Cape Sarichef Light
{{Short description|Lighthouse in Alaska, United States}}
{{Infobox lighthouse
| name = Cape Sarichef Light
| image = USCGcapesarichef.JPG
| caption = Original 1904 Cape Sarichef lighthouse (USCG)
| location = Cape Sarichef
Unimak Island
Alaska
United States
| coordinates = {{coord|54|35|53.68|N|164|55|39.38|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| yearlit = 1904 (first)
1950 (second)
| yearbuilt = 1979 (current)
| automated = 1979
| yeardeactivated = 1950 (first)
1979 (second)
| foundation =
| construction = wooden tower (first)
reinforced concrete tower (second)
metal skeletal tower (current)
| shape = hexagonal tower centered on the keeper's house (first)
hexagonal tower on fog signal building (second)
| height = {{convert|7|m|ft}} (second)
| focalheight = {{convert|52|m|ft}} (current)
| lens = Third order Fresnel lens (first)
| range = {{convert|8|nmi}}
| characteristic = Fl W 2.5s. (obscured from 223.5° to 018.5°)
| managingagent = United States Coast Guard{{Cite rowlett|ak|accessdate=2016-06-07}}
}}
Cape Sarichef Light is a lighthouse located on the northwest tip of Unimak Island, approximately {{convert|630|mi|km}} southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The most westerly and most isolated lighthouse in North America, Cape Sarichef Light marks the northwest end of Unimak Pass, the main passage through the Aleutian Islands between the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. When it was first lit on July 1, 1904, it was Alaska's second coastal lighthouse (after Scotch Cap Light), and the only staffed U.S. lighthouse on the Bering Sea. Today, the lighthouse is automated, and the beacon is mounted on a skeleton tower.
Cape Sarichef was named in 1816 by Russian explorer Otto von Kotzebue after Admiral Gavril Sarychev of the Imperial Russian Navy.
History
The original lighthouse was a wood tower on an octagonal wood building, {{convert|45|ft|m}} in height. The light was {{convert|126|ft|m}} above the sea.{{cite uscghist|AK|accessdate=2007-07-05}}
The lighthouse was known for its extreme isolation, which precluded regular resupply. From August 1912 to June 1913, the lighthouse received no supplies at all; the nearest neighbor was a trapper some {{convert|10|mi|km}} away.{{cite web|url=http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/AlaskaHawaii.pdf|format=PDF|title=Alaska and Hawaii: A Brief History of U.S. Coast Guard Operations|accessdate=2007-07-05|last=Noble|first=Dennis|year=1999}}
Although living quarters were originally provided for keepers' families, the Lighthouse Board prohibited civilian keepers from bringing their families because of the site's isolation. Mail and supplies were not received for months at a time. The station shut down from December 1 through March 1 because the Bering Sea was frozen. Due to the privations they endured, civilian keepers got one full year off every 4 years of service. Circa 1933, one of the assistant keepers suffered a breakdown after two years at the lonely station.
Following the disastrous tsunami in 1946 that destroyed Scotch Cap Light and killed its 5-man crew, the Coast Guard razed and rebuilt Cape Sarichef Light in 1950.{{cite web|url=http://www.elinordewire.com/alaskalighthouses.htm |title=The Eskimo Lights: Lighthouses in Alaska |accessdate=2007-07-05 |last=De Wire |first=Elinore |year=1992 |work=Elinore De Wire's Lighthouse Bookshelf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060223/http://www.elinordewire.com/alaskalighthouses.htm |archivedate=2007-09-28 |url-status=dead }} The upgrade included a LORAN radiobeacon to help ships and aircraft obtain an accurate position. A crew of 21 men each served a one-year tour of duty at the station. Approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} from the station was an Air Force DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line radar station crewed by 25 men. Relations between the two services were reportedly very good, with a lot of swapping of everything from food to vehicle parts.{{citation needed|date=July 2007}}
The station was automated in 1979. The new light was erected on a steel skeleton next to the old tower. The old light, fog horn and radiobeacon were turned off. The Coast Guard turned the property over to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The old tower and buildings were demolished in 1999.
