The Lighthouse

Many years ago my husband who is now deceased was a sea Captain with many years of experience and at this time he worked as the Superintendent of Marine Services for the University of Florida. 

He maintained the island called Seahorse Key which is one of the barrier islands off Cedar Key, Florida. The U of F has a Marine Biology Laboratory located there.

The base where the light sat
Diana Beckham Topping
Down Home Adventure Trips

The RV meant Research Vessel and

Western View of Seahorse Key Lighthouse

E.Lowe Pierce was the Professor who started the Marine Biology program at the U of F, and the boat was named in his honor. 

One Saturday morning we had gone out to Seahorse Reef so that he could do a little research, he was trying to plot rock piles on the chart so that he could take the students on diving trips there.

The sea was calm and we had enjoyed the time just working back and forth from 25 to 28 foot depth looking for rock piles and marking them on the chart. 

Off that portion of the central Gulf coast of Florida the depth of the water drops about a foot to the mile.

During this time we were listening to a radio conversation between a Coast Guard Vessel out of Yankeetown and a stranded fishing vessel. The stranded vessel had been to the middle grounds on a fishing trip the day before. The middle grounds are about 90 miles off shore.

When they had headed back in they got caught in a squall out of the south west and they had used up their gas supply just trying to hold the boat into the sea so as not drift farther out to sea and become totally lost at sea. They had spent the night stranded out there.

There were three men aboard the stranded vessel which was a 16 foot boat, and they kept saying they were in 28 feet of water, but that was where we were, the Coast Guard was a good distance farther south, and they were also. We had covered a lot of area between the main channel at Seahorse Key and the mouth of the Suwannee River and they were no where in sight.

About mid-afternoon the Coast Guard Vessel told them they would have to abandon the search. They could see another squall brewing far out in the south west and they too were running low on gas. They had been looking for at least three hours.

Chuck raised one of the men on the stranded vessel on the radio after the Coast Guard headed in, and he said, “The Coast Guard has abandoned their search, but we’ll see if we can help. Check your depth Gage again. We are in 28 feet of water and you are no where in sight. You have to be farther out.”

The man answered after he checked it and said, “You’re right we’re in 48 feet of water.”  But he had no idea how we would be able to find him. He had no other instruments that worked.

There was an odd shaped cloud in a clear sky, it was shaped like a Z, but looked as though it was lying partially on its side with the bottom elbow being longer and pointing downward.

Chuck described the odd shaped cloud and asked him, “Can you see it?”

The guy answered, “Yes I can.” Chuck said, “Where are you in relation to that cloud?” And he answered “That bottom elbow hanging down is directly off my stern, almost seems like it’s pointing right at me.”

Chuck told him, “Just hang in there I have a compass fix , and we’re headed that way, it will take me awhile to get to you.”  It did take us awhile because the E Lowe Pierce was not a fast running boat. It was well over an hour before we spotted them. Chuck threw them a line when we were close enough, and invited them to come aboard; but they opted to stay aboard their boat in tow.

Chuck said, “You’re in for one rough ride if you stay aboard because it’s gonna get

Lightning Bolts

rough”. But they decided to stay aboard anyway. And we headed back in with them in tow. We’d been running about 45 minutes and then we began to see the storm moving in. 

The sky turned very dark and we could literally see lightning bolts striking the water and shooting sprays of water upwards and outwards.

It got darker and darker. And it got rougher and rougher as the storm overtook us. There is no light in the Lighthouse at Seahorse Key anymore, but Thank God I know that Jesus is my lighthouse so I was praying. 

It was raining so hard and it was so dark Chuck could not see; he was running by his instruments. He would tease, “You keep talking to Jesus, Baby Love and I’ll keep this Caterpillar running”. He was referring to the diesel engine.

Across the sky Lightning

The lightning changed from striking bolts to awesome streaks across the sky, but it got rougher,  at times we were diving the bow under; the sea water would wash over the windshield and the top of the cabin and run off the stern.

He kept his course steady and ran by his instruments. My husband was so at home when he manned the helm of a boat; it seemed as if the boat was an extension of his body.

At long last we could see the entrance buoy light of North West Channel, which lies between Seahorse Key and North Key. In that kind of total black darkness even the faintest light seems like a beacon, we knew for certain we were on course and would soon be home.

View from the air of
Seahorse Key

It calmed somewhat when we got inside behind the islands, and the going was easier. When we finally tied up to the dock about 10:30 that night and the men were getting off their boat one of them said to me, “Lady I don’t know who is running that boat, but I can tell you for sure that he knows what he’s doing.”

I said, “Yes sir he is a very able seaman, but one greater than him brought us in tonight.” And he chuckled and answered, “Yes mam, I agree and I made Him a solemn promise that if He would help me get my feet back on solid ground; He wouldn't ever have to worry about me being out yonder again!”

This story can very easily be related to spiritual darkness.  When one walks in spiritual darkness, a new born babe in Christ can seem like a beacon to you. A lot of people who walk in spiritual darkness are looking for light whether they realize it or not.

Just as we kept peering through the windshield looking for the entrance buoy light, they too are seeking for light to enter; the light that shines through his people is Jesus; the Light of the world. Those who walk in darkness are looking for the Jesus Light in you, so let your light shine!