Our HL club, NELL, had their Outing this weekend in Portsmouth, NH, and took a 5 hour cruise to see 5 lights, passing right by Whaleback which is in the harbor/river right off the Portsmouth shore and very close to Portsmouth Harbor Light, aka Fort Point Light, aka New Castle Light.
I asked the owner of the boat company who owns Whaleback. She said Maine definitely owns it, because of the boundary agreed upon going up the river and harbor. I have read in various books that Maine owns it; then another says NH. Right close to it is a small island with a lifeboat saving station on it, which is going to be restored. It is owned my Kittery --- Maine. Yet Harbour Lights has NH inscribed on its miniature of this lighthouse.
Those of you who do very serious definitive reading on lighthouse history, what is your answer and please quote your source to back up your answer. It would be nice to get a final answer.
After our cruise, we had a talk, tour, and climb at Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse, by a retired professor who now volunteers as an auxillary Coast Guard person and leads the tours. He has done extensive research and said that the true name of this light is not Whaleback, but rather Whale's Back. Have any of you seen this anywhere within your readings? He has gone back to primary source material - old Coast Guard records etc. to write up his talk.
From a curious lady lightkeeper!