Cape Hinchinbrook Isolation: Tinkham Tales

On one occasion while waiting in Cordova for a ship, advantage was taken of the few days interlude to make a maintenance inspection of the Cape Hinchinbrook Light Station. This station is located at the entrance to Prince William Sound, thirty miles south and east of Cordova. A fishing boat and crew was hired for transportation to the cape and return. Leaving Cordova at midnight the boat arrived at the station about five in the morning and anchored. A safe landing was made with a dinghy through light surf to a narrow beach below a high cliff on which the station was situated. A series of stairways led to the top where a derrick was anchored. The derrick was used to hoist supplies from the beach which were landed from the lighthouse tender Cedar at the time of its annual supply trip, now due in about two weeks. From there a concrete walk lead to the station.