Scott Mercer presents Sea Otters and Kelp Forest Ecology as part of the Lighthouse Lecture Series on Saturday, December 16 at 4 p.m. in the Fog Signal Building Museum at the Point Arena Lighthouse.



Sea otters are termed keystone species and ecosystem engineers due to their profound impact on their environment. Keystone species circulate throughout their habitat and have a wide variety of prey which checks the population of many species.

In this lecture presentation Scott will explain that sea otters are termed “keystone species and ecosystem engineers” due to their profound impact on their environment. Keystone species circulate throughout their habitat and have a wide variety of prey which checks the population of many species.

“Sea otters are at a unique juncture in their evolutionary journey,” he notes   "They are more marine than terrestrial and more terrestrial than marine.” Sea otters are the only marine mammals without a blubber or fat layer.  Fur has been their salvation and their downfall. They rely on their incredibly thick pelage, or fur coats, to maintain their body temperature. In addition, each adult sea otter consumes one-third of its body weight daily.  In return, ecosystems with sea otters exhibit a 15-20% greater biodiversity.

In his presentation, Scott will discuss factors that determine the distribution and abundance of species. He will also discuss among many other subjects, such as their own natural history and how these German shepherd sized weasel relatives have shaped human economic and social history over their existence.

Scott began studying marine mammals in 1974 in Monterey Bay with an extended study of the feeding ecology of sea otters. After relocating to his native New England in 1978 he founded New England Whale Watch, Inc. as an opportunity to offer firsthand ocean life education to the public, and for him to collect data on the whales being observed. Scott was recently interviewed about his role as a pioneer in Atlantic Coast whale watching by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of a history of the whale watching industry in New England. He is also cofounder of the Brier Island Ocean Study, a research station in Nova Scotia, Canada. He has led offshore and overnight excursions to the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, in the Caribbean, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada. In 1982 he co-authored 

 and for 14 years he taught a marine mammal class for the University of New Hampshire’s Continuing Education, as well as science classes for the Southern Maine Community College.

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Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC

"Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?"

"But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?"

Archived Test

Saturday, July 29 - Gates open 8 p.m., Tour around 8:30 p.m.



Come experience a spectacular night time view . . .

. . . from atop the Point Arena Lighthouse. Enjoy a panoramic view of the sea and coast from the lantern room at the top of the Tower, and if the weather cooperates it will be illuminated by the full moon! Our docents and guides will help you experience what it was like to be a Lighthouse Keeper and climb the Tower at night. They will guide you on your journey into the past and explain the unique history of this historic landmark, the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast. Champagne, sparkling juice and sweet and savory snacks will be served as part of the tour, and you get to take home an etched Point Arena Lighthouse champagne flute as a souvenir of this unique experience!



According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac Some Native American tribes in what is now the northeastern United States called the August full Moon the Sturgeon Moon because they knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this full moon. Other tribes called August’s full moon the Full Green Corn Moon signaling that the corn was nearly ready for harvest. Other examples for August are Wheat Cut Moon (San Ildefonso, and San Juan), Moon When All Things Ripen (Dakota Sioux) and Blueberry Moon (Ojibwe).



All proceeds go toward the support and maintenance of the Lighthouse Tower, Museum and grounds. Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. thank you for your generous support. Tickets are $50 each.



Reservations must be made by phone at 877-725-4448 ext. 1 or 707-882-2809 ext. 1 or in person no later than 3:30 p.m. three (3) days 

 the date of the event. We require a minimum of eight (8) reservations to conduct the tour, and there is a limit of 20 guests per tour. If we reach the minimum prior to three (3) days before the event we will accept additional reservations (up to a total of 20 guests) until the day of the tour. We do not accept walk ins unless we have not reached the maximum number of guests.



 No refunds given if you cancel your reservation three days or less before the event. Tours will be cancelled if less than eight (8) guests sign up prior to three (3) days before the tour. 

You will receive a full refund if the event is cancelled. 

Please call our Reservation Desk at at 877-725-4448 ext. 1 or 707-882-2809 ext. 1 three (3) days prior to the tour to confirm the event is happening as scheduled.

