| Bob & Mary Ann Go Lighthousing With the New England Lighthouse
Lovers Club (NELL)
Day 1
Thursday, June 3rd – we left Mt Sinai at 8am
for 10am Orient Point to New London Ferry. We made great time and caught the 9am Cross
Sound Ferry ($31 for car and driver + $9 each additional passenger –Reservations a
must!). We viewed and photographed the Orient Point LH, Plum Island LH, Fishers Island LH, New
London Ledge, submarine, and New London Harbor LH from the ferry. Good start 5
LHs. Arrived in New London at 10:30 am. We arrived in New London 1 1/2 hours ahead of
schedule and heading for Boston.
12:30 pm arrived in Boston searching for the Fairmont Copely
Plaza. Circled in around Boston Commons, and finally found it. (Could have used a better
map of Boston before arriving. The hotel concierge provided a detailed map by Old Towne
Tours.) 1pm on the street, lunch at Joe’s Bar and Grill outdoor cafe (spinach dip and
grilled tuna with Japanese dipping sauce), walked to Cheers, Boston Commons, and back to
Hotel. Found the John Hancock Building and went to the top for a view from the observation
floor. Awesome – don’t miss it. Across the street to the Trinity
Church, and back to hotel. Dinner at Turners Fishery (outstanding
–marinated lobster salad and a lobster, scallop & shrimp dish in a tomato
gravy) at the Westin across the street, and a walk through the Prudential Center indoor
mall.
Day 2
Friday, June 4th – 9am catch the Old Towne
Tour Shuttle ($23 per adult with unlimited stops and reboardings.) for trip around Boston
– with stops at Farniel Hall, North Church, Paul Revere’s House, Harbor, and USS
Constitution.
1:30pm left Boston heading north on 95. Got off 95 at York
and followed the signs (Routes 1 & 1A) to York Beach, Cape Neddick in
search of the Holy Grail. WOW! I can compare driving up to Nubble in the same way as
entering Yankee Stadium and seeing the green of the baseball diamond through the gateway.
My wife, MaryAnn even spotted Boon Island Lighthouse behind
Nubble. Not bad for a Newbie. Words cannot describe what pictures can capture. In the gift
shop, I met William O. Thompson who wrote a book on Nubble and another about Haunted
Lighthouses. What a great guy and a world of information. He filled me in on the beach
route (along Routes 1 & 1A North) that I was interested in which I took all the way to
Kennybunkport. The 2½ hour scenic ride on the beach road with spectacular views including
Perkins Cove, the President George Bush Compound, and Lighthouse Depot in Wells. [ HINT:
ALWAYS TAKE STREETS THAT ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE OCEAN. Some of the most fantastic houses
and views I have found anywhere on the East Coast were found this way. Especially turn
onto roads that are named Shore Road, Ocean Drive, Lighthouse Rd, Bayview Ave, etc, even
if they are dirt roads. Even if you mistakenly end up in someone’s private driveway
you can always turn around. Especially look for signs that say no access to Lighthouse,
they will most times have the best view. (See Cape Elizabeth Twin Lights below.)] Somehow
we missed Goats Island? Followed 77 back to 95 North to Portland arriving at 6pm. We met
about a dozen members (strangers) at dinner (and soon became fast friends) at
Vermillo’s which was adjacent to the HoJo the club was staying at. The menu included
twin lobsters for $15.95 completed the day (YUM!).
Day 3
Saturday, June 5th - The 1½ hour Harbor cruise
on Bay View Cruise Lines (South Portland Harbor adjacent to DeMillios Floating Restaurant
– if you park in DeMillios lot you can probably get your parking validated at the
restaurant if you eat there. Barbara & Henry Hupp arranged a lunch there for the New
England Lighthouse Lovers Club (NELL) and the free parking.), cruised past Portland
Head, Spring Point Ledge Light, Portland Breakwater, and Ram Island Ledge. Club
lunched at DeMillio’s and then attended the Harbour Lights signing by Bill Younger at
the Country Noel Shop where we traded stories with Bill until a 6-year-old Portland boy
came in and stole the show. He said he had 12 HLs, and then asked Bill if he knew where
the tallest lighthouse in the world was located? He then told BY, before he could answer
that it was in Tokyo, Japan. BY made some notes, and told the youngster he was going to
Korea soon and would check it out. The rambunctious boy then reminded BY that the LH was
in Japan, not Korea. So BY told him that Korea was as close to Japan as Boston was to
Maine, and he would try to visit the lighthouse. The boy was then was hustled out the
store by his Mom before he could ask her to buy any more HLs. Ron Foster took many
pictures of the club with BY.
