Lighthouse Tour of Wales 2008

Group photo at St. Ann's Head Lighthouse, where Peter Williams is attendant.

LV14 (Helwick) Lightship located in Cardiff Bay. The Lightship, berthed in the Roath Basin, was built by Philips of Dartmouth and commissioned by Trinity House in 1953, for duties around the coastal waters around the United Kindom. For a number of years she was stationed in the Bristol Channel at Breaksea, Scarweather, and Helwick. The ship is now a tourist attraction featuring a café, gift shop and Chapel.

John and Dot having afternoon tea aboard LV14.

View of Cardiff Castle from the groups hotel in Cardiff. The Castle is located in the heart of the city with a history that spans over 2000 years. Roman soldiers slept there, noble knights held court and the Bute family with extraordinary wealth and vision transformed the castle into the unique architectural monument it now is.

USLHS group heading toward Nash Point Light Station along the cliff trail

Dorothy, Jewell Ann, and Nancy in front of the decommissioned second lighthouse at the Nash Point Light Station.

Joan, Vince and John on their way to Nash Point Lighthouse.

Peter at Nash Point.

Close up view of the Nash Point Lighthouse with the historic fog signal building and sirens in the foreground.

Close up view of the historic fog signal building at the Nash Point Light Station. Although officially discontinued, the air receiver/siren signal is still operational and is demonstrated for visitors on occasion. The USLHS group were lucky to experience the fog horn first hand.

Irene in the shadow of the fog horn.

Group Photo - Nash Point Lighthouse

Old photograph illustrating the second, decommissioned lighthouse with its latern housing still mounted. Note the fog signal building in the foreground - it has not changed over time.

Old photograph illustrating the Nash Point Lighthouse, currently in use as a navigational aid, with its original day mark. Today, the lighthouse is painted white.

A portion of the first order Fresnel Lens ( Chance Bros.), along with an interesting side panel. The lens was brought down from the lantern housing years ago and now is proudly displayed on a lower floor of the lighthouse.

Top view of the first order Fresnel Lens displayed at the Nash Point Lighthouse.

Detail view of the underside of the stairway at the Nash Point Lighthouse. Beautiful wood work adorns the inside of this light.

View of the coastline from just below the Nash Point Lighthouse's lantern housing.

USLHS members at the top of Nash Point taking photos of the current, modern, rotating optic along with the interior of the lantern housing.

View from the top of Nash Point of part of the station which includes the fog signal building, keeper's cottages (now vacation rentals) and the decommissioned second lighthouse (less its lantern housing) at the Station.

Nancy ascending Nash Point.

USLHS group in front of the fog signal building at Nash Point just prior to the fog horn demonstration. It took approximately 10 minutes after the generators were started to fill the air receivers to 40 lbs of pressure so that the fog horn could be sounded.

Phyllis and Tom protect their ears while the historic fog signal is sounded at Nash point.

Irene and Steve covering their ears while the historic fog signal is sounded at Nash Point.

Example of the rugged cliffs surrounding the Nash Point Light Station.

Helwick Lightship # 2 located in Swansea - which is on exhibit as part of the Swansea Museum.

USLHS group disembarking the coach to take photographs of the Mumbles Lighthouse.

Close up view of the Mumbles Lighthouse. The stone structures in front of the fully automated lighthouse are military embankments.

Sue and Mary get down and dirty photographing the Mumbles Lighthouse from the shoreline.

Lois and Bob at the Mumbles Lighthouse

Silhouette of the ruins of the historic Swansea Castle located in the heart of the city - a busy street shown at right.

Distant view of Whitford Point Lighthouse.

USLHS members converge on The Church of St. Madoc. The church was founded in the 6th century, and from that point a great view of Whitford Point Lighthouse can be had.

This grave stone dates back to the 5th century which was discovered walled up in the St. Madoc Church Rectory House in 1861. The inscription roughly translates to "The Son of Guan Lies Here."

Susan and Peter at Burry Port Lighthouse

Sea Scape off Burry Port.

Burry Port Lighthouse

Dot and John posing for a photo after lunch in the town of Haverfordwest.

Norm and Cynthia at the beach where the group met mini-coaches for the 5 mile drive to St. Ann's Head Lighthouse.

JoAnne takes a quiet moment at the beach while we wait for a ride to St. Ann's Head Lighthouse.

Detail view of Chance Brothers 1st Order Fresnel lens located at St. Ann's Head Lighthouse

Detail view of 1st Order Fresnel Lens side panel located at St. Ann's Head.

1868 Chance Brothers name plate at St. Ann's Head Lighthouse.

View out the lantern housing at St Ann's Head Lighthouse.

Detail view of the Trinity House insignia at St. Ann's Head Lighthouse

USLHS Group boarding small vessel to Caldey Island.

Sandy making her way back down the hill after seeing the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Caldey Island Lighthouse - This light is situated at Chapel Poinit, the island's highest point, some 188 feet above sea level.

Carol and Dorothy along the cliffs of Caldey Island.

Display of an acetelyne lamp, tank and gauge featuring a Gustaf Dalen sun valve - located in the base of the lighthouse on Caldey Island.

Detail view of the Chance Brothers 1st Order Fresnel Lens at the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Chance Brothers name plate on the lens at the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Detail view of the Chance Brothers 1st Order Fresnel Lens at the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Paula and Bob at the top of the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Sue and Steve at the top of the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

View out the lantern housing of the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Detail view of exterior door handle (lantern housing) at the Caldey Island Lighthouse.

Historic Oil House located at the Caldey Island Light Station.

Mary getting on the boat for the voyage back to Tenby from Caldey Island.

Tenby Harbor

Harbor where the coach parked while USLHS members were shuttled to the Strumble Head Lighthouse.

Strumble Head Lighthouse - This lighthouse stands imposingly on Ynysmeicl (St. Michael's Island), an inlet to the west of Fishguard, separated from the mainland by a very narrow gap. The station was built in 1908 by Trinity House. Featuring an operational, rotating 1st order Fresnel Lens, the mechanism still utilizes a mercury bath. The lighthouse was converted to unmanned automatic operation in 1980 and is now monitored from the Operations Control Center in Harwich.

Peter pointing out a harbor seal to Clorinda on the bridge over to Strumble Head Lighthouse.

Nancy and Ron at the base of the Strumble Head Lighthouse.

Detail view of historic lamp changer on display at the Strumble Head Lighthouse.

Detail view of rotating 1st Order Fresnel Lens at the Strumble Head Lighthouse (Chance Brothers).

Strumble Head Lighthouse lens from the exterior.

Geoff Badlands, the attendant at Strumble Head, standing for a photograph with Peter Williams, the attendant at St. Ann's Lighthouse and our tour guide through Wales.