(almost) Full Sturgeon Moon Night Tour

The current Whale Watch Room Gallery Exhibit features photography by Rod Whaley and jewelry by Ling-Yen Jones.  The exhibit will display from August 5 through October 31.  Rod’s exhibit includes photographs printed on silver gelatin, cotton paper and stretched canvas selected from two of his previous exhibits in other galleries, 

 from 2005.  Unframed color prints of Point Arena Lighthouse and surrounding landscapes will be also be available during the exhibit. The exhibit focuses on both California and Oregon natural environments Rod shot from 1998 to 2022.



 is of abstract, minimalist and straightforward photography.  Three 30” x 40” stretched/framed canvas will be arranged as window shades to bring natural light luminescence and vibrancy to each piece.


“

 photographed in black and white at South Yuba River State Park, Nevada County will be shown along with 5”x7” note cards.

 are living sculptures photographed from tidal pools along Oregon and California coastlines, created for the first time an elongated 12ft. x 13in. color print on canvas tailored for The Whale Watch Room Gallery.

 is a segment that delivers Rod’s fascination with natures wonderment.  The opening of a rose, spiral twist of Calla Lilly, and “The Unfolding” of Agave, the show print origin.




My “day job” never gained traction to a guided or planned career in photography, rather an unknown journey giving time and space to seek my own study.  As I peered through the lens with intent to capture my “wabi-sabi” I found connection in nature and industrial design where line, shadow and shape bring forth sculpture.  I am inspired from works of Stieglitz, Paul Strand, Weston and Minor White.




Rod Whaley hails from Tillamook County Oregon.  Born in 1953 in Detroit, Michigan he earned a BA Degree in Humanities/Communications from Florida Atlantic University in 1974.  His artistic side was put to good use when he was a Technical Illustrator/Photographer for Boeing Airplane Company from 1980 to 1984 and a Network Design/Publications Author for Boeing Computer Services from 1986 to 1990.  He then spent 1990 to 2015 in Telecommunications Engineering/Operations, Pacific Telecom Cable, Alaska Communications, Southern Cross Network.  Rod spent almost 2 years during COVID working on a project in Manchester CA and during that time he stayed in Assistant Keeper’s House 3 at the Lighthouse, joined occasionally by his wife Julie, and enjoyed taking pictures of the Mendocino coast to add to his portfolio.

Whale Watch Room Gallery Exhibit - Aug thru Oct

Sara Bogard presents "Seals In the Ebb and Flow - Harbor Seals and other Species of the Point Arena Lighthouse/Stornetta Public Lands."


Lighthouse Lecture Series Presentation on September 16th, 2023 at 4 p.m.




This Lecture Presentation gives an ongoing glimpse in 2023 of the rich diversity of life and habitat seen at the Point Arena Lighthouse and adjacent Stornetta Public Lands. The presentation will share the lives and critical habitat of the animals who reside and migrate through this shoreline and bluff. From her weekly surveys and monitoring, Sara will present data she has gathered on the resident Harbor Seals, birds and other species over the past year. During the pupping season from March through June, her highest pup count was 29 pups on June 8th and the high count of adults and immature was 226 on July 6th. Observations of Harbor Seal mother and pup interaction reveal a unique bond across many species. From this data and information, patterns and cycles of birth, nesting and migration emerge to make these bluff tops a spectacular place to view and connect with the natural world.







Sara is an Ocean Conservationist. She is a citizen scientist and volunteer for:


-  The Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Beach Watch Program
-  The California Central Regional Harbor seal Monitoring and Inventory Program
-  The Marine Mammal Center
-  The Sea Ranch Harbor Seal Docent Program
-  Naked Whale Research


As a citizen scientist volunteer for the GFNMS Beach Watch Program, she surveys several area beaches and bluffs, counting live species on both, and additionally counts and takes measurement of dead species on beach surveys. These surveys are done with teams of volunteers to collect and report data throughout the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.  She gathers weekly data on the Harbor Seal population at the Point Arena Lighthouse/Stornetta Bluff and, for the California Central Regional Harbor Seal Monitor and Inventory Program, during the pupping/molting season.

