The figure of lighthouse keeper is imprinted in everyone’s mind: thanks to films, books and TV series we all have in mind the image of an elderly man with a thick white beard who lives alone in a tower in the middle of the sea, making sure that the light from the lighthouse continues to shine during the stormiest nights. In reality, as fascinating as this romantic vision is, it is a profession less and less common nowadaysreplaced in most cases by systems that allow a remote control. Today it is estimated that in Italy there are about a hundred of guardians. But what exactly are the tasks of this figure?
Lighthouse keepers in history: what they did in the past
The lighthouse keeper – also said farista or more correctly operator (or collaborator) nautical – it is a job that has changed radically over time: if today the majority of lighthouses are controlled by remote and only needs periodic maintenancein the past this professional figure was essential for ensure the safety of vessels near the coasts.
In the nineteenth century and for the very first decades of the twentieth century, lighthouses were equipped with paraffin oil lamps and that meant the guardian had to guard the lantern and make sure the light shone optimally. In addition to this he had to load the rotation mechanism and generally deal with maintenance complete with the structure. In the following decades and until the 1980s there was a gradual transition to electric lamps which, in these first decades, still required human supervision. In this case there were already devices for the remote control which allowed the lightman to work from other rooms of the lighthouse more easily.
In addition to the light, we recall that the headlights were also equipped with special ones trumpets to signal the presence of the coast even in the event of heavy fog, also managed by the guardian.
The lighthouse keeper today: what he does and how to become one
The lighthouses in Italy today are under the jurisdiction of Italian Navy and until ’94 to be hired as a guardian it was necessary to participate in a public competition on the Official Journal. To become a lighthouse keeper today, however, it is necessary to attend a course in La Spezia and finally enter the Lighthouse and Maritime Signaling Service.
Currently the Italian maritime signaling network matters 147 headlights and 727 headlights (including light buoys) but, as everything is managed mainly remotely, they are present about a hundred lightmen which mostly deal with periodic maintenance. It is estimated that their number could close to zero by 2030.