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Original Essays | February 8, 2012

Kent Hartman: IMG A Raider by Any Other Name

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Perhaps you are aware of the fact that there is an oddly popular trivia game floating around that a group of clever (and likely bored) college... Continue »
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1 Beaverton Nautical- Lighthouses

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

by Dennis Powers

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

ISBN13: 9780806528427
ISBN10: 0806528427
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

From the acclaimed author of "Treasure Ship," Powers writes the untold true story of the most dangerous, most expensive, and most remote lighthouse ever built and the brave men and women who built this remote outpost. 16-page b & w photo insert.

Review:

"One of the most rugged expanses in the continental U.S., the coast of northern California and Oregon saw frequent shipping disasters in the 19th century, before Congress ordered the construction of lighthouses on such dangerous promontories as Heceta Head, Cape Mendocino and a seaward-trending pile of rocks called St. George Reef. The brave, resourceful engineer who directed the Tillamook Rock lighthouse construction, Alexander Ballantyne, was later engaged for the St. George job, and it's this story that author Powers (Treasure Ship) chronicles here. Without any maps to illustrate it, however, readers will need an atlas to follow the movement of men and ships up and down the coast. Later chapters describing lighthouse life prove less problematic; lighthouse keepers were fascinating, courageous characters (and included a good number of women) who not only kept lights burning and fog horns sounding, but also risked life and limb to rescue people stranded in torrential weather. Unfortunately, Powers' wordy style does not do his subjects justice, making this a less-than-enjoyable read despite a worthy topic." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Reader Views, August 3, 2007 (view all comments by Reader Views)
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (5/07)

?Sentinel of the Seas? reads like a novel. Dennis Powers has written another classic masterpiece which chronicles man battling the sea. As in his earlier works ?Treasure Ship? and ?The Raging Sea,? Powers has thoroughly researched his work. He spent five years in preparation, searching archives, original journals, dairies, ship logs, Lighthouse Board Reports, and doing personal interviews of survivors, and their families. The lighthouse was built on St. George Reef which is one of the most hazardous reefs off the West Coast.

Powers recounts the history, engineering and construction of the lighthouse. He also explains the various lighting and sound warning devices used over the history of the lighthouse. Powers masterfully weaves into the record heroic stories of the men and women who designed, built, and maintained the St. George Reef Lighthouse from it?s completion in 1892 until it?s abandonment in 1975, and renewal in 2002.

?Sentinel of the Seas? heralds the career of Alexander Ballantyne, who supervised the project, as well as the careers of George Roux, and Fred Permenter the lighthouse keepers. Powers details the work of the ?wickies,? lighthouse life, the history and the development of other U. S. lighthouses. He shows a deep appreciation for the courage the lighthouse keepers demonstrated in the midst of crashing waves, tumultuous storms, and hurricane force winds which they faced on a recurring basis.

Turnover among the personal was significant. Powers explained it this way: ?This station was one of the least sought-after assignments in the service. Potential wickies had already heard what duty would be like on Dragon Rocks. It had earned its reputation.? I personally enjoyed the insight into the contrast between routine work and boredom of the assignment with hazardous way of life of the lighthouse keepers. Powers uses descriptive phrases that made me feel ?the enveloping curtains of cold mists? or hear the ?barks of the seals, cries of the seagulls, and the crashing surf.?

This is great adventure reading, brilliantly written. I highly recommend ?Sentinel of the Seas? to everyone who loves epic adventure stories of the adventure of the sea, shipwreck, and nautical history.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780806528427
Subtitle:
Life and Death at the Most Dangerous Lighthouse Ever Built
Author:
Powers, Dennis
Author:
Powers, Dennis M.
Publisher:
Citadel
Subject:
General
Subject:
Lighthouses
Subject:
California
Subject:
Maritime History
Subject:
United States - State & Local - West
Subject:
United States - 19th Century/Gilded Age
Subject:
History
Subject:
Lighthouses -- California.
Subject:
Lighthouses -- Pacific Ocean.
Copyright:
2007
Edition Description:
B-Hardcover
Publication Date:
20070801
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
288
Dimensions:
9.28x6.36x1.31 in. 1.40 lbs.
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Sentinel of the Seas: Life and Death at the Most Dangerous Lighthouse Ever Built Used Hardcover
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Product details 288 pages Citadel - English 9780806528427 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "One of the most rugged expanses in the continental U.S., the coast of northern California and Oregon saw frequent shipping disasters in the 19th century, before Congress ordered the construction of lighthouses on such dangerous promontories as Heceta Head, Cape Mendocino and a seaward-trending pile of rocks called St. George Reef. The brave, resourceful engineer who directed the Tillamook Rock lighthouse construction, Alexander Ballantyne, was later engaged for the St. George job, and it's this story that author Powers (Treasure Ship) chronicles here. Without any maps to illustrate it, however, readers will need an atlas to follow the movement of men and ships up and down the coast. Later chapters describing lighthouse life prove less problematic; lighthouse keepers were fascinating, courageous characters (and included a good number of women) who not only kept lights burning and fog horns sounding, but also risked life and limb to rescue people stranded in torrential weather. Unfortunately, Powers' wordy style does not do his subjects justice, making this a less-than-enjoyable read despite a worthy topic." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
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