We got up when we felt like it on Sunday. I was determined not to be a complete Wacko on this trip.

I decided if we got to Montauk on Sunday and Fire Island on Monday the trip was a success. Anything else was gravy.

We got out to Montauk and toured the Museum. It has some interesting artifacts as well as a nice little film narrated by dick Cavett which covers the history of the Light very well.

The Original Clamshell Lens is in the Old Keepers House which houses the Museum now. Here's a shot of it.



Here's a shot of what's in the Lantern Room now.



Here's a picture of the Montauk Lighthouse




We spent about 1 1/2 hours exploring the Museum and climbing the Lighthouse. I went into the gift Shop and got those things all good Lighthouse Wackos need- postcards, my passport stamped, a t-shirt, a patch and good conversation.

The volunteers here know their stuff. The gentleman in the Keeper's house and up in the Lantern Room were very informative.

The weather was clear enough that we could even see Southeast Block Light from the Lantern Room.

As we were leaving we ran into the first problem of the trip- my digital camera decided to stop working correctly. It just sat there and chattered away and woulf not focus or zoom. I still don't know what happened. One minute it worked fine, the next it didn't.

I changed the batteries and that helped a little at our next stop - Long Beach Bar-Bug Light.

We were using the Bob & Marian Scroope tried and true Suffolk County Lighthousing directions along with the atlas. We decided against Cedar Point as this way we could get to see two lights and we did not have enough time for two long walks

We found a CVS on the way and I bought a couple of throwaway cameras. They performed as I expected, but were better than nothing.

We got the South Ferry over to Shelter Island and followed the instructions to Cornelius Point.

I was able to get the digital to work long enought to get a picture of the Bug Light. good thing because the throwaway camera only produced what looked like a bug on the print.



We continued on to the North Ferry to Greenport and found our way out to Orient Point.

We stopped for lunch at the restaurant right next to the Ferry Lot. The food was pretty good, and it was convenient.

We parked as instructed in the Ferry lot and walked down the beach to Orient Point where we got another double shot of Lighthouses.

This is where the throwaway camera really looked bad. I got a better view of the Lighthouses with my naked eye. I'm glad I brought my binoculars along as both lights are a bit of a distance away from the point you can walk to.



It can be barely seen, but Plum Island Lighthouse is in the left of the picture. Sorry for the poor image.


We decided to walk back to the lot via the hiking trail instead of the beach. It's a little longer, but easier on the feet. There's also a dirt road you can follow, but you can't see anything going that way.

We lef tthere and continued on our way back to Melville. Our next stop was Horton Point. this is a plain looking Lighthouse, but the grounds are very pretty. The Lighthouse has been wonderfully restored. It has a museum, but unfortunately it's only open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day on the Weekends.



I don't know why, but every time I hear the name of this light I think "Horton Hears A Who".

We spent a few minutes walking around the grounds. I t was geting on so we left and proceeded on to our las tstop for the day- Old Field.

I was a little apprehensive due to what I had read about the idea that they didn't like people to stop at the Lighthouse.

I had Esther drive and I was going to have her drive around while I took some pictures, but I decided to have her drive into the parking area by the Light and I took a couple of quick pictures and we left. As we were leaving one of the Police Cars drove up to the end of the road where the turnaround is. I was worried that he might stop us, but he didn't.

Here's a shot of Old Field.



We left there and drove back to the Marriott in melville. This is anice hotel. We enjoyed staying there- particularry for two reasons.

1. It was free. I was using my Marriott Points
2. Somehow we ended up on the Concierge Floor and had access to the lounge- free deserts at night and free breakfast on Monday morning.

If you ever need to stay in Melville, LI this is a good place to stay. It's not inexpensive, but it's nice.

We ate dinner on Saturday night at a place called Terry G's in Farmingdale. It's a nice little Restautant/ Bar. The food was excellent.

There was an affair going on at the hotel Saturday night. There was a Cocktail Reception in the Lobby which is part of a 4 story Atrium. The rooms have balconies overlooking it.

The funny thing was that the event was for the Massapeaqua Fire Department and when we went out to go to dinner there were about 30 cars and trucks parked in the Fire Lane- everyone of them was a Fireman/woman's vehicle.

Esther said I should get the camera and take a picture, but I know when I'm outnumbered

We got up on monday morning and drove over to Fire Island on our way home. The Lighthouse Museum was open to all visitors, but the Lighthouse was only open for climbing to the school groups that were ther. I expected that, but was still a little disapointed.

They have some great new exhibits there if you have not been there recently. The people who restored this light did a very good job.



You get to the Light by walking over a Boardwalk through the dunes. It's a nice relaxing easy walk.

We left there and drove back to Trenton stopping in Elizabeth, NJ on the way to see the places that Esther grew up (She's originally from there).

All in all a great trip, except for the camera problem.

