Funny.bytes
a look at the lighter side of BLM issues

Piedras Blancas Light Station

The Story of Rocky - The Lonely Lighthouse

"This is the story of Rocky, the Lonely Lighthouse." Fog parts and reveals a lighthouse. Waves crash against Rocky’s coastline, a lonely fog horn and the single tolling of a warning bell is heard in the background. Seagulls soar back and forth over the sea and coastline in anticipation of their next meal. A whale crests quietly out of the water.

"Rocky's career as a first order lighthouse began in 1875." The image of a lighthouse is framed in American-theme decorations with patriotic music playing.

"He worked closely with the Lightkeeper." The lightkeeper is sharply dressed in his navy blue “lightkeeper” suit with shiny brass buttons and blue cap.

"Every evening, the Lightkeeper and his friend Squeaky would light the wicks..." The lightkeeper is in a dim tower, and lights the wick. The entire background is revealed and shows the detail of the fresnel lens used to magnify the light out to sea. As the lightkeeper blows out the match and closes the lens lantern over the flame, a mouse crawls up the lightkeeper's left arm and sits on his shoulder. The mouse has a long pink tail and is wearing a little blue uniform similar to the lightkeeper’s.

"...and all night long, Rocky's beacon would light the way..." 
 
"...so ships could safely navigate the rocky waters." Waves crash against the rocky coast. Rocky's light revolves as a boat navigates the rocky waters nearby. 

"But after many years of dedicated service, Rocky developed a nasty crack." As Rocky gets older, his structure becomes worn and a crack appears near the lantern room. Suddenly the crack grows larger and pops. Rocky says, "Uh oh!"

"His lantern room and lens had to be removed." A large construction crane lifts the lantern room from the top of Rocky's head, as it is plucked off, Rocky says, "Ow!" Then, "Hey!" The lantern room is taken away.  Mother and calf whales come up for air in the waters near the shoreline.  The mother and calf whales are “blowing”.

"In their place, Rocky got a new aerobeacon."An aerobeacon replaces Rocky's lantern room. The aerobeacon is much smaller and not nearly as stately and beautiful as the old lantern room.  The new light spinning at the top of his head is much smaller, gray and dull.  It clicks and beeps as the light rotates round and round. Rocky is sad because this new light doesn't need to be lit by the lightkeeper every night, and he is lonely.   In the background a ship navigates the waters.

"But Rocky was not pleased." As Rocky ages, iceplant takes over the landscape and is grows wild.

"After a while, people began losing interest in Rocky. Even the lightkeeper left." Rocky lets out a sigh, as iceplant blooms all over the place. In the distance, two cars pass each other on Highway 1.  

"It seemed like nobody needed or wanted poor Rocky anymore."

"Until one day, Rocky was turned over to the Bureau of Land Management." A public event is held to celebrate the transfer of land to the Bureau of Land Management on May 25, 2002. A large crowd applauds as BLM’s flag is raised on the flagpole during the dedication event.

“Now open for public access, people began visiting Rocky once again.” A school bus is parked near the lightstation. A young boy compares a poster of Rocky with the old lantern room with the way Rocky looks today and questions the changes in Rocky’s top.

"With Rocky's new friends and partnerships, things began looking up." Volunteers help to restore the natural habitat by hand-pulling the iceplant, while a tractor removes large piles of iceplant.  

"Rocky began dreaming that some day, he too may get a complete restoration....and new lantern room." Rocky dreams he is a tall, solid structure, shiny with new paint, and fully restored, when a faint image of a new lantern room appears above Rocky's head.

"...and he would live happily ever after."

For more information, visit these websites on the internet:

Pennies for Piedras
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/partners/pennies_piedras.html

Piedras Blancas Light Station website
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/pbls.html 

Piedras Blancas Light Station Association
http://www.piedrasblancas.org/

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