Lighthouses climbed

John's posting of the lighthouse stairs got me to thinking of starting a list of lighthouses climbed. I'm sure there are some lights that quite a few of us have climbed and others that have been open for special occasions that not many people have climbed.

Start posting any lighthouses that you have personally climbed. Only one post per day. It doesn't matter from which state the lighthouse is located. This list might give us ideas of lights to visit that we can also climb.

I will start with a lighthouse that was open to a few of us during the San Diego regional in July 2003.

New Point Loma, CA

Might as well start with the obvious. I don't think I even need to say it, but will for the record.

Sea Girt.

I've climbed it. I've climbed it alot. I've sat at the top of it alot pointing out stuff and answering questions. I've probably gone up and down the ladder of that lighthouse more times than all of the times all of you have climbed lighthouses combined. And that might actually be true.

I was pretty tired that Monday after the challenge...

Mukilteo

I have visited Mukilteo several times but finally got to climb it last September during the Lighthouse Festival.

Dottie

While visiting lights with Derith (aka Nana and Lighthouse Pixie), Derith's Cousin Linda, Ken Reese and Dave Hannum before the 2003 California Regional, we were allowed to climb several lights that most people don't get a chance to. One of them was Piedras Blancas, CA.

edited to let you see when you get to the top...

Cape San Blas, FL

This light is not open to the public. But for one of the Florida Lighthouse Ass. meetings in 2003 this light was open for all FLA members to climb. Was very tight quarters climbing this one.

Just down the road Saint Marks, FL.

Egmont Key, Florida
Mike

First up the tower yesterday at Marblehead, MA followed closely by fellow Wackos Chesapeake Bryan, Ken Reese and Rear Admiral Dave Pekoske and his lovely wife Michele. (Well the last two aren't officially Wackos but I guess they should be after tailing along with the rest of us!) This was the first light of it's type that I'd climbed thanks to NELL and Bill Conly, official lighthouse historian and former 1st Selectman who admitted us to the lighthouse.

Do you have any pics of that climb?

Cape Canaveral -- not as far up as Derith, but as far as the 'average visitor' is allowed to go.

(Derith was a bit 'pushy', I learned...)

Point Conception, CA...another beautiful one from the Calfornia trip with some Wackos...we had a great time at this light while the Coast Guard was upset because the light needed repair and were concerned that we were upset because we had to spend more time here then planned. Now why would anyone be upset about spending more time at a LH???

And here is what you see in this lantern room..

In my dreams, I've climbed the light in my sig and my avatar, does that count? :p . D*mn that alarm clock!

I'll start near home;

New Cape Henry (climbed twice) not generally open to the public, but has been opened to CCUSLHS members.

Joyce

Portland Head, Maine


Bert

ANCLOTE KEY, FLORIDA
MIKE

Ponce Inlet, FL., many, many times!!!

Port St Joe, FL. Was there with a freind, she sweet talked the owner into a tour and we climbed up to the watch room. The lantern is not currently on the light so we went as far as you can go.

Charlotte-Genesee, Rochester, NY.

Another tower that a few of us WACKOS were able to climb was during the Grand Rapids regional event in June 2003. I don't think this light is open too often.

Grand Haven, MI (inner light)

[Dave}Here's a few Wackos around the lantern room... and, yes it really was that foggy there

Bodie Island Lighthouse, North Carolina.

Not open to the public, but the Supt. of Cape Hatteras National Seashore surprized our group from OBLHS last June with a short notice climb. He let us all into the tower to climb and shut the door to the rest of the public who happened to be on the grounds.

I also got to climb BILH the day that HGTV made a presentation check to the lighthouse.

I may have been in the same group with Joyce to climb New Cape Henry, and it was before we knew each other.

Judy

I could start with one close to home that I've climbed countless times, but I think I'll start somewhere else, since not too many folks have had the opportunity to climb it:

Old Field Point, NY

Pigeon Point, CA This was the first tower I climbed and the first time that I saw a Fresnel lens up close.

Another one from last Saturday thanks to NELL and Rear Admiral Pekoske, Hospital Point, MA. The light had just gone off but he turned it back on for us to better appreciate the beautiful 3 1/2 order lens.

How about Alcatraz?

Nobska , Cape Cod, MA, on a FOFS chartered trip a few years back.

Joyce

Rose Island, RI

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
MIKE

Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, NY - actually you can descend from the top to bottom as well at it's present private location.

Cold Spring Harbor Lighthouse

In honor of Barbara Hupp, I would like to add Portland Head, Maine. During Nell's first club trip Barbara arranged with the Coast Guard for the group to climb this beautiful lighthouse!

Now about

Absecon, NJ

climbed it with my daughter who was not feeling well and complained the whole way up.

Bob...Bert listed Portland Head but will still count it for Barbara in her memory as well.

Cape Florida, FL

Sullivian's Island SC.

To answer John's question below, I climbed. The elevator was broken. When I say climbed I mean climbed the last 3 levels are straight ladders!

Eric did you 'climb' that one? Or take the elevator?

St. Helena, MI (now waiting for Dave to post a picture)!!

Since you asked . . . You have to look really hard at the pic, but you will see the outline of Waugoshance on the right, Grays Reef on the left. Sorry for the graininess but the two lights are 15+ miles down the way from the tower at St. Helena.

St. Simons. Ga. One of my favorites!

I see junior and myself in one of the pictures above!

Boy, was it foggy!!!

SPRING POINT LEDGE - MAINE

Bert

I'm going to be out of town for the next week but keep on posting lighthouses that you have climbed. I think this post will barely start a new day so my next light climbed is:

Key West, FL

Long Beach Bar, Long Island, NY


Long Beach Bar

Bob

I'm so jealous of you, even if I could get to those lights, the doors'd be locked to me

Highland light - Cape Cod Light

Bert

Horton Point, NY

JUPITERFlorida before it closed because of the stair problems.

Joyce

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, NH
Jeremy D'Entremont very gratiously met me there on a foggy Tuesday morning last spring.
I loved it so much, that I'm now a member of Friends of Portsmouth.

Judy

My favorite, Pemaquid Point, Maine!
Rick

One more from last Saturday with NELL, Derby Wharf in Salem. At only 21 feet it was pretty easy.

Montauk Point, NY

Old Point Comfort
This was another climb due completely to holding membership in a lighthouse society.

A few years ago, Chesapeake & OBLHS held a joint event, and this was the treat for Sunday! I have been visiting OPC for years and never dreamed that one day I would climb it.

Last year, I met the officer who is currently living in the keeper's home. (now military quarters) He is thrilled to be there and totally appreciates the history.

Judy

Plum Island, Long Island, NY
First expedition of civilians to the lighthouse for restoration meeting 1/22/2001.

Bob

PLUM ISLAND - NEWBURYPORT, MASS.

Bert

Cape Lookout, NC.

Cana Island, WI...during the 2004 lighthouse walk.

This topic is Continued in Part 2