After losing her job and ending a relationship earlier this year, Jenni Hall, a 46-year-old marketer and solo mother from Carterton, embarked on a personal journey to visit every lighthouse in New Zealand. Inspired by a scaled-back work project that linked 22 lighthouses with nearby dog-friendly holiday parks, Hall decided to pursue the quest independently, accompanied mostly by her six-year-old brittany spaniel, Fergie.

Setting off in March, Hall documented her travels on her Facebook page, She’s Gone Coastal, sharing stories and photographs from coastal destinations. The journey began at Cape Palliser and included stops around the North Island such as Castlepoint, Cape Reinga, and Mangawhai Heads. When she reached the South Island, Hall flew into Christchurch and rented a van. By late October, she had visited 10 lighthouses including those at Akaroa, Timaru, and the historic octagonal timber lighthouse in Lyttelton.

Built in 1878, the Lyttelton lighthouse weighs nine tonnes and was temporarily removed after the 2010 earthquake damaged its supporting wharf and caused it to lean. The structure was restored and returned to the eastern mole as part of port redevelopment. Although no longer operational for navigation, it still displays a white light at night, and Hall described visiting the site, which is generally not open to the public, as a "great privilege."

Many of Hall’s visits have revealed the varied histories and functions of New Zealand’s lighthouses, which once were staffed by keepers until the mid-1990s. Today, 23 are fully automated, with 74 additional light beacons across the country marking hazards along often remote coastlines. Some lighthouses have been preserved through community efforts long after their original purpose ended.

Hall recounted one unexpected experience at the Nelson Boulder Bank lighthouse, where after trekking eight kilometers over loose stones, a ferry operator unexpectedly offered her the key to explore inside the historic tower. In contrast, a snowstorm prevented her from entering the Akaroa lighthouse earlier in the week. When interiors are inaccessible, she makes the most of the surrounding views and captures photographs.

Each visit includes research into the lighthouse’s history, including details about former keepers, structural relocations, and preservation efforts. Her social media posts have attracted increasing attention; her video from Castlepoint garnered approximately 45,000 views, and her page now has about 2,100 followers, whom she refers to as “lighthouse lurkers.”

Hall’s advice for travelers undertaking similar adventures is to prepare practically by bringing essentials such as water, sunblock, extra phone batteries, and ample snacks. Reflecting on her motivations, she acknowledged the appeal of lighthouses as enduring symbols amid the constantly shifting ocean. “I guess I’m just looking for that solid, stable something,” she said.