Her volunteer work for The Marine Mammal Center includes assessment, monitoring and rescue of marine mammals. In addition, she takes on the role of a Harbor Seal Docent for The Sea Ranch, during the pupping season and conducts other ongoing pinniped surveys in Mendocino County, California.  She also volunteers for Naked Whale Research, which focuses on tracking Killer Whales and other cetaceans along the Mendonoma Coast. Her goal is to collect this data and share her observations to promote the health and sustainability of pinniped populations in Northern California and bring public awareness to the effects of human and current environmental factors which affect these species.

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Sara Bogard

Art is fun to look at but the story of why and how it exists can pull you deeper in. My life as a working artist has been filled with what people want in the modern era when photography abounds and nobody needs me to paint their portrait anymore. (Though some still do.) What are just a few of these commissions? Business signs and logos of course, but also tombstone design, a car hood ornament, the high school mascot of a grinning pirate painted on the gym floor, and an ornate baroque bathroom mural on the walls and ceiling of a tiny private bathroom.

Creative sewing adds another dimension, because people need stuff related to their clothes. Not so much new garments, since the global economy has rendered garments made by cheap labor overseas more affordable than anything produced here. On the other hand, I’m really in demand because fewer and fewer people know how to sew. I hem pants, but also did custom-made boxer shorts for a client who hates elastic. I’ll show you the most awesome ensemble I ever created (for my own wedding) as well as the Velvet Pelvis, a life-size, anatomically accurate female torso with removable parts made for a doctor to use with her patients. And there is the Velvet Vulva line of fine purses and other accessories for the enlightened boyfriend/husband, feminist, and psych professional market.

Come to the talk to see how, why and where these works came to be, including delivery on bikes by kids. See the most bizarre mistake I ever made in a painting, thankfully discovered in time! Find out how my posthumous portrait angel of a local surfer came home again and what happened to another of the goddess/angels on my own house that relates to the passing of my beloved mom, with whom all this artistry started.


I am an artist, historian and former politician who loves western boots. My diverse portfolio is partly the result of making a living as an artist in the modern world. Before photography was invented, everyone would want me to create their image. Now, it’s really only dogs that people commission portraits of (half kidding). I once paid a vet bill with a mural of dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and mice.

It all started in Wisconsin’s dairyland, where I was raised by an artist mother and poet father. My mom supported us on graphic design, and as a toddler I worked at a little table alongside her. Our house was filled with paintings and books. It was the Age of Aquarius and I knew I was supposed to be at Woodstock, but it was impossible. I was ten. My senior year was spent as an AFS exchange student in Belgium, speaking only French and learning to take class notes in perfect outline form. I discovered the art of conversation, four-hundred year old homes and good coffee. Not to mention great beer! It was there that I felt the pull of an old culture living still where it had always been.

At Rice University in wonderfully hot Houston, I earned a BA and BFA in Art and French, then an MA in Art History. The subject of my Master’s thesis was a stroke of luck, a modest yet mysterious portrait of two men from Renaissance Venice in the Museum of Fine Arts. It is likely a double-portrait of the famous artist Giovanni Bellini, together with his long-time assistant, who painted the panel. The story blossomed again after new research led to my 2012 paper exploring whether the exalted painter and his head of studio were also secret lovers. 

In 1999, my young sons and I left Texas and headed west in a school bus outfitted with beds and a woodstove. We lived in our bus for a year on a ridge above the south Mendocino coast. When we moved into Point Arena, I supported us with art. Jobs ranged from ornate murals to tombstone design and high school mascots on the basketball court floor. I sewed a life-size torso complete with female reproductive parts for a doctor. I created the Velvet Vulva line of purses for the feminist and enlightened market. I painted curbs and hemmed pants. Business signs and logos were a mainstay, including for my own business, above. My house was teeming with the boys and their friends, who sometimes made deliveries for me on their bikes. And yes, it’s full of paintings and books.

Point Arena’s population is only 465, but it is incorporated and has an elected government. This opened the door to my life in politics as City Council member and then Mayor. Point Arena is the seventh tiniest city in California, which meant the city staff was small and overworked, and our jobs as elected officials were large and unending. On top of legislative activity, we also had the tasks of employee hiring, evaluating, and firing. My university education did not cover employment law, human resources, transportation planning and environmental regulation, but professional development for this new position soon would. I dove into the work, which provided an avenue for achievement and was a perfect counterpart to art.

