Suddenly realising that a giant wave was about to engulf the lighthouse and sweep him away, Théodore Malgorn can be seen retreating back inside La Jument – his only hope of survival. They capture the unexpected drama as it unfolded, and made Guichard famous around the world.
La jument lighthouse keeper series#
In that moment, which lasted barely a few seconds, Jean Guichard snapped a series of 9 photographs.
And this is confirmed by what happened next. Malgorn knew that La Jument was his refuge his safe haven and fortress. If anything, his posture looks…relaxed casual even. He is not struggling into a life jacket or gesturing to be winched to safety. The expression on his face is not visible in the picture, but one thing is clear – he is not waving his arms frantically or running about in a panic. Whether it was curiosity or the hope of a ‘taxi ride’ home that caused Malgorn, in that fateful moment, to move from his only place of safety to a place of danger, I don’t know. Accounts differ as to whether the lighthouse keeper, Théodore Malgorn, put out an SOS to be ‘rescued’, but it is clear that the sight or sound of a hovering helicopter led him down the stairs, and through the door to stand outside.
La jument lighthouse keeper windows#
All the same, the storm of 21 st December 1989 reportedly smashed windows and flooded part of the ground floor of La Jument. Lighthouses are built to withstand incredible forces, and this one is no exception. This wasn’t the first storm that had battered La Jument. Christianity is not a call to escapism or denial. Lorna and I know from our own recent experiences that the abiding life does not prevent storms from arising. You can almost feel the desperation in these words. “O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed…for you are my safe refuge…” – Psalm 61.
“Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. Save me from my persecutors – rescue me!” – Psalm 7. “I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. And like the one photographed by Guichard, those storms can be violent. Protection is a necessity because storms are inevitable. These references and many more point to the first of two lessons which are relevant to the abiding life. “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” – Psalm 62. “You are God, my only safe haven.” – Psalm 43. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress…my shield.” – Psalm 18. “Hide me in the shadow of your wings.” – Psalm 17. “O God, I have come to you for refuge.” – Psalm 16. I’ve noticed that the subject of protection comes up A LOT in the Psalms. Guichard’s photographs offer a perfect analogy for the abiding life, and the promises of protection that can be found throughout the Psalms. Why on earth did the man in the picture leave the protection of the lighthouse? Why does he look so relaxed – as if posing for that photo in that moment was the most natural thing in the world? I’ve often wondered about the story behind the most famous of Guichard’s pictures from that day (above). Photographer Jean Guichard chartered a helicopter for the sole purpose of photographing the lighthouse in the storm, and in the process, captured a series of iconic images. On 21 December 1989, La Jument lighthouse on the most north-westerly tip of France was bombarded by 30 metre-high waves.
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