3:30pm – A lecture was given by Rusty Springer at the
Spring Point Ledge Light Museum. We then returned to the hotel for a Club dinner at 7pm in
a private room at Vermillo’s and another presentation on Casco Bay and Maine
lighthouses.
Day 4
June 6th 8am – Church then a trip to
Portland Head at FT. Williams Park to climb the light. This was quite an experience since
the Coast Guard had to give permission and supervise the climb. (Again a NELL
exclusive arranged by Barbara & Henry Hupp.) PortaPotties only and you must carry out
all your garbage.
The museum has several Fresnel lamps. (I believe 2 4th Order
and the original 2nd Order.)
12:15 lunch at the Sea Dog Brewing Company for a delicious
lobster roll and a local brew. Then we traveled to Cape Elizabeth Twin Lights
with the Fosters and Drummers (Check out the photo of the two Rons on the beach taking
pictures of the LH.) for some quick pictures before heading back to Spring Point Ledge
Light. We headed north of PortlandHead toward Two Lights Park. Make sure you turn up Two
Lights Terrace (Ignore the sign that says ‘No access to lighthouses, Dead End’.)
It is a street lined with houses and you can see the main light at the end of the dead
end. You can drive right up to the gate. Now make sure when leaving that you see the other
light that is a quick right turn on your way out. A left the main street and continue to
the beach for more views and shots of the lighthouse. There is a Lobster Shack Restaurant
on the beach that looks very popular but we didn’t visit since we just ate lunch.
2pm - Back to Spring Point Ledge Light for a unique climb up
and into the caisson lighthouse. (Again a NELL exclusive arranged by Barbara &
Henry Hupp.) It was amazing to go into the round light that you expected to be all metal,
and find brick interior walls.
3:30pm we bid our good-byes and thanks to the club Barbara
&Henry Hupp, Ron &Mary Jane Foster, Ron & Shirley Drummer, Ray &Val
Patnaude, Bryan &Cyndee Anderson, Penny Patch, the Mills, the Carbones, the Catrinis,
the Hawkes, and the Thumms. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out. We enjoyed meeting all
of you and the interaction was exceptional.
Arrived in Newport, RI at 7:30pm after a stop at McDonalds
and "can you believe a $5.95 Mac lobster roll meal". Checked in at the
Marriott Newport, and took a quick drive through town, ocean drive and past the mansions.
Then back to the hotel for a great sunset view of the harbor from our room.
Day 5
June 7th 7:45am, early lighthousing to Goat
Island LH (Park in side employees parking lot as soon as you cross the bridge,
next to a Radison). You can view of Rose Island (You really need access from
the water for a close photo) from another parking area on the other side of the Goat
Island hotel. Then continue around the harbor (follow the signs for Ocean Drive) to Ida
Lewis Yacht Club (You can see Ida Lewis on the drive around the harbor. There is a
concrete pier that parallels the pier for Ida Lewis that you can take pictures from but
the best shot is probably from the water). Then continue on Ocean Drive to find Castle
Rock. (You can get to the lighthouse by turning right off Ocean Drive at the sign
for Castle Rock Hotel and Restaurant. Proceed and park by water next to the parking lot.
You can see the LH if you walk towards the water and look left. You can walk to the LH by
following a dirt path through the woods at the back of the parking lot.)
10 am, road trip to Hammersmith Farm – home of Jackie
Bouvier Kennedy (home of her mother and stepfather). After the farm at 11:30am, we
continued to sightsee by car on Ocean Drive and the Mansions.
Checkout 12:30, heading for Beavertail. Follow the signs for
Route 138 West. Go over 2nd bridge and follow the sign that reads Route 1
South. Continue about 15 to 20 minutes along the coast to Beavertail State Park. Arrived
at Beavertail at 1pm. You can drive right up to the lighthouse and there is
a museum that I did not have time to check out. Now comes the tricky part. Back track and
find Route 138 South, then exit at Route 108 South and follow the signs for the Block
Island Ferry. Go past the Ferry exit and continue to Port Judith arriving at
2:20pm .The keepers house is under repair at the non-accessible LH. I then followed Route
1 South until I found signs for 95South. Continue to Exit 84 South to downtown New London.
2nd light go left on Governor Winthrop Blvd, go straight over railroad tracks,
and bear right to Ferry entrance. Orient Point 4pm ferry. Orient Point LH is now sporting
its 100 years Anniversary Banner "1899-1999". Arrived on LI
5:20pm; viewed Long Beach Bar
LH on the way home; and waved to Horton’s
Point LH in Southold on the way by, traveling west on Sound Ave and Route 25.
(Didn’t see it or stop, but it’s right off Sound Ave and a small sign clearly
marks the way.)
Home Sweet Home 6:30pm.
Written By Bob Scroope |