ABSTRACT
Lighthouses are an ancient symbol of guidance to mariners, and engineering marvels as well, but we generally do not associate lighthouses with geology. Yet the success or failure of a lighthouse is closely related to the geology and physical processes of its site. Lighthouses set above flood and wave levels, back from the sea, or on stable rocky shores persist. Those on shifting sands or in the zone of storm waves on rocky shores frequently fall victim to the sea. Any number of lighthouses illustrates coastal problems, but the present Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, in North Carolina is one of the best known. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was built in 1870 and first seriously threatened by shoreline erosion in the 1930s. Rocky shores are buffeted by storm surge waves and flooding, which sometimes take down lighthouses. Lighthouses on sandy, retreating shorelines are historic models of what is in store for all buildings in similar settings.
