Lighthouse will continue as aid to navigation

November 26, 2014

The Point Cabrillo light will continue to shine as a federal aid to navigation.

While the news is seemingly great to locals and supporters, the light was never in danger of formally being decommissioned.

In a Nov. 24 email, Dan Dewell, public information officer for Coast Guard District 11 in Alameda, said the Coast Guard's federal aids-to-navigation (ATON) specialists held public comment sessions about possible disestablishment of some aids in 2013, but Point Cabrillo light was not on the list.

"There was some informal dialogue about Point Cabrillo light among the staff at the Coast Guard district office here in Alameda, our sector office in Humboldt Bay and the community in the early stages of planning for that ATON review, but Point Cabrillo was not on any list of ATON being considered for decommissioning," Dewell said.

"I think that initial dialogue, followed by the formal public review of ATON along the California coast, may have worried some people who use and value the Point Cabrillo light," he said, "but as I said it wasn't part of the formal ATON review and there are currently no plans to change its status."

Dewell said the Coast Guard's aids to navigation program experts regularly hold listening sessions with boaters and the public about aids-to-navigation in the area.

"That's part of our regular review and management of the overall aids to navigation system," he said. "As new technologies evolve, the system evolves too, and we periodically review what aids might need to be added, deleted or altered."

In a Thursday, Oct. 30, email to Jenny Callaway, district director for Congressman Jared Huffman, Lt. Cmdr. Collin Bronson, chief of external affairs for Coast Guard District 11, said the lighthouse was considered in 2013 for discontinuance as part of a service-wide analysis of aids to navigation, "assessing redundancies and new technologies allowing for increased efficiencies throughout the nation in order to better serve the mariner."

"Point Cabrillo light was evaluated and in consultation with the local community and the unique demands of the area it was decided by our staff here in District 11 that the Point Cabrillo lighthouse would remain a federal aid to navigation with no further plans to remove or alter the light," Bronson said.

Dewell said the discussions of evaluating Point Cabrillo light were "very early chatter."

Whether the lighthouse was being formally considered for decommissioning or not, supporters were relieved that the light was no longer at risk of being extinguished.

Tanya Smart, president of the Point Cabrillo Light Keepers Association, distributed a letter to volunteers and the public on Oct. 31 reporting the continuation of the light as a federal aid to navigation.

"I find myself at a loss of words to sufficiently express my relief, joy and gratitude," Smart said. "To everyone who helped make this happen, be proud of what you helped accomplish. The Point Cabrillo lighthouse has been in operation as a Federal Aid to Navigation since 1909 and because of you, it will continue to light the way home."


Source: By Matthew Reed