My career crown jewel, the huge historical narrative mural on the north wall of the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, is the result of these threads interweaving. I could use all those hours of life drawing, all of that house painting, my knowledge of narrative art through the centuries, and my experience working with the community in government. This is a public work for everyone
and about everyone. It contains over two-hundred portraits, and tells many stories of people who live here now. People can see why this art has meaning. 

They understand the argument I once presented to a dear friend over dinner:


“You will be fascinated,” he was informed, looking doubtful as he questioned art history and the importance of such things. “History is to humanity as memory is to the individual,” I said. We are each of us walking backwards into the future, seeing only the present and past.
“Would you want to do that with your eyes shut?” My companion smiled, saw it was true, and ordered champagne, since he was about to hear what had been revealed by a Venetian inventory from 1569.*
*That the great collection of Gabriele Vendramin included a little box portrait of Giovanni Bellini with the portrait of his assistant Vittore on its cover, each depicted by the other.


See the whole mural project with the stories behind the portraits at www.historymural.com

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Lauren Sinnott

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost) Full Cold Moon Night Tour on Saturday, December 14th.  Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the tour starts around 5 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

December’s full Moon is most commonly known as the Cold Moon—a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year when cold weather truly begins to grip us. This full Moon has also been called the Long Night Moon (Mohican), as it rises during the “longest” nights of the year, near the December winter solstice. this name is doubly fitting because December’s full Moon shines above the horizon for a more extended period than most full Moons.

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

 for dates and times of all Lighthouse events.  For more information or to make a reservation, call the Lighthouse at 707-882-2809, ext. 1 at least three days before the date of the tour.

(almost) Full Cold Moon Night Tour

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost) Full Beaver Moon Night Tour on Saturday, November 16.  Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the tour starts around 6 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

For decades, the Almanac has referenced the monthly full Moons with names tied to early Native American, Colonial American, and European folklore. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred and through all of the Moon’s phases—not only the full Moon. Why the “Beaver” Moon? This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts.

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

(almost) Full Beaver Moon Night Tour

On Saturday, November 16 at 4 p.m. Shari Goforth will present "Hungry, Hungry Giants: Gray Whale Survival Strategies in the Changing Ocean Conditions of the Pacific Northwest Coast."

Gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, were nearly forced into extinction by whaling. With the ban on whaling and marine mammal protections, Pacific Northwest Coast gray whales made a strong comeback. E. robustus’ numbers rose to nearly 27,000 individuals and they were, as their name suggests, robust. Since 2019, though, the number of dead gray whales washing up along the west coast has been elevated. Scientists at NOAA, the agency who monitors the gray whale population, declared an end to the Unusual Mortality Event, but the gray whales are still in troubled waters.

Come spend time with us at the beautiful Pt. Arena Lighthouse where we will try to unravel the mystery of the shrinking gray whale population and explore some of the unique strategies these charismatic gray whales are adopting to survive in these changing times.

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Shari Goforth

Scott Mercer presents "Two Species, Two Coasts" on Saturday, October 19th at 4 p.m.  Admission is $5 per person.

This presentation will examine two species of large baleen whales, each threatened by climate change and decreasing populations. The population of the North Atlantic right whale is a dangerously susceptible 360. The species never recovered from relentless whaling that began in the 17th Century and continued into the 20th Century.

Gray whales have suffered and rebounded from severe population declines over the past 4-5 centuries. The effects of climate change on their feeding abilities may be an obstacle too formidable to overcome.  Lastly, we will discuss the newest research on the continuing ecosystem effects of the decline in kelp and the explosion in urchin population.

Scott began studying marine mammals in 1974 in Monterey Bay with an extended study of the feeding ecology of sea otters. After relocating to his native New England, in 1978 Scott founded New England Whale Watch, Inc. as an opportunity to offer first hand ocean life education to the public, and for him to collect data on the whales being observed. Scott was recently interviewed, for his role as a pioneer in Atlantic Coast whale watching, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of a history of the whale watching industry in New England.
Scott was cofounder of the Brier Island Ocean Study, a research station in Nova Scotia, Canada. He has led offshore and overnight excursions to the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, in the Caribbean, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada. In 1982 Scott coauthored The Great Whale Book, for 14 years he taught a marine mammal class for the University of New Hampshire’s Continuing Education, as well as science classes for the Southern Maine Community College. 

