daymarks

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/view?u=1302008&a=12727573&p=50914156

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/view?u=1302008&a=12727573&p=50914158

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/view?u=1302008&a=12727573&p=50914160

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/view?u=1302008&a=12727573&p=50914162

This is to show a small part of my collection.as I have mentioned before I don't save just replicas but pieces of history.If you have looked at my gallery you may have noticed I buy smaller models of some lights and repaint the day marks on them.
#1 is point bolivar with 2 different day marks,1 all black and 1 black & white bands to depict two different times during it's history.
#2 is tybee Ga.the harbour lights piece shows the way it is painted now and the other shows how it was before the renovation,2different periods in history
#3 is sullivans island the taller one is the way it is now with the black top.The smaller one has a red top as at an earlier time in it's history.of course the taller one will be repainted to a red top when I bring home my HL piece in August and my grand son will get the smaller one.
#4 has 3 of absecon N.J.1 all white 1 white with a red band and 1 with black and orange bands.For the fourth daymark wich is black and a yellowish tan I am hoping BY will help me and use these colors on the one he puts out so i will not have another paint job.I also have other combinations like sankaty with the HL version with the old keepers house and one with the newer 1 story keepers house.By doing this I can keep a historical collection as well as just having the great HL'S.Bill O'Brien

Bill,

This is not really connected, but here goes.

the last one you mentioned, absecon, is almost done with the restoration of the Keeper's House. For the second time.

The first time about 3-4 years ago just before it was done it was burned. It took this long to get the insurance money to rebuild it. they expect to have it open in about a month.

It should definitely be open in October.

Dennis

Thanks for the good news about Absecon. I arrived right after the house burned...but, will like seeing it in October....

Let's kick up a little dust!
Say, what caused the Coast Guard or who ever,
to change the original daymarks? AND, how do restoration groups choose what period in history they will depict when the tower is repainted? Does a tall tower, such as Cape Florida, need paint or can the bricks be exposed to the elements. If the daymarks, because of modern technology, aren't really necessary, why paint them. I know lots of brick homes that have never been painted.
Just thought I'd ask...
Derith

Hi again derith;day marks were as important as the light at times.It meant the difference in plotting a position on the right or wrong light.when a light was repainted in a different pattern that made it look too much like a nearby light it could cause many problems.Of course when radio beacons were put in lights that made a big difference as each light had its own radio signal.there were many attempts to make lights look different.They tried multiple lights 2 and 3 at one spot but the old oil lamps had a habit of going out at the most inoppurtune times making 3 lights look like 2 or 2 look like 1.You may say now adays every light looks different but in the days of sail you had to be sure of what you saw from as far away as possible.If you waited too long to be sure it didn't take long to go aground and break up.Remember these lights were made for a whole different mode of transportation.That's my story for tonight Bye for now.Bill O'Brien

Do we know who was the originator of the patterns that are on these lights? I mean who decided that Hatteras was going to be like it is and Cape Lookout....Diamond Shoals the pattern makes since....
Derith

Derith, while this doesn't answer your question specifically, it is a good overall explanation of the daymark system.
http://www.sentinelpublications.com/daymarks.htm

Hi Derith and Mombo:The sit by Elinor DeWire was real good it explained day marks in good detail.Thank you mombo for posting it.Now while on the day mark subject here is a story told me by an old friend from St.Augustine who taught school for many years.This tale purports to tell how St.Augustine light got its distinctive swirl design.It tells that at one time the light had vertical stripes and they were in need of repainting.Wellthe keeper got all his paint and gear out and got to repainting the stripes When he was almost finished a warning of a gale wind came through and he hurried to finish and put his gear away and sure enough a very strong gale swept thru and the paint had not yet had a chance to dry and when the gale had passed the wind had twisted the vertical stripes around the tower to the twisted pattern you see today.Hope you liked the story.Bill O'Brien