Fire Island Lighthouse

Although the Hudson Valley of New York, where Bella Terra world headquarters are located, is beautiful, and we even have lighthouses nearby in the river, it's not the same as the ocean. It was time for a beach day. I chose to visit a beach I had frequented in my youth, Robert Moses State Park.

As it turns out, if you park in Field 5, you are just a half-mile walk, along a pleasant boardwalk with signs interpreting the dunes and marshes, from Fire Island Lighthouse.

The first lighthouse at this location was lit in 1827. It was replaced by the current taller tower in 1858 to serve as a key aid for ships approaching New York Harbor. Having been decommissioned by the Coast Guard, it was preserved and relit thanks to the efforts of the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society.

It's worth climbing the 192 steps of the tower to get great views of Fire Island and the surrounding ocean and bay. Buy a ticket at the gift shop.

The Society recently recovered the lighthouse's original first order Fresnel Lens from the Franklin Institute, and last month opened a new building to display it.

Foundation of the original tower

First order Fresnel lens

View West - when the lighthouse was first built it was at the west end of the island. Fire Island now extends five miles further west.

View East

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Oregon

Volcanic rock beach near the lighthouse:

Cape Meares Lighthouse, Oregon

Walking down the path to Cape Meares lighthouse, it became clear how vandals were able to do so much damage to the lantern room and Fresnel lens earlier this year. It's still a great one to visit, really cute, and in a great setting.

Views from the lighthouse:

August visit to Maine

Our publisher and her Mostly Silent Partner had an enjoyable visit to Maine a couple of weeks ago.

First stop was Cape Neddick lighthouse. Since our visit last year, the lovely gift shop the Town of York operates near the light has become one of our most successful dealers.

We of course visited Lighthouse Depot and the wonderful DeLorme Map Store, two other valued dealers for our lighthouse maps.

Here are photos we took of three other lighthouses on this trip:

SPRING POINT LEDGE

This lighthouse is at the end of a breakwater in South Portland Maine. We enjoyed brunch at Joe's Boathouse at the nearby marina and took in these views:

Our Publisher and Mostly Silent Partner

PORTLAND BREAKWATER (BUG LIGHT)

Located a short walk from Spring Point, this cute lighthouse is now located in a small park. We arrived at the end of a tugboat race in a light rain.

PEMAQUID POINT

The rock formations at Pemaquid are reason enough to visit. But this is one of Maine's best known and most iconic lighthouses. We were pleased to learn that since its recent renovation, you can now climb to the lantern room and see the 4th order Fresnel lens up close.

Attagirl, Kris!

Kris Miller of Attagirl Design created our beautiful logo as well as the wonderful design for our maps.

She recently went to New England and got into the act photographing lighthouses. It's hard to resist them!

Boston Lighthouse, seen from Hull, MA

Rose Island Lighthouse, Newport, RI

Scituate, MA Lighthouse

Maine Lighthouse Museum

Rockland, in Maine's mid-coast region, is perfectly located to house the Maine Lighthouse Museum as well as the offices of the American Lighthouse Foundation. I had only a brief time to spend in the museum, but here are some images:





And of course the maps in the gift shop operated by Lighthouse Depot:

Cape Elizabeth Lighthouses, Maine

There are two lighthouses at Cape Elizabeth, one of which was decommissioned and is privately owned. Nearby Two Lights State Park is one of my favorite places to sit on the rocks and watch the waves. Also within view of the operating East tower is the Lobster Shack, my favorite place for lobster and clams in Maine. Here are pictures of the rocks by Lobster Shack, my dinner and the lighthouses at dusk.