We got to 14 Lighthouses over the 3 days which leaves us only 5 on LI that we have not been too, and 4 of those require some type of boat to get to.

Dennis

Nice job Dennis! Sorry about your camera problems but a trip or alleged trip to LI wouldn't be complete for you guys w/o an 'event'.(lol)
Glad you finally got to see many lights. You've got a few alternatives to see the other lhs including the annual Beacons Cruise in September and a private fishing boat belonging to a Chapter member which you can charter to see the eastend lighthouses.
Bob

Great photos and narrative Dennis! Seeing the photos folks post is nice but combining them with personal experiences is the best! Thanks for taking the time to do this for us.

I am hoping to see some of the same land based lights in the fall if we get down to the regional so it was helpful to read about your trip. A couple questions:

1. Do those ferries run all the time, do you just show up and they go?

2. That photo of Orient Point and Plum Island - was that with the throw-away camera or your digital? And how long does it take to walk out to that point?

Dennis, your trip sounds like the reverse order of what the Chesapeake Chapter of the USLHS did a few years ago. I didn't have any camera problems but we did have an interesting time with the bus. Our guides didn't check the clearance on some of the underpasses and we had to make detours. We also had a interesting time on the ferry trying to drive the bus off at low tide. But we all had fun and the trip was a major success.

Mombo,

Thanks for the nice thoughts. I can answer both of your questions-

The North and South Ferries on Shelter Island run every 15 minutes for most of the day. Early morning and evening they run about every 1/2 hour.

Here's the link for the North Ferry

http://www.pagelinx.com/sinferry/ind.htm

Here's the South Ferry Link

http://www.pagelinx.com/sisferry/ind.htm

As for your second question- yes that was one of the Lights I had to take the picture with the throwaway camera.

I knew this would be where the camera would not be much good to me. I tried to manipulate it and zoom in, but it lost detail very quickly so I just went with it as it was.

You have actually 3 choices to get to Orient Point. You can walk down the stone covered Beach with the Lighthouse in view all the way, you can take a Hiking Trail that starts acroos the street from the Ferry Parking Lot or you can walk down the road which turns into a dirt road. All three bring you to or from the Light.

The dirt road is the quickest- probably about 10 minutes, the Hiking Trail winds around a little and gives you a few of the other side of Orient Point and a view of the Lighthouses towards the end and takes 15 minutes. the stone beach takes the longest at about 20 minutes or so, but you have Orient Point Lighthouse in view the entire time.

We walked down the Beach (mostly because I didn't know of any other way) and came back on the Hiking Trail. We ran into someone just taking a walk who got through on the road.

We used Bob Scroppe's advice and directions from his Driving Directions For 1 Day Lighthousing in Suffolk county. Here's the link-

http://www.scroope.net/lighthousing/suffolkcountydirections.htm

They worked great. The toughest one to follow is Old Field Point. The rest are basically straight forward.

Thanks Bob! I just can't seem to get away completely from that LI Curse!

I'm still working on Esther about the Beacons of The Night Cruise, Regional and possible tour of Huntington Harbor. She's not sure she wants two weekends away from home in a row and she wants to do the Maryland Lighthouse Challenge so we may only make it to the Regional (if that). Remember she's not a Wacko- only married to one!

Dennis

Dennis -- Thanks for taking us along. Great illustrated report. Hate those camera problems, but the one-time use camera offers a good solution.

Yes thanks for the great follow-up. It was nice to meet you & Esther and the other "Wacko's." We had a great time loved Montauk & Fire Island. Hope to see you all around again.

Hi Dennis,

Enjoyed your narrated trip and photos! How strange that we were just talking about taking two cameras when traveling & taking many photos. I figure my son's point & shot Olympus has a zoom so if necessary can fill in for my "real camera".

I was glad that you and Esther made the trip. Traveling alone is fine when friends are along. No one can accuse the three of us of having nothing to talk about!

It was nice too, to see Mike, Bob & Kristin again and to meet fellow Wackos (even if I wasn't wearing my badge!)

The boat itself was much nicer than I am accustomed to on lighthouse cruises. Thought it might be hard to squeeze all those photo nuts in the small open areas but everyone shared space & spots. The boat idled at each light long enough to allow everyone to get photos.

So, I the New Yorker added five more lights that I hadn't seen before. My husband was happy because I did go, enjoyed it and he played in his opening day golf tournament. A win-win!

So many lights to still see!

Donna

Dennis,
If you make to the Maryland Lighthouse Challenge, look for me at Point Lookout. I'll be working the table there.

Donna,

I agree that the Boat was great and the people on it were very cooperative with each other for access to the rail for pictures.

All you had to do was say "Escuse Me" and a path opened right up.

The only complaint I heard (and made myself) was that they needed to take one table off of each side of the ship and one chair from each table.

Hard to get around- but that's always the way.

Dennis