Lighthouse reports:

Ponce Inlet - Purchased a 1903 Chance Brothers 3rd order lens (only 2 in the United States). It will be restored and put on display.

Sanibel - The city of Sanibel has put in an application with the BLM for the Sanibel Lighthouse. BLM will now publish the release of public lands order. When transfer is done, the city's Director of Public Workds will be in charge of the facility.

Sea Horse Key a.k.a Cedar Key - Will be open one day this summer, July 5th. (It will also be open October 18 & 19).

St. Marks - Clean up of lead in soil has been completed.

Crooked River - Had 240 attend the re-lighting of the lighthouse (it had been dark for 12 years), on December 8th, 2007. A replica Keepers House was approved on January 3rd. commission meeting of the city of Carrabella. Ken Smith will be the architect.

Cape San Blas - The gift shop will be open from 10:00 to 2:00 starting March 1st on Saturdays. Opening of the lighthouse is expected in the Spring. As summer approaches hours will be extended.

Cape St. George - Is now at over 23' high. Granite sills and lintels from the salvage have been used on the door way and the first window already. All the bricks in the inside wall are original (the morter will be new). Still rasing money for the remaining items (paint, stucco, stairs etc.). Hope to open lighthouse in Spring.

Pensacola - Dispite being officially closed the folks have still be working. On October 30 and 31 they opened the lighthouse for haunted tours to aid the Coast Guard fund raiser for their Pelican project.
Negotiations continue to open the lighthouse to the public and looks hopeful. Next year the lighthouse will be 150 years old. The Florida Lighthouse Association will hold their April 2009 meeting there (the city will be 450 years old). Lots of birthday cake???

Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation - (Which represents the 6 reef lighthouses) had a board meeting after the Florida Lighthouse Association meeting. They appointed myself as a board member. Since no one wanted to be President, I said I would do it. We plan on revitalizing the organization this year (more later).

As you see progress continues across the State of Florida. FLA will be lobbying our representatives to get the auto tag approved that would raise thousands of dollars a year for lighthouse restoration and preservation. The legislature meets in Spring.

The next Christmas ornament will be Sombrero Reef Lighthouse which will be 150 years old on March 17th.

It's nice to see that people care about their area lights. Nice report, Eric! Keep up the great work!

Bob

Eric,

As an expert in FL lighthouses what would your suggestion be for viewing the reef lights by air if your starting point was Orlando?

Gary

Well Gary, if by land, you can see Fowey Rocks on a clear day from the top of Cape Florida (check their schedule), Alligator can be seen from U.S. 1, Sombrero can be seen from Sombrero Park near Marathon, There is one spot to see American Shoal I can get you directions if interested, and Sand Key can be seen from the top of Key West Lighthouse (open 7 days a week) or from the Wreckers Museum tower, again on a clear day. All these are distance views.

Of course by boat is the best way. There are marinas to rent boats from just be careful as you near the lighthouse as the water near the lighthouse is shallow. Carysfort at one point is only about 1 foot on one side of the lighthouse. The lighthouses are from 4 to 7 miles offshore so check the weather before you launch.

You could also find a small plane to fly you over them.

Also if you take the seaplane to Fort Jefferson ask the pilot to go near Sand Key. He can only go down to 500 feet but it will be a good picture in my opinion.

Hope this helps, let me know if I can answer any other questions.