Have you ever dreamed of living on the water or are you only a misanthrope who doesn't like being around people? Here's some big news for you: A tiny lighthouse in San Francisco Bay is on the lookout for two recent keepers.
“East Brother Light Station, Inc.“, a nonprofit corporation, is seeking applicants for Keepers of East Brother Light Station, an island in San Francisco Bay that is home to an intact lighthouse and fog beacon dating to 1874,” announced Tom Butt, director of the nonprofit organization, announced in an email in December. 4.
“The successful candidates will be a couple, one of whom must hold a Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential NMC boating license,” Mr Butt said. “They will operate the five-room inn, serving both dinner and breakfast, as well as providing ferry service for guests and all other duties from chef to maid. High-quality culinary experience and skills are critical qualifications.”
The job announcement comes as current lighthouse keepers Dre and Charity Elmore prepare to depart in March 2025. They will return to New York, where Charity previously ran a farmhouse and Dre gave tours of the Erie Canal.
The East Brother Light Station was in-built 1874 north of the present Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. It was home to many lighthouse keepers and their families who used a fog horn and a beaming Fresnel lens to forestall ship collisions. The U.S. Coast Guard automated the station in 1969 and, because of Butt and other preservationists, it reopened in 1980 as a captivating bed and breakfast where the general public can enjoy a novel vacation.
The role of lighthouse keepers has modified for the reason that nineteenth century. They ran the foghorn, polished the lights and washed sea foam from the windows, kicked dead fish that washed back into the water, and sometimes got drunk. Nowadays, attendants act as hotel professionals who know tips on how to cook gourmet meals, make beds and ensure tourists have a superb time. Their ranks over the a long time have included a retired Navy SEAL, a picket boat builder, a industrial fisherman and a flight attendant.
One of the youngest zookeepers, Desiree Heveroh, was stranded alone on the island without electricity for months in the course of the Corona crisis when an underwater power cable broke. She couldn't shower greater than once every week and preserved her own food since the freezers weren't working. Still, she made essentially the most of it, telling The Mercury News earlier this 12 months: “I planted a garden. I trained a raven. I had a little duckling. I learned a language. All the things you say you will do, I have done. I didn’t look at clocks or calendars and it was as lovely as it sounds.”
For this excellent experience, the keepers receive a modest salary and the possibility to inform an important story for the remaining of their lives. Butt explained more in his email: “The new goalkeepers will start in April 2025, which will allow two weeks of training time. Compensation is a function of business level, utilization and economics. Over the past two years, the average value for the couple has been $140,000 and rising. Compensation includes a health insurance plan and housing on the island.”
Interested parties must and should provide proof of a current Coast Guard NMC boat operator's license as a Merchant Mariner Apply using this online form. Find out more in regards to the lighthouse at https://ebls.org. Direct inquiries to EastBrotherLightStationJOBS@gmail.com.
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