In 2014, Scott with his wife Tree Mercer founded the Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study to document the occurrence, diversity, and behavior of marine mammals along the coast from Northern Sonoma County to Southern Mendocino County. They present their data and findings at many local and international conferences. In 2021, the Mercers were featured in an extensive article in the Los Angeles Times about the Unusual Mortality Event of gray whales. In 2022 they were included in a documentary film about gray whale research created by the UC Berkeley Department of Graduate Journalism.



Lighthouse Lecture Series - Scott Mercer

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost) Full Hunter's Moon Night Tour on Saturday, October 19.  Gates open at 7 p.m. and the tour starts around 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

According to the Old Farmer’s it is believed that this full moon came to be called the full Hunter’s Moon because it signaled the time to go hunting in preparation for the cold winter ahead. Animals are beginning to fatten up ahead of winter, and since the farmers had recently cleaned out their fields under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily see the deer and other animals that had come out to root through the remaining scraps (as well as the foxes and wolves that had come out to prey on them). The earliest use of the term “Hunter’s Moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, is from 1710. Some sources suggest that other names for the Hunter’s Moon are the Sanguine or Blood Moon, either associated with the blood from hunting or the color of the changing autumn leaves. The names of the moon are most often related to natural signs of the season or to activities that were done at this time of year. Some other Native American names for the October full moon include Drying Rice Moon (Dakota), Falling Leaves Moon (Anishinaabe), Freezing Moon (Ojibwe), Ice Moon (Haida) and Migrating Moon (Cree).

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

(almost) Full Hunter's Moon Night Tour

Sara Bogard presents "Seals Beside Us Harbor Seals and Other Inhabitants of the Point Arena Lighthouse and Stornetta Public Lands" on Saturday, September 21st at 4 p.m.

This presentation is a visual journey and stories of the Harbor Seals and other Inhabitants that reside, give birth, and migrate through the Point Arena Lighthouse and Stornetta Public Lands. Sara continues to photograph and collect data on the Harbor Seal population, the migratory and nesting birds, and other mammals seen on her weekly surveys. This year, completes her 6th year of surveying this area. During the Harbor Seal pupping and molting season her observations focus on mother and pup interaction and the survival skills pups practice during the first month. Each year brings new observations and awareness in this ongoing cycle. As of May 9th, she has counted up to 39 Harbor Seal pups. Her data continues to show patterns which, over time, reveal information on how this local population is doing from year to year. Each year is different and observations of unusual or new species and behavior are also recorded. From this data and information, patterns and cycles of birth, nesting, and migration emerge to make these bluff tops a spectacular place to view and connect with the natural world.

Sara Bogard is a citizen scientist and volunteers for several conservation organizations, including the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Beach Watch Program, the California Harbor Seal Monitoring and Inventory Program, the Marine Mammal Center, and the Harbor Seal Docent Program at The Sea Ranch. She does monthly and weekly surveys on beaches and bluff tops from Black Point Beach to South Manchester State Beach. Her volunteer work includes the counts of live and dead species, recording data of dead species on the beach, and taking survey photographs. Throughout the year, and during the Harbor Seal pupping and molting season from March through July, she counts the number of adults, immatures, and pups at the Point Arena Lighthouse and Stornetta Public Lands. She assesses the condition of live stranded pinnipeds in the area, and when needed performs seal rescues with other designated volunteers. She also shares information on Harbor Seals for the general public during the Harbor Seal pupping season. Her goal is to collect this data and share her observations to promote the health and sustainability of pinniped populations in Northern California and bring public awareness to the effects of human and current environmental factors that affect these species.

For information on all Lighthouse events visit our 

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost)  Full Harvest Moon Night Tour on Saturday, September 14.  Gates open at 7 p.m. and the tour starts around 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

The Harvest Moon is the moon that falls near the autumnal equinox. This full Moon provides the most light at the time when it’s needed most—to complete the harvest. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac full moon names were used by early Colonial Americans who learned the names from the local Native Americans. Indigenous people did not record time by using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Many tribes kept track of time by observing the seasons and lunar months, although there was much variability. The September full moon is also called the Full Corn Moon because it traditionally corresponds with the time of harvesting corn. It is also called the Barley Moon because this is the time to harvest and thresh ripened barley. Some other traditional September Full Moon names used by Native Americans include “Moon When the Plums Are Scarlet” (Lakota Sioux), “Moon When the Deer Paw the Earth” (Omaha Native Americans), and “Moon When the Calves Grow Hair” (Sioux Native Americans).

