukilteo ferry dock, about 25 miles north of Seattle, it is now maintained as an historic site by the city of Mukilteo. The ferry, visible in the background, carries passengers and cars from the mainland across the Sound to Whidbey Island, a 25-minute crossing. The lighthouse first went into operation in 1906, and the original oil lantern was replaced with an electric one in 1927. The lighthouse was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, and the now-automated beacon is still operated by the Coast Guard, although the site is now maintained by the Mukilteo Historical Society. Visitors can tour the keeper's quarters and the lighthouse itself on summer weekends. I took this shot because I liked the contrast between the white and deep red of the building with the blue sky. The ferry, which I waited to get into the frame, lends a sense of activity to the scene, and makes it seem more contemporary and alive. This image was taken with a Canon 30D digital camera and a Tamron SP 24-135 lens at 30mm, 1/800 sec. @ f16. "Picture of the Day" archives             Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"