I am going to be going to Atlantic City next weekend and wanted to visit some of the New Jersey lighthouses on Sat and Sun afternoon. I was curious if anyone from the area knew which lighthouses are readily accessible and, if open to the public , the hours of operation.
Thanks to anyone who can help.
John

Doc,

Absecon Light can be seen from the casino district, and I think it is now open for climbing, too. Hereford Inlet Light in North Wildwood and Cape May Light at Cape May Point are close enough to drive to and see in a day, as is Barnegat Light. I visited all these in December; see the link below.

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/forums/Forum15/HTML/000003.html

Here's some other info that might help:

http://www.state.nj.us/travel/lighthse/njlights.htm

http://njlhs.burlco.org/

Hope this helps. Have a nice trip!

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-Art

This was just what I was looking for Art. Thanks some much for the info. I enjoyed your travel diary very much!
John

Hey Doc,

If you get up to Navesink Light, let me know if it as impressive as the model. One day I'll have to visit that one.

Moby

Thats definately on my "want to see" list Moby. Looks like about 75 miles north of Atlantic City on the Garden State Parkway. My plan is to get up fairly early Sat AM, drive up to Sandy Hook and work my way back to Atlantic City...hitting Navesink and Barnegat on the way back. If time permits I'll drive down to Cape May about 40 miles south of Atlantic City. I'll visit Abescon probably on Sunday AM before I return home. Am I missing any major New Jersey lights?

John

Moby,

Navesink is even more impressive in person, imho, especially when viewed from the gates of the park where Sandy Hook is, or from anywhere across the Navesink River for that matter. It sits fortress-like atop the Highlands. Very imressive silhouette against the setting sun. Doc should get some good shots from across the river with the morning sun illuminating the seaward face of the building.

Doc,

Don't miss Hereford Inlet in North Wildwood. Just about 20 minutes from Cape May. Neat photo archives there, period furnishings, a 4th order Fresnel lens, and you can go into the operational lantern room. Nice gardens in the yard, too.

I don't know how you are going to travel to AC, but if you drive by Camden NJ (across from Philadelphia), you can see the Barnegat Lightship. It's at Pyne Poynt Place Yacht Basin on the Deleware River at 75th Street.

I liked Sea Girt a lot too, but it sounds like you have a very long day ahead of you already!

A helpful book to pick up is Sentinels of the Shore - A Guide to the Lighthouses and Lightships of New Jersey by Bill Gately.

Have a great trip.


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-Art

Art,

Have you been to Barnegat Light? I have a 1932 Oil Painting of her done for my Dad by a patient when he was an intern at Belview during the great depression. Hangs in my office. One day I'll get a limited edition to place under it for a perfect pair.

Moby

Here's a couple of photos from 1997 of Navesink:





Nice museum. You can climb one tower and get a nice view from there.

By all means, well worth the visit.



[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 04-13-99).]

we just did the "NJ" lighthouse tour on Valentines Day week-end. We saw all except Hereford inlet. Sandy Hook might disappoint you a little. Navesink is beautiful especially at sunset. Barnegat was my favorite, great surrounding area and also is opened to the publc. Absecon will disappoint you because it's in the middle of a ghetto like area. (no offenses) Sea girt was fun, very good photo opps. Cape May was peaceful and accessible to the public for touring. If your coming from or thru the NY area, I highly recommend stopping at Fire Island. It was the best Lighthouse of the 100 or so lights we've visited. They treat you like you're the Keeper. They also have wild deer roaming the grounds. Good luck and drive carefully---

-------------The R----------

Yes Moby,

I have been to Barnegat. I was there many times as a kid while visiting Island Beach State Park, and visited again in December, 1998. I've never climbed it though.

It's a beautiful tower. I took this photo in December:


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-Art

[This message has been edited by Art (edited 04-14-99).]

Saint and Art,

Thanks for the photos. I will get up there. When, I can't tell right now. Working on climbing Bodie "Body" Island. Great grandad was the keeper.

Moby

For those interested: I got on the road by 8:30 and stopped at Barnagat first because it opened at 9:00. Beautiful tower! Beautiful sunny morning. Next drove up to Sandy Hook and made it just in time for the 12:30 tour of the tower. The docent was quite enjoyable and a couple fellow collectors were there too (wearing their nice reunion jackets!). Then went to Navesink and viewed the interesting exhibit and climbed the North Tower. It was hard to get good pictures of the entire structure (and YES Moby it is as impressive in person!)but I got some from the bridge that crosses over to Sandy Hook. On the way back, I hit Sea Girt which unfortunately is open only from 1 to 4 on Sundays...but I got nice pictures from the outside. Now back in the hotel to get cleaned up for dinner and a little casino action. Plan to hit Absecon and Hereford Inlet (possibly Cape May)tomorrow AM before heading back home.

Thanks to all who have helped me. The NJ Lighthouse Society link was very helpful Art!


John

John,

Do you have any pictures of Sea Girt? Let me know. If John doesn't, does anyone?

Moby

Here's a photo of Sea Girt by Ron Foster:

Moby,
I will have some more pictures to add to that one...I took quite a few pictures from different perspectives and from different sides of the house. I will scan them and post them after I get them developed. I was quite impressed with the work that was done on Absecon light in Atlantic City itself. The pictures I had seen were of a white lighthouse with a central red stripe. It is now a cream/tan color with a central black stripe. The guides there told me that the group decided to restore the lighthouse to the period of the late 1920's - early 30's when it had been painted in those colors. They indicated it had been painted in a number of different colors over the years...they perhaps chose the colors of the lighthouse during the glory days of the old Atlantic City??? The restoration group has received a considerable amount of funds from the city and casinos and have done a great job with the restoration.
John