>> WHEN YOU IMAGINE LIFE SEA, THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING IN THE
1600S OR THE 1700S, OR THE 1800S -- NO NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
WHATSOEVER.
YOU COULD SAIL WEST UNTIL YOU HIT LAND AND THE ENTRANCE TO
THESE HARBORS IN MAINE, 10 MILES OUT TO SEA, YOU HAVE A ROCK
STICKING OUT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE COMING UP ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THE DARK,
IN A STORM.
IT IS A HAZARD WHEN EVERYTHING MOVES BY WATER BACK THEN.
ANTHONY: THE LAST LIGHT KEEPERS IS A ONE-HOUR DOCUMENTARY THAT
PLAYS LIKE A LOVE LETTER, FROM DIRECTOR ROB APPS TO THESE
ICONIC BEACONS, TOLD THROUGH THEIR RICH HISTORIES AND CURRENT
EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THEM.
ROB: IT DEFINITELY WAS A PASSION PROJECT AND BECAUSE OF THE
UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER AND THE SCHEDULING TO GET OUT TO SOME OF
THESE PLACES, IT IS MAYBE ON A TUESDAY NIGHT, I MIGHT FIND OUT
THAT THE OWNER HAS GONE OUT AT 4:00 A.M. AND I HAVE TO GO
MYSELF.
I WAS A ONE-MAN BAND.
>> GETTING OUT HERE IS NEVER EASY, I HAVE BEEN OUT HERE
PROBABLY A DOZEN TIMES WHERE WE COULD NOT LAND THAT HAD TO TURN
AROUND AND GO HOE.
>> GOOD?
>> MOVE YOUR WEIGHT TO THE STARBOARD SIDE SO WE DON’T GET
TO WET.
>> OFFSHORE LIGHTHOUSES ALSO CALLED WAVE SWEPT LIGHT HOUSES
ARE AMONG THE MOST DANGEROUS AND FORLORN PLACES ON EARTH.
>> PRETTY GOOD NOW, I’M GOING.
YOU GOT THAT BOUGH LINE?
>>>> WE DO HAVE A DOCK, MORE LIKE A ROAD, MOSSI AND
DIFFICUL >> YEP.
>> HAD SOME HAIRY MOMENTS OUT THERE.
>> THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS BUT THEY ARE IN CERTAIN AREAS
BECAUSE THEY ARE DANGEROUS, AND THEY ARE THERE TO WARN OTHER
SHIPS OF INCOMING DANGER.
>> A LOT PEOPLE SAY DOCUMENTARIES FIND THEIR SOUL
OVER TIME.
DID YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING AFTER OR DID IT EVOLVE?
>> MAKING THIS FILM IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY TO START.
I WANTED TO SET OUT AND HAVE A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT
SOMETHING CLOSE TO MY HEART WHICH WAS NEW ENGLAND AND THE
COASTLINE.
AS I STARTED MEETING PEOPLE, I’M NET JERRY WHO WAS THE LEADING
LIGHTHOUSE EXPERT IN NEW ENGLAN
HE SET ME UP WITH THE OTHER GUY AND THE HISTORIAN, WHO IS A
GREA AUTHOR, AND ERIC WHO IS A NATIVE OF MARBLEHEAD.
>> THE SPITE THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ADVANCES IN
TERMS OF RADAR, RADIO, GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS --
LIGHTHOUSES ARE NOT OBSOLETE.
IF T RADAR OR GPS SYSTEMS GO DOWN, IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT
THERE IS A BACKUP JUST LIKE A FAMILIAR SIGNPOST ON A ROAD
MIGHT HELP YOU GET TO YOUR DESTINATION.
LIGHTHOUSE HELPS YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THE WATERY WORLD
THE 700 OR SO LIGHTHOUSES STILL STANDING, MORE THAN HALF OF THEM
ARE STILL OPERATING.
I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE BEFORE
THEIR LIGHTS WILL BE DIMMED.
♪ >> THERE IS OLDER GENERATIONS
THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THESE AND I DON’T KNOW IF THAT IS
BECAUSE OF TIME AND INTEREST, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF
YOUNGER GENERATIONS COULD GET INVOLVED AND HELP PRESERVE THESE
LIGHT HOUSES, NOT JUST FOR US BUT FUTURE.
>> WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
>> THE GREAT THING ABOUT NEW ENGLAND’S YOU CAN GO IT DOWN ANY
BACKROAD OR WALK A BEACH AND YOU WILL FIND A STORY SOMEWHERE.
I WANT TO GET BACK OUT THERE AND TELL ANOTHER FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT PATH WILL BE, I LEFT TAKE ANOTH
ROAD LESS TRAVELED TO FIGURE IT OUT THOUGH.
SHAYNA: LOOKING AT A LIGHTHOUSE NEVER GETS OLD.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN BECOME INVOLVED IN PROTECTING
HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSES, INCLUDING OWNING ONE.
ROB APPS MENTIONS THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION
ACT.
IT ALLOWS FOR THE SALE OF LIGHTHOUSES NO LONGER NEEDED BY
THE COAST GUARD.
LIGHTHOUSES HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR AS LITTLE AS $10,000, BUT
GENERALLY THEY NEED A LOT OF WORK
SO, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SUMMER, FIXER-UPPER, BY THE
WATER, YOU MAY WANT TO GET STARTED NOW.
THESE LIGHTHOUSES ARE USUALLY SOLD AT AUCTION AND THE PROCES
CAN TAKE A FEW MONTHS.
NEXT, A MOVIE MAKER SAYS SHE'