Photo:
Mouro Lighthouse, Spain
Image: Rafael G. Riancho

From Cuba to Wales, coastal regions around the world are exposed to their fair share of storms. Yet while coastal residents get cozy inside with a good book and a hot thermos, what if “inside” meant being stuck in a lighthouse? Nothing more than a few bricks in a ferocious sea really. Tirelessly guiding those stuck in bad weather, lighthouses suffer silently, maybe slightly creaking in the wind and braving any storm like true pillars of strength. See for yourself.

Speaking of pillars of strength, it’s interesting how many websites with a religious touch use lighthouses in storms as a metaphor for their message. It's probably because it’s easy to grasp: haven’t we all felt as if we were being pounded by big waves while still standing our ground? Oh, got it, guess the lighthouse would be a metaphor for God. Righto. But undoubtedly, when waves as big as the one in the next picture loom large, anyone would start praying for help.

Here’s the Oswego Lighthouse on Lake Ontario in New York state:
Photo:
Image via lakeshoreimages

And the lighthouse keepers? Do they have to fear for their lives as the waves crash around them, often engulfing the lighthouse completely? Well, most of the lighthouses pictured here are unmanned even though they may have a house-like structure attached to them. People still need to check on the machinery once in a while, especially the lamps, but in most locations, there’s no need for anyone living in a lighthouse year-round.