In 2001 a large chuck of the 100 plus year old lighthouse plummeted to the ground prompting the Coast Guard to close down the lighthouse to visitors. To prevent further damage a steel cable was looped around the lighthouse and quickly began to drip rust on the pristine white walls of the tower. A chain link fence was erected around the lighthouse to keep visitors a safe distance. Even so the stunning beauty of California's tallest lighthouse still attracts thousands of visitors and photographers each year. This is an artistic rendering of how the lighthouse will likely appear once the planned restoration is finished.