Pomham Rocks’ Lighthouse Santa Rides Again

In recent years, when the calendar turns to the month of December, residents along Rhode Island’s northern Narragansett Bay can look forward to Pomham Rocks’ Lighthouse Santa taking to the water with his trusty “elves” to help spread some Christmas joy.

Photo by Jen McCaffery

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Cleveland Lighthouse Covered in Ice - WJW

It's not New England, but I had to share this: 

Cleveland Lighthouse Covered in Ice - WJW

A Visit to Borden Flats Lighthouse

On June 16, 1880, a sum of $25,000 was appropriated for a lighthouse on Borden Flats, a dangerous reef at the mouth of the Taunton River near the busy textile center of Fall River, Massachusetts.

The cast-iron tower, which doubled as living quarters for keepers, was erected on a caisson. The lighthouse was battered in the hurricane of September 21, 1938. The storm left the tower with a pronounced tilt, which it still has. A new, much wider cylindrical base was subsequently added to provide more protection. 

The light was automated in 1963. In June 2010, under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, Borden Flats Light was bought at auction by Nick Korstad of Portland, Oregon.

I had the opportunity to visit this lighthouse with Nick and his mother, Cindy, on December 14, 2010.  The temperature was in the low 20s when we were picked up (in the boat seen above) at the Borden Light Marina in Fall River by members of the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation Team Bristol (Rhode Island).

We climbed up a short ladder from the boat to the wide base around the lighthouse. It was obvious that birds -- seagulls, mostly -- spend lots of time on the base, which was littered with shells and the bleached bones of birds. The concrete base, added after the 1938 hurricane, is battered but intact.

Cindy and Nick Korstad outside on the base of the lighthouse

The entry level  now provides storage space for batteries

The structure is in need of some TLC. The Coast Guard did some work on it in 2002, but some of the exterior and interior surfaces are in need of scraping and painting. 

Overall, it appears to be in solid shape with no problems that appear to need emergency attention.  The interior is, for the most part, dry and clean.

The second level includes a couple of recessed storage areas

Nick is dedicated to the idea of providing some kind of public access to the lighthouse in the future. He enjoys all aspects of lighthouse technology and history, and he's genuinely excited at the prospect of fixing up the lighthouse and making it easier for visitors to enter safely. 


In general, I'm not a big fan of the government's auctioning of lighthouses. In another decade or so, we'll be able to look at the condition of the lighthouses that have been auctioned, and we'll know if the program has been a success. In this case, however, I'm very optimistic. I look forward to monitoring the progress of the restoration of Borden Flats Light.

Cindy and Nick Korstad outside on the lantern room deck

Cleveland Ledge bidding war continues

The intense three-way bidding war for Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, continues. The high bid is currently $190,000.


You can follow the auction here.

Keepers of Moose Peak Light

The first lighthouse was built on Mistake Island, about five miles from Jonesport, Maine, in 1826. The light served as a guide to the shipping channel known as Main Channel Way.

The present 57-foot brick tower was built in 1851. The light was automated in 1972 and the Coast Guard keepers were removed. In 1982 a military team blew up the keeper's house as a training exercise. 

The lighthouse is currently available to a suitable new steward under the guidelines of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.   

A group of citizens in the area, in cooperation with the Town of Jonesport, have formed a new nonprofit corporation called the Keepers of Moose Peak Light. The group hopes to take ownership of and then care for this important part of the area's heritage. 

The group is recruiting members to help with financial support. All memberships enrolled before January 1, 2011, will be charter memberships. 

You can read more about this new effort on the group's Facebook page.

I wish the Keepers of Moose Peak Light all the best in their endeavor to preserve this important piece of Downeast Maine coastal history.

Photo Exhibit Reception on Friday, 12/17, Rosewood Inn at Rye, New Hampshire

Portland Head Lighthouse by Francis Goodhue

This coming Friday, December 17, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., the Rosewood Inn at Rye will host a reception for the opening of an exhibit featuring my photography and the photography of Francis Goodhue. Like me, Francis is an active member of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses.

Francis is a generalist with particular interests in studio and candid portraits, landscapes, flowers, and pets, while I specialize in lighthouses and other maritime subjects.

Matted and framed photos will be available for sale, as well as unframed matted photos in prices starting at $12. Refreshments will be served. There will also be American Lighthouse Foundation 2011 calendars on sale ($10 each) to benefit Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses.

The Rosewood Inn at Rye is at 150 Lafayette Road (Route 1) in Rye, New Hampshire. Call 603-964-9700 or visit www.rosewoodatrye.com for more information.

I hope I'll see you there!

Boston Light by Jeremy D'Entremont

Marblehead Lighthouse (Massachusetts) with Christmas lights

Some people think that the cast-iron, 105-foot-tall lighthouse on Marblehead Neck on Boston's North Shore is, well, kind of plain. It certainly doesn't look plain in the holiday season, thanks to the efforts of the Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor. They're responsible for the annual display of multicolored lights, and also for a display of red, white, and blue lights around the Fourth of July every year.

The photo below shows what the 1896 lighthouse looks like the rest of the year. Personally, I like it for its uniqueness -- it's the only lighthouse of its type in the New England states. There are some similar lighthouse towers in Florida and in the mid-Atlantic.