RICHMOND — Ernie DeRaps had no formal training for capturing, in paint, images of Maine’s lighthouses. But by relying on his own photographs and memories from years of living and working at lighthouses, he was able to create paintings faithful to all 65 of the state’s maritime guardians.
DeRaps, 85, had a powerful motivation for completing the series of paintings. He hopes to use the funds from their sale to pay for republishing the book he and his wife of 62 years, Polly, wrote about their lighthouse experiences.
“It costs about $8,000 to reprint it,” he said. “That’s a lot of money for a retiree to come up with.”
The couple’s book was first published in 2006 by Foghorn Publishing (publishers of Lighthouse Digest). It sold out quickly, as they traveled up and down the Maine coast sharing their knowledge about lighthouse history to groups.
The DeRaps now hope to distribute the book to school libraries to keep alive the colorful, often dramatic history of Maine’s lighthouses.
DeRaps retired for the third time in 2008 at age 80 after serving 28 years in the military (most of that time in the U.S. Coast Guard), 21 years as a state employee and 12 years building houses with his son and son-in-law.
Originally, the couple decided to write down their memories for their family, but they were encouraged by others to publish a book to share their stories with others.
“It’s history of days that will never be again,” DeRaps said, “because the lighthouses are now automated.”
The book is packaged in an unusual way to feature both Ernie’s and Polly’s perspective. One cover introduces Lighthouse Keeping, Ernie’s memories of being stationed at lighthouses. Turn the book over and upside down and the cover reads Light Housekeeping, which opens the section featuring Polly’s memories.
Polly said it was her job to keep the lighthouses in tip-top shape to meet the frequent inspections by high ranking officials.
“She’s still ready for inspection,” said Ernie with a laugh.
In one of the lighthouses, Polly recalled, the upstairs was off limits to inspections. She couldn’t wait until a high ranking inspection official put his foot on the first step to climb the stairs, so she could say, “Excuse me, but that’s off limits.”
Ernie’s first posting as keeper for the U.S. Coast Guard was at Monhegan Island’s lighthouse. There were only three telephones on the island at the time, he said, at the store, the post office and the lighthouse. The DeRaps soon found out that their kitchen pantry was the island’s medical supply cupboard, stocked with bandages and other items needed for emergencies.
The couple raised several of their six children in lighthouses. Polly traveled by boat to Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast for one of the deliveries. Then she recuperated at her parents’ home for a few days before returning to the island.
Ernie once had to rescue a teenager in a storm after he got separated from his uncle, who showed up at the lighthouse with a 2-year-old and 5-year-old under his arms. Ernie’s unsinkable boat was out for repair so he took out a 10-foot skiff to rescue the other boy who was stranded on some rocks on the other side of the island.
As DeRaps approached the rocks, he discovered the boy was so distraught after his uncle’s boat capsized that he didn’t want to get into another boat. He had to circle the rocks six times before he was able to get the boy into the boat by grabbing the boy by the arm and pulling him aboard.
“The surf was pretty rough,” he remembered.
All 65 lighthouse paintings will be on display May 10 through Sept. 22 at the Merrymeeting Arts Center in Bowdoinham. The paintings will be for sale but will remain on display until the end of the show. Each of the series is a 16-inch by 20-inch acrylic and mixed-medium painting.