Climate
{{Weather box
| collapsed =
| location = Cape Sarichef Light, Alaska
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 57
| Feb record high F = 58
| Mar record high F = 58
| Apr record high F = 58
| May record high F = 59
| Jun record high F = 70
| Jul record high F = 74
| Aug record high F = 74
| Sep record high F = 72
| Oct record high F = 62
| Nov record high F = 58
| Dec record high F = 69
|year record high F = 74
| Jan high F = 35.4
| Feb high F = 34.4
| Mar high F = 36.4
| Apr high F = 37.9
| May high F = 42.9
| Jun high F = 47.9
| Jul high F = 52.1
| Aug high F = 53.6
| Sep high F = 50.3
| Oct high F = 44.0
| Nov high F = 40.3
| Dec high F = 36.3
|year high F =
|Jan mean F = 31.4
|Feb mean F = 30.1
|Mar mean F = 31.6
|Apr mean F = 33.8
|May mean F = 38.8
|Jun mean F = 43.8
|Jul mean F = 48.0
|Aug mean F = 49.4
|Sep mean F = 46.7
|Oct mean F = 40.3
|Nov mean F = 36.5
|Dec mean F = 32.3
|year mean F =
| Jan low F = 27.3
| Feb low F = 25.8
| Mar low F = 26.7
| Apr low F = 29.7
| May low F = 34.7
| Jun low F = 39.6
| Jul low F = 43.8
| Aug low F = 45.2
| Sep low F = 43.0
| Oct low F = 36.6
| Nov low F = 32.7
| Dec low F = 28.2
|year low F =
| Jan record low F = 5
| Feb record low F = −1
| Mar record low F = −5
| Apr record low F = 13
| May record low F = 14
| Jun record low F = 22
| Jul record low F = 25
| Aug record low F = 28
| Sep record low F = 25
| Oct record low F = 20
| Nov record low F = 13
| Dec record low F = 3
|year record low F = −5
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.14
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.07
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.77
| Apr precipitation inch = 1.39
| May precipitation inch = 1.52
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.90
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.68
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.93
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.57
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.62
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.05
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.06
|year precipitation inch = 28.69
|Jan snow inch = 7.2
|Feb snow inch = 8.3
|Mar snow inch = 6.1
|Apr snow inch = 1.7
|May snow inch = 0.2
|Jun snow inch = 1.4
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.1
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.7
|Nov snow inch = 2.5
|Dec snow inch = 7.2
|year snow inch = 33.9
|date=October 2019}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Alaska|Engineering}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/light/capesar.htm National Park Service — Inventory of Historic Light Stations – Alaska Lighthouses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030211604/http://www.cr.nps.gov/Maritime/light/capesar.htm |date=2006-10-30 }}
- [http://www.lighthousedepot.com/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=12 Lighthouse Depot — Cape Sarichef Light] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213052036/http://www.lighthousedepot.com/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=12 |date=2006-02-13 }}
- [http://www.lighthousedepot.com/digest/Storypage.cfm?storykey=2244 Lighthouse Depot — Supplying Cape Sarichef] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060513143906/http://lighthousedepot.com/digest/Storypage.cfm?storykey=2244 |date=2006-05-13 }}
- [http://www.brucegray.com/htmlfolder/html_subpages/unimak1.html USCG Loran Station Cape Sarichef on Unimak island]
- [http://www.kbsb.com/uscg/default.htm A Land-Locked Coastie — Cape Sarichef Loran Station]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20061022090634/http://www.coastguardwives.com/index.php/component/option%2Ccom_content/task%2Cview/id%2C1785/Itemid%2C435/ Coast Guard Wives — Cape Sarichef Lighthouse, Unimak Island]
- {{cite uscghist|AK}}
- {{cite rowlett|ak}}
{{Lighthouses of Alaska}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Lighthouses in Alaska
Category:Buildings and structures in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska
Category:Lighthouses completed in 1904
Category:Government buildings completed in 1904
Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in the United States