This might start a firestorm, but after all, that's what the FSB is for.

I was just thinking about how many lighthouses being "given away" under the NHLPA have been at a loss for a new owner, and now are beign sold at auction. This begs (for me), the question...has the program run out of people to give lighthouses to?

For example...four Chesapeake caissons are currently for auction. There aren't that many groups on the Chesapeake that could have taken those lights in...CCUSLHS already has their hands full with Thomas Point, and the last thing that they can do is take four more lights in. There's a bunch more lights there to take over, still, too...are there enough people to care about these lights?

The big, no-brainers like St. Simon's, Tybee, and Currituck (well...maybe THAT one's not a no-brainer) have all been disposed. Now it's getting more to the point where they have to deal with the little lights...and the question is, are there people to deal with them?

Add your thoughts....either flame me or agree with me...but I'm curious to hear some more input.

I feel in the case of the Virginia Caisson Lighthouses, they should have sold them one at a time instead of dumping 4 at the same time. In fact I had gotten all the info and was going to bid on Wolf Trap, but the bids quickly got beyond what I could spend. I wanted to give tours for a fee and the money would go back into the maintence of the lighthouse and loan payment.
I hope they get good owners and hope they will open them up a least a few times a year. Private ownership can go both ways, either for the better or for the worst. For example Private ownership saved Cape Florida from falling into the sea. I not sure the government would have saved it at that time in history. I do hope they will keep trying to get non-profits or other govenments to take the remaining lights.

Greg,

It's not necessarily a big to small issue. In the case of the lights up for auction in VA right now, location is an issue. We're talking about lh's out in the water with no way to access except by climbing a swinging ladder from a boat. That issue plus insurance has to be solved before a new owner could take the public to it.

I also agree with Eric in wishing they hadn't put all four up for auction at once.

And, I am hoping for a good outcome - a capable new owner who cares about the preservation.

Judy

As has been said, it is not an issue of "big" vs "small" or even "well known" vs "lesser known". The lights that have no takers are ones that are isolated and very difficult to get to. As Judy pointed out, access is a challenge. Think about the issues involved not just in getting to the light, but then getting supplies uo to the deck, especially the major equipment and such that would be needed to preserve the light.

ALF took on the Little River Light and has made major advances in preserving the light. However, they are very limited by the weather and the difficulty in getting supplies and material to the light. A caisson light could be even more challenging.

In July, Heather and I (along with Jake and Gloria Toering) visited the DeTour Reef Light in the UP. The DeTour Reef Preservation Society was able to get significant grants from several sources to be able to pay for the restoration of the light which was probably already in better shape than some of the other off-shore lights. As I recall, the contractor lost at least one work boat during the process.

These are the reasons the off-shore lights will have a hard time finding adoptive parents - especially the ones way off-shore.

Well said, Dave. Some lights may be beyond saving by individuals or groups for the reasons you mentioned. It's one thing to have a readily accessible land light and another totally different situation when the light is far from shore and/or very difficult to get to.

Bert

I though the players we're dumb not to take the owners offer in February. Would have meant a larger salary cap.

Oh, wait, I though we we're talking about the National Hockey League Players Association.

I thought the same thing since hockey season starts tonight!

That makes three of us....

An old joke, but very appropo here. . . .

Ummm. Speaking of sneakers. . . .