A Year at the Lighthouse

This is the true story of how a 61-year-old American woman lived alone for a year at a remote North Atlantic lighthouse called Eshaness in Scotland's most northerly territory, the Shetland Islands. It provides a day-by-day account of the events and the author's feelings during her stay. Written in a positive, candid, often humorous manner, the story encompasses a diverse array of events and happenings, including raising three orphaned lambs that became Sharma's pets and main characters in the book; the arrival of thousands of birds in Spring; and an attempt to start a garden at the lighthouse for the first time. Visits of family and friends punctured the isolation, as did the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society's international weekend event in which Eshaness participated by operating an open house. Hundreds of people from Shetland and beyond attended and GB2ELH (Great Britain 2 Eshaness Lighthouse) had a total of 555 radio contacts over the weekend in 48 countries, including 43 lighthouses in 21 countries.;The book describes how winter storms shattered the rural quiet in November, while tragedy struck in Michigan: Kiri, Sharma's much-loved dog and companion for 11 years was killed and her husband, Dean, injured. Returning to the United States for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Krauskopf doubted whether she could cope with Eshaness any longer. Nevertheless, she did return and her trip back became a four-day adventure that features in the book.