Risking his tripod and, one assumes, himself to the wild surf of Maine, the Neil secured this awe-inducing offshore perspective of the quintessential New England lighthouse.

The original 32-foot Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, standing 56 feet above mean high water, was built at the southwestern point of Mount Desert Island in 1858 at a cost of $5,000. A fog bell and tower were added in 1876. A concise history and several photographs of the lighthouse and outbuildings over the years can be found at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse History

Neil Ellis Photos: Neil is great friend who plays a respectable round of golf, identifies unseen birds by their calls, completes the New York Times Friday Crossword in ink, and snaps a heck of a photo. His photos are featured here at AllanShowalter.com and can be found collected at Neil Ellis Photos.

Originally posted May 5, 2007 at 1HeckOfAGuy.com, a predecessor of AllanShowalter.com