Turn On It, Tune Out, Drop In

N WIND 10 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
WIND WAVES 1 FT...BUILDING TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.
NW SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

By the mid-1800's, Coos Bay was a center of transport for Oregon lumber. During the Civil War, in 1864, $15,000 was earmarked to build a lighthouse on an islet off Gregory Point, on Cape Arago, to mark the southern approach to the bay. A 25-foot octagonal tower was built for the Fresnel lens on the western edge of a fully exposed off shore island, about 2.5 miles north of the cape. The keeper's residence was on the east end of the island and connected to the tower by a 1300-foot wooden walkway. A tramway to the beach delivered supplies. Keepers traveled by boat to "Lighthouse Island" and the station began operation in 1866.

The elements took constant toll on the lighthouse. The tramway immediately damaged by storm in 1867, outbuildings were damaged in 1875, wooden footbridge to the beach built in 1876 was washed away within two years and the tramway was damaged yet again that year and in 1879.

Improvements continued at the now named "Cape Arago" Lighthouse from 1883 to 1897, adding a new boathouse, footbridge, keeper's dwelling, and fog signal. The US Lifesaving service established a station nearby. Constant erosion and the need of a better light mark resulted in construction of new wooden tower 100 feet above the water that began operation in 1909.

Erosion shortened the operation the second tower as well, and in 1934, a third lighthouse built of reinforced concrete opened. The abandoned first lighthouse was finally razed and the second lighthouse's tower removed and converted into an office.

More importantly, the surfing in the area is cold, fickle and sharky...although admittedly it can get good.