Sentinel of the Seas

By Dennis M. Powers,

Book cover of Sentinel of the Seas: Life and Death at the Most Dangerous Lighthouse Ever Built

Book description

Miles off the coast of northern California lies a mariner's nightmare. Concealed by roiling sea and thick fog, the jagged edges of a submerged volcanic mountain chain await approaching vessels like predators in the mist. This is one of the most hazardous reefs off the West Coast. And for over…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Sentinel of the Seas as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

St. George Reef Lighthouse is located about six miles off Point St. George on the coast of Northern California, not far from the Oregon border. It is built atop, and partly chiseled into, a massive wave-swept rock. Finished in 1892, St. George Reef took roughly a decade to build, at a cost of $752,000, making it far and away the most expensive lighthouse ever built in the United States. The dramatic history of this iconic lighthouse—replete with engineering feats and tragic deaths—is well-told by Powers, who provides one of the best profiles of a single lighthouse ever written. 

From Eric's list on lighthouse history.

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