GOODBYE FRESNEL LENS
IN AN AMAZING SERIES OF ACTIONS, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF A REQUEST FROM THE ALABAMA LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATION, THE COAST GUARD CURATORIAL SERVICES HAS SPUN OUT SOME OF THE MOST COMPLEX AND PROHIBITIVE GUIDELINES IN HISTORY FOR THE BORROWERS OF FRESNEL LENS FOR DISPLAY AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.. THIS PORTENDS TOUGH TIMES FOR LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
THE CASE IN POINT IS AN OCTOBER 2006 REQUEST FOR THE LOAN OF A 4TH ORDER FRESNEL TO BE PART OF AN EXQUISITE LANTERN R00M EXHIBIT AT THE MOBILE REGIONAL AIRPORT. NEARY $10,000 WAS SPENT BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR AN EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT INCLUDING RESTORED LANTERN ROOM AND SEVERAL OUTLYING LANTERN ROOM MODELS WITH INFORMATION PANELS. MORE THAN 2,000,000 VIEWERS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THIS DISPLAY OF AUTHENTIC LIGHTHOUSE ARTIFACTS. IT IS SUPPORTED BY INFORMATIONAL BROCHURES. THE ALABAMA ASSOCIATION JOINED THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE GULF OF MEXICO IN THIS PROJECT AND THE DISPLAY IS OF MUSEUM QUALITY AND ALREADY VERY POPULAR. IT OPENED IN MARCH.
THE LOCATION OF THE EXHIBIT, OF INTEREST TO THE CURATOR, OF COURSE, WAS ALSO A CONCERN FOR THE MUSEUM AND ASSOCIATION. AS A MATTER OF FACT THE EXHIBIT HAS AN OUTSTANDING LOCATION. IT IS IN THE MAIN LOBBY OF THE AIRPORT, ADJACENT TO ALL THE PASSENGER TRAFFIC WHERE NO TRAVELING PASSENGER CAN FAIL TO SEE IT. IT IS IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED LOCATION, INSURED, SECURED 24/7 BY NOT ONLY AIRPORT POLICE BUT 24 HOUR TSA SECURITY PERSONNEL. THE AIRPORT HAS MORE THAN 100 SECURITY CAMERAS, SOME SCANNING, WITH 5 OR 6 ON THE EXHIBIT AT ALL TIMES. QUESTIONS OF VIBRATION BROUGHT OUT THE INFORMATION THAT THE AIRPORT HAS HAD ONLY ONE SEISMIC EVENT IN HISTORY AND THAT WAS 19 YEARS AGO. THE EXHIBIT, FOR A LOBBY LOCATION , IS NOT THREATENED BY WINDOWS, DOORS, STAIRS OR MOVING EQUIPMENT, IT IS ACROSS THE AISLE FROM THE AIRPORT INFORMATION BOOTH. THE COMBINATION OF LOCATION AND VIEWER TRAFFIC IS GOING TO RESULT IN PHENOMENAL SUCCESS FOR THE DISPLAY. IT WOULD BE HARD TO IMAGINE A BETTER SETUP.
THE EXHIBIT WAS OPENED IN MARCH WITHOUT THE LENS, WHICH WAS EXPECTED TO BE THE CENTERPIECE. THE 4TH ORDER LENS THAT WAS REQUESTED HAS BEEN IN STORAGE IN MOBILE FOR MANY YEARS. SINCE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST LAST OCTOBER THE MUSEUM OR ASSOCIATION HAS HAD ABSOLUTELY NO COOPERATION FROM THE COAST GUARD CURATORIAL SERVICES. ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE. WE HAVE TO SPECIFY THAT BECAUSE THE PROJECT DOES ENJOY THE COOPERATION AND ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF THE COAST GUARD SECTOR COMMANDER, AIR TRAINING COMMANDER, COMMANDS ALONG THE COAST, SENIOR RETIRED COAST GUARD OFFICIALS INCLUDING THE 8TH DISTRICT COMMANDER..
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE U.S. COAST GUARD HISTORIANS OFFICE, WITH DOCTOR BOB BROWNING AND JEFF BOWDOIN, COLLECTION MANAGER IS NOT THE REAL COAST GUARD. IT COULDN’T BE. THE REAL COAST GUARD.THAT NATIONWIDE HAS BEEN A GREAT ALLY TO LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATIONISTS. THAT COAST GUARD HAS ASSISTED THE MISSION WITH PERSONNEL, BUOY TENDERS,AIDS TO NAVIGATION TEAMS. THAT COAST GUARD PROVIDES SEARCH AND RESCUE, FIGHTS DRUG RUNNERS ON A DAILY BASIS. THAT COAST CUARD WAS THE ONE THAT RESPONDED INSTANTANEOUSLY TO HURRICANE KATRINA, RESCUING THOUSANDS.
THE RIGID REQUIREMENTS THAT THE BORROWING CUSTODIAN BE A 501-C- (3) ORGANIZATION, WHILE LAUDIBLE IN SOME CASES, ACTUALLY DEFEATS ITSELF BY PROHIBITING MANY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. FOR EXAMPLE THE LIST OF POSSIBLE EXHIBIT VENUES IN ALABAMA INCLUDES THE LARGEST AIRPORTS , PROBABLY THE SAFEST PLACES IN THE COUNTRY TODAY, CONVENTION CENTERS, MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS, LARGE UNIVERSITIES, THE USS ALABAMA MEMORIAL PARK AND THE MOBILE CRUISE TERMINAL, WHICH WOULD EXPOSE THE EXHIBIT TO 5000 PEOPLE A WEEK AND THEN SHOW THEM LIGHTHOUSES BY SAILING CLOSE ABOARD TWO NATIONAL LANDMARK LIGHTHOUSES.
IN THE MONTHS SINCE THE APPLICATION FOR THE LENS THE CURATORS HAVE REFUSED ANY TYPE OF COOPERATION, PUTTING IN PLACE NEW AND IMPOSSIBLE REGULATIONS AND THEN PUBLISHING ON THE INTERNET THAT THE COAST GUARD CURATORIAL SERVICES IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING ARTIFACT LOAN APPLICATIONS. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE COAST GUARD HAS NO INTENTION OF LOANING A 4TH ORDER LENS TO THE ALABAMA ASSOCIATION, EVEN THOUGH UNTIL THE APPLICATION THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES..
THE IMPLICATION WHICH SHOULD SHOCK MUSEUMS, LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATIONS , HISTORICAL COMMISSIONS AND OTHERS WHO RESTORE AND PRESERVE LIGHTHOUSES NATIONWIDE AND HAVE MARITIME HISTORY MISSIONS IS THE FACT THAT THE COAST GUARD CURATORIAL SERVICES HAVE REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM THE GREAT WORLD OF HISTORICAL MARITIME RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION. WHO COULD HAVE EVER EXPECTED SUCH A SITUATION?
THIS MESSAGE SHOULD BE FORWARDED AND PUBLISHED TO THE WHOLE LIGHTHOUSE AND MARITIME WORLD. SUCH AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE MISSIONS OF SO MANY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO PREVAIL.
