Page 11 - AHATA

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local Monday 4 noveMber 2024

A brief history of the California Light House

(Oranjestad)—At the furthest west- It was very challenging because it was no electricity, and the light Mr. Fingal further explains that in
ern point of the island, there lies the was full of goats and donkeys, and was very interesting because it ro- one night, the lighthouse rotates
tallest structure on the island: The it was very isolated. There were no tated with a kerosene lamp that 4,320 times and consumes one
California Light House. Standing on hotels or roads to get there. There planes used; clean kerosene," Mr. gallon of kerosene for the whole
top of a limestone cliff, this light- was only a donkey trail. Those were Fingal said. operation. "At that time, the kero-
house oversees the entire island, the only means of transportation." sene was supplied from the Lago
offering one of few best views of Mr. Fingal discovered something refinery. Every day it was brought
the island and the surrounding sea. Mr. Fingal continues, "In 1939, I was very interesting about the light- down, and to start the light again,
It is also one of the few monuments born in the lighthouse, and my fa- house after much research was they had to lift the weight up, so
that hold a rich history. ther was the last lighthouse keeper documented in his book 'History our job as children was to crank
until he retired in 1962. After that, of the Lighthouse at Westpunt.' He it and raise the weight back up in
The lighthouse was constructed they removed the power cables found many details: "I found out the evening when the light stuck,
in between 1914-1916, and its all the way to the top. According that the height of the lighthouse they would take it down again,
first keeper was a young trained to the story, we couldn't have the was due to the absence of elec- and the light stayed down. That's
lighthouse keeper from Curacao light ourselves because they dis- tricity. There was also the presence how it worked for a very long time,"
names Jacob Jacobs. Mr. Frederi- mantled it, and after many years, of coral. There is a long steel cable Mr. Fingal explains.
co Fingal was the last man to have I heard that it is in a train museum from where the light is, and un-
occupied this position until 1962. in San Nicolas, where we found this der the light, at the highest point, Thanks to the Monument Fund
Though his son, Mr. Romulo Fingal very special lens that, when the there is a hanging weight, a sort Aruba, which worked hard and
did not continue in his father’s foot- light shines through it, it reaches 30 of pendulum that swings like that, is currently in charge of the Light-
steps, he does have a special con- kilometers out to sea." Mr. Fingal with a weight that measures about house, Mr. Fingal is very happy
nection to the lighthouse. He sat told our reporter. 1 meter by 30 centimeters wide, with its preservation, along with all
down with our reporter and shared which is a block of solid iron at- the renovations that have taken
a bit of its history. The lighthouse has a long and very tached to a cable. When you re- place. He hopes that the story of
interesting history. The reason why lease it upwards, it comes down, the lighthouse will continue to live
As Mr. Fingal explains, "In 1915, the lighthouse was built, according and the weight that comes down on for future generations.q
cargo donkeys were hired from to Mr. Fingal, dates back to the day pulls it up, gradually. And while it
Figaroa di Noord to help build the when the cargo ship S.S. California comes down, the same weight
Lighthouse at Westpunt. The don- sank because of the lack of light. that is descending causes many
keys had to walk along the beach In 1913, Aruba made a request small wheels to turn in the opposite
all the way to Westpunt carrying to Curacao to build a Lighthouse direction. The Lighthouse rotates
the cargo, poles, cement, and all at Westpunt, and the governor of from 6 pm in the evening, when
these things. At that time, it was Curacao responded to Aruba to the sun sets, until 6 am in the morn-
a difficult task until Aruba got its come back in 1915 with a well-de- ing. During the entire night, the light
first truck. These things reflect how tailed plan. "During the First World shines on the lantern, it goes down
people could have accomplished War from 1914 to 1918, they had to 24 meters, and the Lighthouse is 30
this tremendous job with so little." wait for the light to be transported meters high. It is designed not to
Mr. Fingal said, "At that time, it to Aruba because it was manufac- collapse," Mr. Fingal explains.
wasn't a place for people to work. tured in France. At that time, there