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

(almost) Full Harvest Moon Night Tour

 features paintings by Alex Theron.  Opening reception with refreshments and hors d'oeuvres Saturday, September 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The exhibit will remain on display from September 7 through December 9.  Jewelry by Ling-Yen Jones continues to be on display as well.





Focusing on renewable materials and recycling, my practice is centered around The Environment and Sea.

This body of work speaks about the history of this area (Mendocino) and the maritime characters and or animals that make it uniquely positioned on the US West Coast.

Having spent near most of the last 30 years in some of the world’s most rugged Maritime and Alpine environments, my work promoted endangered species protection. As I was working remotely operationally with expedition vessels and helicopters (sub Antarctica), I witnessed first hand the effects of global warming.

My process involves educating those lesser privileged about the impacts of our footprint by telling narratives that are local and global with an emphasis on nature, community and femininity.



Born in South Africa and 1/3 American; 1/3 New Zealander, Alex considers herself a citizen of the world and a woman with a voice. She holds a BFA Film from Canterbury University) and MFA from Otago. Her other educational background includes studying Ocean Engineering at Florida Atlantic University, Woods Hole and MIT. She has spent 30 years working in operational outdoors education for not for profits and facilitating operations in World Heritage Parks. Alex is presently working with museums globally with a goal of improving public policies and procedures and bettering funding tiers to vocalize lesser privileged narratives to become heard through art and information technology. 

Whale Watch Room Gallery Exhibit - Alex Theron

Local artist Alex Theron will present “Draw, Sea, Science” at the Point Arena Lighthouse on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.  This interactive youth focused program is intended to teach kids how to draw shape and form through outline and shadows.  Alex will provide all materials, donations of $5 - $10 to cover materials are encouraged but not required for participation.

“I will have the kids look at shells and the landscape and the shapes they have,” Alex says. “I will bring examples of abalone and sea urchins that kill the bull kelp and point out the imperfections caused by invasive species. My goal is primarily to teach line drawing so they can learn to document by illustration.”

Pre-prepped wooden boxes measuring: 5 x 5 inches, with a bracket for hanging, will be the “canvas” for the kids’ art.  Alex will also provide the marker pens for creating the art. The participating young artists will take their creations home along with stickers for participating.

Born in South Africa and 1/3 American; 1/3 New Zealander, Alex considers herself a citizen of the world and a woman with a voice. She holds a BFA Film from Canterbury University) and MFA from Otago. Her other educational background includes studying Ocean Engineering at Florida Atlantic University, Woods Hole and MIT. She has spent 30 years working in operational outdoors education for not for profits and facilitating operations in World Heritage Parks. Alex is presently working with museums globally with a goal of improving public policies and procedures and bettering funding tiers to vocalize lesser privileged narratives to become heard through art and information technology. 

Draw, Sea, Science Youth Art Workshop

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost)  Full Sturgeon Moon Night Tour on Saturday, August 17.  Gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the tour starts around 8 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac Some Native American tribes in what is now the northeastern United States called the August full Moon the Sturgeon Moon because they knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this full moon. Other tribes called August’s full moon the Full Green Corn Moon signaling that the corn was nearly ready for harvest. Other examples for August are Wheat Cut Moon (San Ildefonso, and San Juan), Moon When All Things Ripen (Dakota Sioux), and Blueberry Moon (Ojibwe).

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

Mark Hancock presents "Oh, The Things I've Seen!" as part of the Lighthouse Lecture Series on Saturday, August 17 at 5 p.m.

In his 9 years as Executive Director of the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. (PALKI) Mark has seen and experienced some of the most beautiful, unique, mysterious, awe-inspiring and entertaining sights, sounds and interactions at the Light Station.  Join him for this presentation of his favorite things he has seen during his time on the Station and hear the stories behind them.  People, flora and fauna, weather, atmospheric anomalies, full moons, storms, unique visitors (human, animal and mechanical) will all be part of this fascinating look back at the amazing sights you will see only at the 154 year old Light Station!

