Watt's Pic of the Week

"This historic lighthouse has marked the entrance to the port since 1913. Designed differently than any other California lighthouse, Angel's Gate is situated on a forty-foot concrete square. Built to withstand rough seas, the framework is structural steel, with steel plates to the second floor. The lighthouse is so well-constructed that, after a five-day storm in 1939 sent violent seas smashing into the building, the 73-foot Romanesque tower leaned slightly toward shore, but still stood defiantly, as it does to this day. The lighthouse was automated in 1973, thus eliminating the need for keepers. The two note blast of its foghorn every thirty seconds is a familiar sound to local residents."(San Pedro Chamber of Commerce)

I love this photograph because it is so painterly. The slight motion of the waves rocking Watt's kayak alters the traditional composition so you can almost feel the movement. The darkness that hints at the depth of the sea is balanced by the airiness of the windblown clouds. The lighthouse is a symbol of strength, framed within the two elements that are both the lifeblood and the enemy of seafarers, wind and water.