Re-installing the Cape Blanco Lens

Restoration of Cape Blanco included preservation work on the Fresnel lens. Work included re-caulking all the prisms. During the process seven of the prisms were found to be very loose and required resetting. This process required wedging them back in with tiny wood wedges, before re-caulking.

Additionally, the door to the lens was found to be sagging, with the bullseye holding on by a mere eighth of an inch. Restoration included resetting the entire door.

Hardin Optical of Bandon, Oregon completed the restoration work and packed the fragile lens in heavy-duty wooden crates for storage. Crates not unlike the original crates the lens made the journey from France in. The Coast Guard placed the crates in storage until the restoration of the structure was completed.

August 5, 2003, the lens was removed from storage and transported to the Cape. Crates were loaded into a hoist ("cherry picker") for the trip to the lanternroom. Crates were off-loaded onto the walkway (catwalk) surrounding the lanternroom, and then lifted inside where the lens was removed and installed by the Coast Guard “ANT”* team. The process of returning the lens to its pedestal took about 5 hours. (*ANT team: Aids to Navigation Team)