While all the details have not been ironed out, I am sharing this information for those who have been asking.
The first outing for the year will be an adventure to Long Island and vicinity on June 2 - 4 (Saturday – Monday). We will headquarter at a hotel near the MacArthur Airport in Islip so that you can fly in if you choose. The hotel will have airport transportation. (Hotel isn’t finalized yet as I am working on the rates being offered.) ATA, Continental, Delta, NWA, Southwest and USAir all fly to MacArthur (airport code ISP).
Here is the general plan as of this point in time:
Saturday, June 2: Boat trip to view lights in NY Harbor. Lights that should be seen include: Great Beds, West Bank, Old Orchard, Romer Shoal, Robbins Reef, Statue of Liberty, Fort Wadsworth, Coney Island/Norton Point, and Frying Pan Lightship. There may be some distant views of other lights. We will have a hot lunch on board the boat. After returning from the boat trip, the plan is to visit Fire Island Light on the way back to the hotel.
Sunday, June 3: We will bus around Long Island, visiting other land based lights. Beginning at Montauk we will also visit Old Field, Eatons Neck and Huntington Harbor Lights.
Monday, June 4: We will join with the East End Lighthouses for their annual offshore lighthouse cruise departing from Greenport on the North Fork. The cruise will be aboard the all-passenger high-speed Catamaran "Jessica W", a 49-meter (approx. 160 ft.) wave-piercing catamaran, owned and operated by Block Island Ferry Services LLC The ferry has a cruising speed of 35 knots, and is equipped with comfortable, modern airline-style seating on two enclosed air-conditioned passenger decks, and a state-of-the-art motion-control system for smooth travel in all sea conditions.
Lighthouses listed to be seen include Long Beach Bar, Cedar Island, Orient Point, Plum Island, Little Gull, Race Rock, New London Ledge, North Dumpling, Latimer Reef, Stonington, Watch Hill, and Gardiner's Point (location of former lighthouse and fort).
On the way back to the hotel we will plan to visit Horton Point Light.
Cost has not been established as I am waiting for some additional price quotes. I am posting this so that you know what is being planned and can begin your own plans. This 3 day weekend is designed to allow you to make the most of a trip to the Long Island area, enjoying as many lighthouses as possible. Those who choose to drive can route themselves such that they can also see lights in New Jersey then leave Long Island by ferry to Connecticut to see lights along that coast. You can even catch a ferry from Montauk over to Block Island.
There will be a maximum capacity of 50 people for the 3 day trip. There will be capacity to take additional passengers on the Saturday NY Harbor cruise. If you are interested, please send me an email at lighthouse-events @ sbcglobal.net, including the words “Long Island” in your subject line (as always, remove the spaces for the email to work).
The Long Island outing will not have a Harbour Lights Regional incorporated into it. There will be two Harbour Lights Regional Events this year: the first will be a “Retro Regional” in Indianapolis. Tentative date is June 23rd. It will be along the lines of the 3 hour regional event from several years ago: Bill signing and sharing time with collectors; possibly games; club displays; interaction among collectors. There will be light snacks. There is a possibility that we may be able to include a “swap and sell”, but nothing definite.
The second regional event will tentatively be the weekend of August 25-26. Not ready to announce the exact location yet, but it will be on the Great Lakes. As soon as details can be finalized the information will be posted.
