weekendnb3

The rest of us were treated to a detailed history of the 1938 Hurricane and its devastation of Palmer Island on this date, Sept. 21, the loss of lightkeeper Small's wife, and their continuing "presence in the tower" as told by its present keeper, Mr. Motta. The high water mark is still marked well up on an interior wall. We got to climb to the lantern room with its modern lens. Those present when Chris and Fred Thumm climbed the red spiral ladder got a great chuckle when some unnamed member called out "Two Thumms Up".

Ron and MJ Foster along with Carolyn Carbone enter the tower.	Today's guardian of the Palmer Island Light, Art Motta
"Two Thumms Up" as Fred and Christine climb the red spiral stairs.	Art Motta still feels the presence of Lightkeeper Small and his wife from the Hurricane of 1938. Note the high water mark indicated on the wall.

Our Sat. night dinner meeting was a disappointment in that the restaurant stuck us in much too small a back corner space and provided only one waitress for over 30 members (so she wouldn't have to split the tip). The food was good but service was slow and atmosphere were non-existant. (Editorial comment - We need to hold breakfast meetings and do it in our own room !! These at night try to include too much after a busy day and go way too late, after 10:00 PM this night).

The business meeting accomplished a lot including authorization of funding for three lighthouse restoration projects, and changes in our by-laws. We also discussed a major fund raising event for South East Block Island Light for next August, and conducted the usual drawings and bids on lighthouse memorabilia. One of the highlights of the evening was of course the passing of the paddle and crown. Fred Thumm was annointed Mr. NELL and Arlene Pregman Ms. NELL.

    I'm sure I didn't cover everything, and defer to the Secretary or President to report in more detail on the real business conducted there, but will also mention that Sally Snowman summarized the conference and gave NELL a copy of a manual developed for use in planning school curriculum integrating lighthouse maritime history into various disciplines. She also agreed to work with Nina Wolfson who is very interested in this effort for New Haven, CT schools.

    Oh yes I almost forgot, but he didn't. The Mayor was going to a birthday dinner at the same restaurant as our meeting, so he personally delivered a whole bag of "Port of New Bedford " lighthouse pins for the members. He heard that I had asked Mr. Motta for enough for the group but the Office of Tourism was fresh out. Mayor Kalisz delivered.

    Sunday most of us toured the New Bedford Whaling Museum and Seaman's Bethel (Chapel) in the National Historic Park. The centerpiece of the museum is the Lagoda, the largest ship model in the world, built at half scale, which we boarded, and around which people gather each January for a round-the-clock reading of Moby Dick. In the Bethel a sign denotes Herman Melville's pew and the walls are covered with remembrances of those from New Bedford lost at sea, both historically and from recent times.