Mark has had a varied 51 year career in the working world, with a wide variety of positions in building maintenance, customer service, software application development and implementation, sales, quality assurance and other roles in both large corporations and small software startups. Prior to moving to Gualala full time in 2011 he worked at Crocker Bank, Pacific Bell (where he met his wife of 39 years, Laverne), software startups Salestar and Spear Technologies, and Wells Fargo Bank Internet. After moving to Gualala he became part of the coastal community by joining Gualala Arts as its Publicity Coordinator, a position he enjoyed for 4 years. When the Point Arena Lighthouse Keeper’s Inc. were looking for a new Executive Director in 2015 he applied and has been happily doing that job ever since.

Admission is $5 per person.

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Mark Hancock

The Point Arena Lighthouse will celebrate National Lighthouse Day on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All visitors will enjoy free admission to the 

. Tower Tours will be available to guests 4 years and older for $5 per person. 

 was originally established in 1989 to “honor the beacon of light that, for hundreds of years, symbolized safety and security for ships and boats at sea,” according to the 

. Point Arena Lighthouse joins hundreds of lighthouses across America on August 7 in celebrating the day by offering free admission and special events.


More information is available by calling the Lighthouse at 877-725-4448, ext. 1, or 707-882-2809, ext. 1.

National Lighthouse Day

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost)  Full Buck Moon Night Tour on Saturday, July 20.  Gates open at 8:30 p.m. and the tour starts around 9 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the July full moon is called the Buck Moon since at this time, a buck’s antlers are in full growth mode. This full moon was also known as the Thunder Moon because thunderstorms are so frequent during this month. Other Native American tribes had their own names for this full moon including Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), Middle of Summer Moon (Ponca), and Moon When Limbs of Trees Are Broken by Fruit (Zuni).

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

 for dates and times of all Lighthouse events.  For more information or to make a reservation, call the Lighthouse at 707-882-2809, ext. 1 at least three days before the date of the tour.


(almost) Full Buck Moon Night Tour

On Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. Michael Combs  will present "A 49er Looks Back" as part of the Lighthouse Lecture Series.  

Michael's family moved to Point Arena in 1949 not long after his seventh birthday. The history of Point Arena was under 100 years old at that time but already included lumber booms and busts - the last driven by the post-WW II construction boom - Prohibition rum running, illegal gambling, hot-springs resort, “dog-hole” schooners, and feats of engineering that enabled lumbering.

Many of his friends and acquaintances were part of Point Arena life before 1900 and he’ll attempt to tell some of their stories and place them in the context of past events. Since he participated in more recent history - 1949 to 1969 – lived in an abandoned high school building, worked in sawmills, hayfields, drove a work horse, helped build our house, milked a cow, he’ll try to add a flavor of small-time life lived on what he half seriously called the frontier of civilization.

After graduation from Point Arena High in 1960, Michael went to Humboldt State a year, Santa Rosa Junior College a year, then the Air Force for 21.5 years – married his high school sweetheart Marilynn (they had three sons) - and attended five other colleges while in the Air Force. He started as a Russian linguist, then became a Budget and Finance Officer and Internal Auditor. After 14 moves, an MBA and CPA, he retired from the Air Force and worked at Lockheed, Sunnyvale, for ten years, then on to some other jobs including Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, and Nummi, Fremont. Marilynn died of breast cancer in 1988 just after their 25th anniversary, and he chose his current wife Alice from a book and they married in 1989. He retired in 1998 and he and Alice moved to Gualala, which they love over all places, while traveling quite a bit and loving coming home. Every day they play ball with their doggie Radar on Cook’s Beach and remind themselves not to take their wonderful lives here on the coast for granted.

Admission is $5 per person.

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Michael Combs

The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with a Full Strawberry Moon Night Tour on Friday, June 21.  Gates open at 8:30 p.m. and the tour starts around 9 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course!  An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac this Full Moon got its name from the Algonquin tribes in eastern North America who knew it as a signal to gather the ripening fruit of wild strawberries. It has also been known as the Honey Moon, Mead Moon, and the Full Rose Moon in Europe.

The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day.  Check our 

Lighthouse Lecture Series - Scott Mercer

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