Pigeon Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse built in 1871 to aid ships sailing along the rocky Northern California coast heading in to San Francisco Bay after a number of ships, most notably the Carrier Pigeon for which the lighthouse is named, sank on the shallow rocks just off shore. It is the tallest of the lighthouses in California and along the western cost of the United States standing at 115 feet (35 Meters). It's proximity to San Francisco, easy access from historic California Highway One and the remarkable scenery surrounding the Lighthouse makes it the most popular and picturesque lighthouse along the entire Pacific Coast. The first-order Fresnel lens which illuminated the New England style tower with 24 beams of light has currently been removed while the upper portion of the tower undergoes restoration. The lighthouse still functions with a smaller Coast Guard Beacon mounted on the exterior of the lighthouse.

Upon our arrival the entire area was covered in cloud when finally the sun broke from beneath the clouds at just the ring angle to create a glow on the clouds above while still illuminating the lighthouse, rocks and breaking waves. The deep orange hues of the setting sun caused the red rock and fence to almost glow in red light. Yet there was still enough white light to bring out the blue waves below. This didn't last very long and scenery was constantly changing causing us to dash around the lighthouse to try and get the best angle on the ever-changing light. Days like these are hard to come by. The lighthouse is usually covered by fog or in stunningly clear skies. But every so often, you get one of the most spectacular sunsets you will witness as the sun slips below the horizon of the Pacific.

No, those are not specks of dust, but seagulls and pelicans soaring high above the cliffs in a light ocean breeze. The green just below the lighthouse is actually ice plant that hangs from the rocky bluffs like brilliant green and