By Sue Clark on Aug 22, 2007 in News | Comments Off 
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Selectmen in the town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, are hoping to convince the General Services Administration, the National Park Service and the Coast Guard to withdraw Old Saybrook Light from its list of lighthouses to be sold, according to a story in TheDay.Com. Access through the gated community of Fenwick to reach the light is a major problem, as reported here a few days ago.
First Selectman Michael Pace states in the story he has concerns about being unable to provide access to the light for the public, along with the possible inability of emergency responders to reach the location if needed. The light is important for navigating the currents around the point, and is still an active aid to navigation. “It just makes sense to leave it in the federal government’s hands,”he said.
Fenwick is an exclusive community which was once home to the reclusive actress Katherine Hepburn. It has a year round population of 54 in 2005, according to Wikipedia. It’s a shame that so few people will deny access to an historic lighthouse. Lighthouse-News hopes something can be worked out between the town and this little borough at the end of Long Island Sound.
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By Sue Clark on Aug 21, 2007 in Other | Comments Off Print This Post
Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey, is celebrating its 150th birthday this year, and those wishing to get married at a lighthouse have it a lot easier than before. Jean Muchanic, executive director of the Inlet Public/Private Association, which runs the lighthouse, became an interfaith minister in order to provide wedding services to those wanting to marry in the shadow of New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse.
By Sue Clark on Aug 20, 2007 in Lighthouses For Sale | 3 Comments Print This Post
A bidding war at the last minute caused a delay to the scheduled end of the General Services Administration (GSA) auction of Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse in Delaware. Lighthouse News last checked the auction site on August 17, and bids were at $105,000USD. Since then, a new contender in the bidding war showed up, and current top bid is $115,000USD, offered up by someone identifying themselves as ocm. The site states the auction was extended until August 21 because of website technical difficulties, but according to this story in the News Journal of Wilmington Delaware, the bidding was extended due to the high rate of last minute activity. According to the story:
By Sue Clark on Aug 20, 2007 in Other | Comments Off Print This Post
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend united amateur radio operators with each other, via 380 lighthouses and lightships in 51 countries over the weekend of August 18 and 19, 2007. This annual event is organized by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group (Scotland) and takes place on the third weekend in August. It now coincides with International Lighthouse Day sponsored by the International Association of Lighthouse Keepers, United Kingdom, which endeavors to have as many of the participating lighthouses and lightships open to the public for the Sunday.
By Sue Clark on Aug 19, 2007 in Lighthouse Keeper Jobs | Comments Off Print This Post
Provision Will Transfer One Light to Douglas County and Another to Confederated Tribes
Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) is advancing a provision that will transfer ownership of the Umpqua Lighthouse to Douglas County and the Cape Arago (also known as Cape Gregory) Lighthouse to the Confederated tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.
“There is a lot of history with these two lighthouses,” Smith said. “They have kept a vigilant eye for over a century, guiding ships safely to shore through fog and storm. Local ownership will help preserve them and ensure better access for future generations.”
By Sue Clark on Aug 18, 2007 in Other | 2 Comments Print This Post
A Scottish lighthouse, Covesea at Lossiemouth, will have a wedding ceremony performed at it for the first time in its 163 year history. Covesea Lighthouse was built by Alan Stevenson, who is a son of Robert Stevenson, a Scottish engineer responsible for building fifteen lighthouses in the country and Engineer to the Lighthouse Board. Alan Stevenson has thirteen lights to his credit, and is the uncle to Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. The story mentions the former lighthouse keeper’s cottage as available for renting.
If you’re in New South Wales, Australia, on Sunday, October 19, get out your running shoes for the very scenic Run For Breast Cancer. The Coordinator for the event wants to see at least five runners or walkers for each breast cancer patient on the North Coast. That translates to 1000 or so participants.
