Second Printing! Between 1853 and 1953 clipper ships, barks, schooners and steamers sailing the California coast fell victim to Pigeon Point's dense fogs, unpredictable weather, and rocky shores. Each shipwreck is an important part of our maritime heritage, linking us to unforgettable times. If it is true that every ship has a soul, then every shipwreck has a spirit waiting to be discovered.

Shipwrecks, Scalawags and Scavengers

History

JoAnn Semones

Americas

The Glencannon Press

Hard Luck Coast: The Perilous Reefs of Point Montara

World

Maritime author and lighthouse aficionado JoAnn Semones has written a fascinating book to accompany her earlier works. In her third book, JoAnn's diligent research and love for her subject have brought her attention farther south, to the shipwrecks of Point Sur, just a few miles south of Monterey, California. According to Celtic legend, Thin Places are areas where two disparate worlds touch, such as land and sea. In these ethereal places the boundary between this world and the next seems almost non-existent. And so it is with the rugged coastline of Big Sur. Twisting and turning along steep, craggy cliffs, high above white-tipped waves, the region s raw beauty is both spectacular and inspiring. Most breathtaking is a gigantic dome-shaped rock which seemingly sits at the edge of the world. Known as Point Sur, the lofty monolith is surrounded by massive offshore boulders, dangerous reefs, and swift currents. Its troubled seas doomed many fine ships to destruction. Even a lighthouse, although nearly impossible to build, could not end further tragedy. The shipwrecks chronicled in these pages illuminate specific moments in time. They allow us to reach into another era, shedding light on who we were and who we have become. They are vivid symbols of our maritime heritage and of our timeless connection with the sea.

Sea Of Troubles, The Lost Ships of Point Sur

Referred to fondly as the Circle of Enchantment, the spectacular coastline surrounding Monterey is filled with romance, poetry, and picturesque scenes. According to an early writer, Monterey is a little nest of quiet, encircled with an amphitheater of hills, pine-fringed and carpeted with flowers.
 In 1602, explorer Sebastian Viscaino encountered the bay he named Monte Rey in honor of the viceroy of what would later be Mexico. At the northernmost part of the Monterey peninsula, he also observed a thickly-wooded area where native pines thrived near the water's edge. This he called Punta de los Pinos, meaning Point of the Pines and later known as Point Pinos. By 1850 the United States had annexed Alta California, the territory was given statehood, and gold was discovered. Touched with gold fever, fortune hunters and ships alike flooded into California, igniting cries for increased aids to navigation. Jutting out into a sea where opposing currents collide, Point Pinos proved a dangerous and, therefore, ideal location for a lighthouse. Since February 1, 1855, its beacon has flashed nightly as a guide and warning to ships navigating the rocky Monterey peninsula.
 Today, Point Pinos is the oldest active lighthouse on the Pacific. It is also a site brimming with a rich history of colorful characters, including Spanish adventurers, notorious smugglers, intriguing authors, gritty sea captains, and the first women lighthouse keepers of the West Coast.

Pirates, Pinnacles and Petticoats; the Shipwrecks of Point Pinos and Monterey Bay

Pigeon Point Lighthouse is not merely a tower made of brick and mortar. Its walls are filled with tales of the people who lived, worked and sometimes died there. Whether they were mountain men or dairymen, shore whalers or ship masters, business moguls or sawmill operators, sailors who protected our shores or women who braved the sea, each person connected to Pigeon Point's history left an indelible imprint. They all contributed to a vivid portrait of significant maritime events and life on the central California coast. It is their human experiences that provide us with the tower's true story and offer a glimpse into a vanished way of life.

Whalers, Wharves and Warfare; People and Events That Shaped Pigeon Point