June 18th, 2013
Tour Delaware Lighthouses, Lewes, Delaware, Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation, Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, Lighthouse Tours Summer 2013, Walk in The Steps of The Keeper! Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware
I wanted to walk in the steps of The Keeper. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be the keeper of a lonely offshore lighthouse. From the Cape May-Lewes Ferry I have seen them from a distance. But, not anymore. 2013 was the year to visit these lighthouses.
The Delaware Breakwaters are engineer marvels of the 19th century. They were the first structures of their kind to be built in the Western Hemisphere. The Delaware Breakwater, Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, Harbor of Refuge Breakwater, and Harbor of Refuge Light Station entered in 1976 on the National Register of Historic Places as the nation’s first offshore Historic District.
The Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation is the caretaker of the lighthouses. They were also in charge of the tours. The tours are $35 for adults. Even though the website, http://www.delawarebaylights.org/tours.html, says that you are to send the forms in with a check, I did it through the telephone with a credit card by calling 302-644-7046. I left my name and number and someone called me back.
The tour departs from the finger pier behind the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal on Cape Henlopen Drive. The next tour is on Saturday, 6/22. Make sure you arrive 20 minutes in advance. Free parking at the Foot Passanger Terminal. Please visit the website above mentioned for a complete schedule and plenty of information.
I arrived on Saturday, May 18th, ready to discover the lighthouses. They are practically in my backyard. They had already told me that no sandals or open-toe shoes were allowed. The tours will go on light rain or shine. But, rough seas, heavy rain or threat of severe weather may cause the tour to be cancelled. Foundation members will attempt to contact you as quickly as possible. Please make sure you give them your cell phone when making the reservation.
The Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation had their tent up and already there was merchandise for purchase.
Our group had assembled for information and safety instructions, including the proper way to put your lifejacket on.
Big Stone Pride was our transporter to the Lighthouses.
And once we all got on it….off we went
We were heading first to the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse Station. It stands like a proud sentinel at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, always watching. Even though you see them clearly from the distance it takes a little bit to get there. Already there was a boat with whale watchers trying to get close, but we would get even closer. The Harbor of Refuge is closed for repairs made by severe storm damage. But, we were going to get very close in order to get photos.
It was a calm day, but a little cloudy and windy. You could feel how strong the water was; had to hold on to the railings as we went on deck. This 76 foot sentinel was built in 1926 to replace a previous storm-damanged one. Harbor of Refuge is one of the most exposed lighthouses on the Atlantic seaboard. The Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation has photos with mountainous seas pounding it all the way to the top.
And just like at the Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, a family of ospreys had returned, like they have been doing for a few years.
Then, we continued our tour to the Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse.
In 1828 the construction began on the breakwater wall. The rocks were brough by donkeys from quarries in Pennsylvania and Delaware. That’s why it took so long. So, we were all looking forward to getting off the boat and start exploring.
On this photo you can see the small concrete oil house once used for storing lighthouse fuel, now home to the resident osprey pair.
The tower on this lighthouse is 56 feet high. The light is shown at 61 feet above the water.
And, the red panels warned ships off nearby shoals and the tip of the Cape.
In the entry level, the Delaware Public Archives Historic Marker. Two-foot-thick brick line inside the cast iron outer shell of the lighthouse.
Second and third levels were the living quarters, including the kitchen. Food came from Rickards and Ramsey grocery store on Lewes Beach. The keepers ate a lot of fish, which they caught.
The rooms were small but they were the living quarters for 3 to 5 keepers at a time.
From the outside walkway on the Watch Room’s the views were spectacular.
The dolphins were playing….the kayakers were having a great day!
Climbing the stairs to the Lantern Room….
In November 2011, the State Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs commissioned an inspection of the lens by a professional lampist. He determined that the original Fresnel lens had been replaced with the current lense, which was made in Sweden by AGA around the 1920s. The lens is fragile. Prism can be damanged by human touch so please keep your hands to yourselves. Do not touch the lens.
Four-bulb lamp changer that automatically rotates when one of the small bulbs that now provides the light burns out. Light visible for 13 miles out to sea.
In 2004 the Delaware River & Bay Authority entered into an operating agreement with Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation for public outreach. In 2005 the Foundation opened it for the first public tours.
If you like historic lighthouses this tour is for you….and for the rest, it is an amazing way to discover The First Town in The First State.
It was time to go, the tour was over and down the stairs we went just like the Keepers would have done.
And the ospreys? Well, this is their hangout…they will be waiting for you to return!
Note: Information for this post was taken from the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation’s website and from the facts and figures we saw during the tour.
Tags: 2013 Summer Tours of the Delaware Lighthouses, Activities, Coastal Delaware, Delaware, Delaware Beaches, Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, Delaware Lighthouses, Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation, Events, Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, Historic Delaware Lighthouses, Southern Delaware, Sussex County, The First Town in the First State, Tour Delaware Lighthouses, Visit Cape Henlopen, Visit Delaware Lighthouses, Visit Lewes, What to do at the beaches
Thanks Gloria for taking the time to tell us about this wonderful tour of the Lighthouse.
Nice to hear from you. The fig tree is huge. They will not be ready until late in August, though. See you.
Great post!
It was so nice seeing you. Too bad the weather did not cooperate as it should have.
Gloria,
What a wonderful article about our lighthouse tours, I can’t tell you how good it made me feel to know that you had such a wonderfl time. It was also nice to see you at Rehoboth Bay Sailing Assoc. last Saturday, your welcome any time. Thanks for recognizing me, I enjoyed our visit and your memories of RBSA from the past. In fact RBSA celebrates it’s 50th in August. RED
The tour of the lighthouses has been my highlight this summer. I hope many more visitors and residents take advantage of it. It is in our own backyard. Nice seeing you to at RBSA. I have not put the post up yet but will let you know. The club has kept its charm, and that is refreshing.
Thanks for the post, feels like I took the tour myself which I would like to do someday.
Thanks…it was great and sooo worth it!
My friends and I would like to do a complete tour of all lighthouses in Delaware. Where do you suggest we start. We will be planning our trip from Saturday Oct. 15 to Sunday Oct 16, 2016. We have done the NJ Lighthouse Challenge for the past two years. Is there anything similar for Delaware.
Thank you.
Please contact the telephone numbers on the post. Thanks.