圣胡安岛石灰窑灯塔，华盛顿州，美国 Lime Kiln Lighthouse on San Juan Island, Washington State, USA (© Edmund Lowe Photography/Shutterstock)

圣胡安岛石灰窑灯塔，华盛顿州，美国 Lime Kiln Lighthouse on San Juan Island, Washington State, USA (© Edmund Lowe Photography/Shutterstock)

指引船只穿越历史 Guiding ships through history

全国灯塔日

每年的8月7日是“全国灯塔日”，这一节日旨在颂扬那些数百年来指引船只安全航行于美国沿海的灯塔。这一日期是为了纪念乔治·华盛顿总统签署生效的《1789年灯塔法案》。

在华盛顿州的圣胡安岛（San Juan Island），石灰窑灯塔（Lime Kiln Lighthouse）生动地展现了那段历史。这座灯塔建于1919年，矗立在俯瞰哈罗海峡（Haro Strait）的岩石峭壁之上，其发出的白色闪光至今仍指引着船只安全航行。附近的石灰窑点州立公园（Lime Kiln Point State Park）则因更令人兴奋的景象而闻名——那就是虎鲸。游客常在岸边眺望海面，有时能看到这些强壮的鲸鱼从离岸不远处游过。

从灯塔看守人在漫长风暴之夜坚守岗位，到如今自动化系统的广泛应用，灯塔在不断演变的同时，始终保持着其核心作用。尽管许多灯塔已成为历史地标与观景胜地，但在导航技术高度发达的今天，它们依然是安全、坚韧与探险精神的永恒象征。

National Lighthouse Day

Every August 7, National Lighthouse Day shines a light on the beacons that have guided ships safely along America's coasts for centuries. The date commemorates the Lighthouse Act of 1789, signed into law by President George Washington.

On Washington's San Juan Island, Lime Kiln Lighthouse brings that history vividly to life. Built in 1919 on a rocky bluff overlooking Haro Strait, its white flash still guides vessels through these waters. Nearby, Lime Kiln Point State Park is famous for something even more thrilling: orcas. Visitors often scan the waves from shore and may spot these powerful whales passing close to land.

From keepers tending lamps through long, stormy nights to today's automated systems, lighthouses have evolved while preserving their essential role. Many now serve as historic landmarks and scenic viewpoints, yet even in the age of advanced navigation, they remain enduring symbols of safety, resilience, and adventure.