By Sue Clark on Aug 22, 2008 in News, Opinion | 2 Comments
Museum Remains Open
The Coast Guard has closed Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron, Michigan, to visitors due to safety concerns, including falling bricks. The entrance at the base, however, remains open for a look inside, but no one can climb the tower of Michigan’s oldest lighthouse. It’s definitely not a case of the museum falling down on the job, though. The money is there in the form of a grant, waiting, unfortunately, for the GSA to get off its rear and transfer the lighthouse to the museum officially. But it’s not totally the fault of the GSA. The Environmental Protection Agency is mostly at fault here.
By Sue Clark on Aug 6, 2008 in Opinion | 5 Comments
Bolton Gets Another Thirty Days
In the long running dispute with the city of Biloxi, Hayes Bolton has been given another thirty day reprieve to install a proper fence to hide his jet ski dealership and pawn shop from the eyes of visitors to Biloxi’s lighthouse. If he doesn’t he will face contempt of court charges. What? Hasn’t that been threatened before? I’ve lost count of how many times he’s been given thirty days to comply, and yet he continues to flaunt the law, avoiding jail time and refusing to do as the judge reasonably asks.
By Sue Clark on Aug 4, 2008 in Opinion | 0 Comments
Lighthouse Photo Fee Has Brides Angry
It appears some Australian brides are not taking too kindly to being charged $55 to have their special day photographed at the Cape Byron Lighthouse, even if it means exclusive use of the lighthouse for two hours, without another person to interfere. A story at the Goldcoast.com.au site claims that upset brides are breaking their silence over the NSW National Park Service’s longtime policy of charging brides for having their photographs done at the picturesque Cape Byron. This is on top of the $450 they already have paid for renting the site for their wedding.
By Sue Clark on Aug 2, 2008 in News, Opinion | 0 Comments
Will Be Used For Dock Replacement
A federal grant of $43,500 has been awarded to the Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum and Historic Park to replace a deteriorated pier, and add a 6’x10’ floating step-down platform for launching and retrieving kayaks. The matching funds were awarded through the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trails Network grant program. Last year, Maryland’s Congressional delegation helped to secure $1.65 million for the funding program, using the moneys awarded to improve signage, enhance trails and create maps.
By Sue Clark on Jul 1, 2008 in News, Opinion | 0 Comments
Stamford Connecticut Says Nay
The Lightship Nantucket is now scrambling to find a new home, as the deal to make her the centerpiece of a $7billion waterfront hotel and restaurant complex in Stamford has come to an end. The National Lighthouse Museum, owner of the ship, has been trying for ten years to get a facility opened in Staten Island that would incorporate the lightship. Jerry Roberts, a board member of the National Lighthouse Museum, said in the story at Newsday.Com that it is imperative to find a new permanent home before the 72 year old vessel deteriorates beyond repair. He said he would like to find a site in New England, where the lightship had been based when operated by the Coast Guard. “We’re looking for a qualified nonprofit or civic organization that will look after the best interests of the ship because it is a national landmark.”
By Sue Clark on Jun 25, 2008 in News, Opinion | 0 Comments
Last Surviving Lighthouse In Town
At one time, the Town of Dalhousie in New Brunswick, CA, had three lighthouses. One small wooden structure at the end of a wharf was sold and moved to a different town, Charlo, to stand next to a private residence. Another lighthouse, located on Douglas Island, was accidentally dropped (?) when being moved by apparently incompetent movers and smashed to pieces. One other on Rock Island was demolished when the island was destroyed to make room for a mill. Now, the only one left is Inch Arran, also known as Bon Ami Lighthouse, and the town residents want their council to facilitate its designation under the new Lighthouse Preservation Act, currently awaiting royal assent.
By Sue Clark on Jun 22, 2008 in News, Opinion | 9 Comments
First Order Lens Used As Fairgrounds Display
Humboldt County (California) Fairgrounds is apparently home to a First Order Fresnel Lens, manufactured in France, that has been leased to the city of Ferndale since it was removed from Cape Mendocino Lighthouse in 1950. Regular CG inspections have not found anything untoward about this situation, at least not until recently. According to a story in the Times Standard, a Coast Guard housing resident, assigned to maintain records on west coast lighthouses, did a double take when he saw the priceless prism perched above the fairgrounds entrance. He took pictures, and told the fairgrounds manager that he would be contacted in regards to “managing” the rare work of art.
By Sue Clark on Jun 21, 2008 in Featured, Opinion, Volunteer | 3 Comments
Group Short On Young Volunteers
Earlier this year, Lighthouse News featured a story about the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse in Delaware, which has huge holes underneath its foundation and the breakwall it sits upon from the scouring action of waves. The Army Corps of Engineers conducted a side scan survey of the breakwall and discovered ten to twelve ton rocks displaced. But that’s not what this current article is about. A recent article at Delmarva.Com highlighted the fund raising efforts of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation to raise $12,000 by the end of the year for some of the repairs. But that’s not what this article is about either. What caught the eye of Lighthouse News in the Delmarva story was a quote by Foundation President Judith Roales.
By Sue Clark on Jun 19, 2008 in Opinion | 3 Comments
Heritage Kincardine Upset With “Improvements” ToTower
Kincardine Lighthouse, one of Ontario’s prettiest, has been getting some renovation work done to prevent water from leaking into the building. However, the solution by the town council was to cover the wood sided lighthouse with vinyl siding. This has understandably upset many residents of the town, including members of Heritage Kincardine, who appeared before the Council to protest the work and demand that historic details be left intact. The work was done before the lighthouse could be considered for historical designation.
By Sue Clark on Jun 8, 2008 in Featured, Opinion | 0 Comments
Stannard Rock Will Monitor Lake Superior Evaporation
In an effort to determine whether “global warming” is causing record low levels to be recorded in Lake Superior, hydrologists have installed equipment at Stannard Rock Lighthouse to measure evaporation. The scientists, from Environment Canada’s Water and Science Technology Branch, have installed a sonic anemometer which produces three-dimensional wind measurements, and an analyzer that gauges water vapor in the air at intervals lasting only tenths of a second. Sensors will keep track of air and water temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity and wind speed and direction. Eventually, plans are to place similar monitors in Lake Huron.
The Coast Guard has closed Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron, Michigan, to visitors due to safety concerns, including falling bricks. The entrance at the base, however, remains open for a look inside, but no one can climb the tower of Michigan’s oldest lighthouse. It’s definitely not a case of the museum falling down on the job, though. The money is there in the form of a grant, waiting, unfortunately, for the GSA to get off its rear and transfer the lighthouse to the museum officially. But it’s not totally the fault of the GSA. The Environmental Protection Agency is mostly at fault here.
