Two buoys - one red, one green - stand on either side of a path leading from a parking lot to the United States Coast Guard's Bass Harbor Head Light. Perched high on a rocky slope overlooking the water, the white-frame building has a red roof and a cylindrical tower that houses its beacon. Two large metal bells hang from wooden frames next to the tower. Just outside the chain-link fence separating the overlook from the steep slope, an angled panel displays a wayside exhibit entitled "Mariners Beware."
The title appears next to a view of the lighthouse with its red beacon atop a rocky hill iced with snow. A caption identifies this lighthouse as Bass Harbor Head Light, built 1858, automated 1974, darkening its red light every four seconds. "Use the path at the end of the parking area to see the lighthouse from the perspective shown here." "The lighthouse and quarters are not open to the public." Please respect the privacy of the US Coast Guard residents.
Text explains: "Maine boasts more than 70 lighthouses — an indication of the over 3,400 miles of shoreline that weaves in and out of craggy cliffs and cobble beaches along this rugged coast. Built on rocky promontories and offshore islands, the lighthouses have warned mariners of navigational hazards and beckoned them home since the 1800s. ... Today, these lights signal to lobster boats, sailing schooners, tour boats, and cruise ships. Each light has a unique light pattern and color, allowing mariners to identify their location based on the light's "fingerprint."
A row of inset photographs features four lighthouses:
-Baker Island Light, established 1828, flashes its white light every 10 seconds.
-Bear Island Light, established 1839, flashes its white light every five seconds.
-Burnt Coat Harbor Light on Swans Island, established 1872, darkens its white light every four seconds.
-And Egg Rock Light, established 1874, flashes its red light every five seconds.
A final note offers an invitation to visitors to take a boat trip "for up-close views of island lighthouses or visit Swans Island to see how a lighthouse works."
