Hello, everyone,

Movers have put the relocation on the "fast track" in order to move the lighthouse out of harm's way. Engineers agree that the lighthouse needs to be moved 850 feet away from the ocean's edge, the critical distance affording the National Historic Landmark a buffer from strong storm winds. To date, the lighthouse has moved a total 317 feet, and by the end of today, Wednesday, another 150 feet will have been gained.

Joe Jakubik, Project Manager with International Chimney Corporation (ICC) in Buffalo, NY, says the greatest time-saving devices for the movers are the hydraulic clamps for the push jacks. Instead of the time-consuming task of unbolting and rebolting the push jacks onto the roll beams after each five-foot push, the hydraulic clamps lock and unlock almost instantaneously.

Major players in the move, Expert House Movers, are working tirelessly to keep the steel mat leapfrogged in front of the moving lighthouse so the roll beams can then be moved from back to front, and the move kept as continuous as possible.


In the aerial view "Ocean's Edge" by Bruce Roberts, you can see how close the ocean is to the original foundation site. Note the half circle just inside the excavation...this is the original site, partially covered by the steel beam mat. An earthmover is pulling one of the steel beams in front of the lighthouse along the move corridor, recharging (leapfrogging) the move system.


Another look at the move in progress is in Bruce Robert's "Move System." The seven roll beams are evident. The seven main beams and built-in hydraulic jacks ride atop the roll beams on encased rollers, moved along by push jacks. The lighthouse moves silently one-to two inches per minute.

Thousands of visitors have gathered everyday to watch the momentous event. To be in the crowd and feel the excitement is a unique experience.

Move contractor, ICC, has emergency plans for dune repair should a sudden storm develop and damage the protective dune line.

Thanks to J.B. Ruffin & Associates for providing the list server capability to the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society so these updates can be brought to you at no charge.

Other interesting sites concerning the move:
www.outer-banks.com/lighthouse-society (be sure to look at the entire web project also)
http://ecnews.outer-banks.com
www.nps.gov/caha
(livecam there also, two views)
www.widomaker.com/~litehous/movie.html

The next issue of the Lighthouse News is at the printer and will be reaching members soon. Details of the Annual Keepers Dinner Sept. 11 at the Ramada Inn in Kill Devil Hills are included. Keynote speaker, Joe Jakubik, International Chimney Corp. Project Manager for the Cape Hatteras Relocation, will give a presentation of images and narration on "How We Moved the Lighthouse." Members have first chance at the limited 220 tickets available. After July 10 the details will be posted on the society's site www.outer-banks.com/lighthouse-society for nonmembers to have an opportunity to attend the affair.

For membership information, you may email web3755@charweb.org or do an auto reply to the address in this message.

Comments/suggestions are welcomed.

Outer Banks Lighthouse Society

LATEST LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT UPDATE

Wednesday, June 30, 1999:

A good day today. ICC moved the lighthouse 204 feet. The total is now 1768 feet. It looks like the plan is to have the lighthouse within about 50 feet of the foundation by July 5th. Progress will slow at that point as preparations are made to "step down" the lighthouse as it approaches the foundation, similar to the "stepping up" that occurred at the beginning of the move. The window for "set down" is July 10 - July 15 right now.

Hello, everyone,

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse moved 354 feet on Thursday, July 1, 1999. To date, a total 2,123 feet have been accomplished.

Movers are pleased with the progress of the reloction. The lighthouse has been a comfortable passenger while enroute to the relocation site 2,900 feet to southwest, placing the tower 1,600 feet from the ocean. This is approximately the same distance the lighthouse was from high tide when it was built by the U.S. Lighthouse Service with Dexter Stetson as foreman of construction beginning in 1868.

The National Historic Landmark is predicted to reach the new site sometime during the week of July 4! This will go down in history as a large effort by man to save historic buildings that have served humanity; relocation enables this lighthouse to continue to be a source of education and joy for future millions of visitors. An excellent article on this subject is in the Raleigh News & Observer, Tuesday, June 29, by Susanna Rodell on page 11-A.



In the first image, "roll beam and soap" you can see evidence of Ivory soap, an excellent mover's lubricant, on the hardened steel top of the roll beam track. Seven roll beams enable the lighthouse to glide towards the relocation site.

A photographer is taking a picture of one jack (there are 100 jacks in all) that comes out of the massive main beam and the encased Hilman rollers that sit atop the roll beam. He is standing under the lighthouse to get this image.



In the second image, "push jacks and hydraulic clamps" a clear view of the long-armed, hydraulic push jacks is shown. The hoses suspended in the top of the image serve to power the hydraulic clamps that hold the push jacks securely on the roll beams. The hydraulic clamps have greatly reduced the time movers have had to spend readjusting and reactivating the push jacks.

Both images courtesy Bruce Roberts.