I’m very pleased to
be able to greet all of you lighthouse lovers from the “Lantern
Room” again. Most of you know that the NELL website has been
unchanged since last year when our webmaster at the time, Ray Patnaude, was
unable to continue, due to his real work requiring more of his time. Ray
certainly did a fine job with the old site and I wish to thank him for all of
the hours he spent volunteering his time and knowledge to keep the old site
going for NELL.
We have a
new Webmaster
in Penny Miller, a charter member of NELL, who just recently
took on the job of learning all she could about hosting a website. She and
husband Randy live in Somers, CT and also have a home on Cape Cod. You remember
them, I’m sure, from the May 2001 Cape Cod outing that they coordinated. It was
a wonderful outing. We were fortunate to have Nancy Younger (Harbour
Lights) as our special guest for the weekend, and Tim Harrison, American
Lighthouse Foundation (ALF), as our guest speaker. The outing was perfectly
planned down to the menus that Penny had on the bus tour. She could call our
lunch order in ahead of time (from the bus) so it would be ready when the bus
arrived.
Penny has put this
same planning and effort into learning how to build a website and I wish to
thank her for getting us back online. I hope that many of you will visit the
new site as well as contribute to it. You may access the new site at:
http://www.nell.cc/
NELL held it’s
second winter lighthouse tour, aptly titled Lighthouses, Hot Chocolate &
YOU 2002 in January. This year we visited some of the lighthouses of
Rhode Island. Our dear friend Doug Bingham (ALF, U.S.C.G. Lightship
Sailors Assn., NELL), who planned last year’s event, did a splendid job again
and the turnout for this event topped last year by 33%, with a showing of 60
lighthouse lovers.
Our tour started at
Ida Lewis Yacht Club (Lime Rock Lighthouse) where we were shown the
inside of the lighthouse. Renovations are being made to the entire inside in
order to bring it back in line with how it was when Ida Lewis lived there. It
was noted that Ida used to sleep in a room not far from the lantern, just across
the hall. She would place the head of her bed in the direction of the lantern
so she could check on the light during the night.
The lantern as seen from
the outside, is not what you
would call a lantern room but rather a cubbyhole.
Bob Tellier Photo |
From the second floor
inside Ida Lewis' lighthouse
you can view the Newport Bridge, in the distance
past the lantern. |
The next stop for
our tour was Castle Hill Lighthouse on Narragansett Bay. This stout
looking structure is build into the rocky cliffs and has a steep stairway down
the rocks to its door. The U.S.C.G. was on hand to open the door and to educate
us about the lighthouse. It was a very windy day and just off shore was a
sailboat and crew tacking back and forth against the force of the storm.
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| Milton & Eleanor
Banker and Jeanne Panciera move to allow Norman Bosse to descend the
tight stairway inside Castle Hill Lighthouse |
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Dennis Cosmo Jr.,
U.S.C.G. Lightship Sailors Assn., was also on hand to explain some significant
history and artifacts dealing with our maritime history and lightships. Dennis
brought with him some limited edition collector coins to help raise funds
for the U.S.C.G. Lightship Sailors Memorial located in New Bedford, MA.
If you are interested in obtaining one of these coins you may contact Dennis via
email
wlv613@hotmail.com
|
or write to him
at:
Dennis M. Cosmo Jr.
50
Belvedere St.
Johnston, RI 02919
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Did I mention that
the mode of transportation was made up of 25 cars in a caravan, all sporting an
American flag waving proudly in the wind? Along the way were asked “who was
coming to town” and “who died” by several onlookers, and we were given the
right-of-way by motorists who probably thought we were part of a funeral
procession or a government official’s cavalcade. Spirits were high as we pulled
into the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel, on which grounds is located Goat
Island Lighthouse.
Awaiting our
arrival at Goat Island Light was Bill Collette (ALF VP) who opened the
door to the lighthouse for us. This lighthouse comes under the care of ALF and
just recently had some work done on her to keep her in shape.
|
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Maureen "Mo" Kitching
descends the stairs inside Goat Island Light |
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There is more work
to be done on this lighthouse (i.e. painting of lantern room rails, etc.) and
NELL expects to put the call out for volunteers for a workgroup this Spring. If
you are interested in being part of this please, let me know, email me at
spooler@snet.net .
Our next stop was to
the cemetery where Ida Lewis is buried, less than 3 minutes from Goat
Island. As our caravan pulled into the cemetery I couldn’t help but think of
this American lighthouse hero, who saved some 20 or more lives while at Lime
Rock Lighthouse. As our group gathered around Ida’s gravesite for a short flag
laying ceremony I was proud of how her legend lives on in all of us who love
lighthouses and wish to preserve them, and their history, for future generations
to enjoy.
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Shirin Pagels (Left) and
Elinor DeWire prepare to place flags at the grave of Ida Lewis |
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It was soon time to
head for the final official destination of this trip, so it was off to Jamestown
and the southernmost tip of Conanicut Island, home to Beavertail Lighthouse.
This would take us over the Newport Bridge, from which we could see Rose Island
Light and a beautiful expansive view of Newport Harbor.
By the time we
arrived at Beavertail Light the wind and travel had taken it’s toll on many of
the folks in the tour, who hadn’t eaten since early in the day. It was about
1:30 PM and we were starting to feel hunger pains. Fortunately, the
Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Assn. (BLMA) greeted us with an assortment of
homemade goodies (including cookies, pastries, hot chocolate & coffee) spread
out for the taking, inside the museum not far from their beautiful Fresnel lens.
While many warmed
up with a hot drink and a bite of homemade pastry they listened to the BMLA
members tell the history of Beavertail, our nations fourth lighthouse station.
This station was first established in 1749 to mark the east and west entrances
to Narragansett Bay.
Rejuvenated by the
warmth of both the refreshments and welcome the docents of BMLA provided, we
were able to climb the tower to the top of the lighthouse for a spectacular
view.
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Donna Eno (left) and
Dottie Mastrullo walk
around the platform outside the lantern room
of Beavertail Light.
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Frank Carbone, NELL Preservation
Co-Chair, presents a donation check
of $250 to Linda Warner, BMLA.
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I wish to thank all
of the wonderful folks who made this day a very special one, indeed. Doug
Bingham especially, for his work in coordinating it and for being the
knowledgeable and caring guide that he is. Without Doug’s contacts within the
lighthouse community this trip would not have happened. Due to all who
participated NELL donated a total of $600 for lighthouse preservation.
Looking to the
future are the plans made by Tom & Arlene Pregman for our Spring
Business Meeting and the tour of all five of the Lighthouses of Martha’s
Vineyard. This tour, scheduled for Saturday, May 18th, filled up
in a matter of just a few days and it promises to be very busy and loaded with
fun. I look forward to seeing many of you on this tour and at the business
meeting in Falmouth in May. Remember it is time to nominate officers of the
club for the next term.
The Meeting will be
our first ever breakfast meeting on Sunday, May 19th at the Falmouth
Inn, with breakfast starting around 8:30 AM. The actual meeting will start
about 9:00 AM. If you plan to attend and haven’t yet indicated such to Tom &
Arlene, please contact them at
tomarpregman@webtv.net or phone 203.287.8064.
Breakfast is $6.25 per person.
Other upcoming
events, including the Harbour Lights Regional in New Jersey, Bill & Nancy
signings at Collectors World (Eastham, MA), Lighthouse Depot (Wells, ME) and
Melissa’s Hallmark (Guilford, CT) can be found on our new website.
I hope that this
finds you all in good spirits, good health and good company.
“Keep
the Flame”,
Ron
~~~ Home
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