Lighthouses of Cape Cod

Nauset Lighthouse

 On a recent trip out east, my husband and I took a day trip down to Cape Cod to photograph a few of the lighthouses along the coast.  The photo above shows Nauset lighthouse.  If this one looks familiar to you it is because it is on out package of Cape Cod Potato Chips.  In the 1800's this lighthouse was an important navigational aid, today it is fully automated and used as a private navigation aid.

Chatham Lighthouse

Here is a link to an article I wrote for Review This on   Chatham Lighthouse   .  It is pictured in the photos above and below here.  This lighthouse, built in 1823, was one of two "twin" lighthouses and is located on the "elbow" of Cape Cod.  The second lighthouse was relocated to Eastham and is pictured at the beginning of this article.

Three Sisters Lighthouses

These three lighthouses once were located on the Eastham coast of Massachusetts.  Due to erosion they needed to be moved.  Today they reside in a park near the Nauset lighthouse for tourists to view of piece of history.                                                            

Stage Harbor Lighthouse

The Lighthouse above is Stage Harbor light.  This light operated from 1880 to 1933.  Today it serves as a private residence.    

Here is a link to some of my Cape Cod lighthouses on Zazzle.  https://www.zazzle.com/collections/massachusetts_lighthouses-119831439995416571     

Cape Cod lighthouses on Zazzle

Point Loma Lighthouse San Diego

New Point Loma Lighthouse

Mid Coast Maine Lighthouses

Three Mid Coast Maine Lighthouses

In the 1800's the mid coast of Maine was a thriving economy for limestone, ship building and fishing.  The harbors in the area were bustling with business and a need for lighthouses arose.

On a visit in June 2017 we stopped at three of these lighthouses.

Marshall Point Lighthouse

In the photo at the top you see Marshall Point Lighthouse which stands in the harbor near the town of Port Clyde.  It is a very picturesque lighthouse and was fun to visit and photograph.  The long gangplank leading up to the lighthouse was seen in the movie Forest Gump.  You can read more about the lighthouse and Port Clyde in this article Review of Port Clyde

Owls Head Lighthouse

Owls Head lighthouse is located at the eastern edge of Rockland Harbor.  It sits high on a bluff and is a rather short, squatty looking lighthouse.  Stop by the article on Review This to read more about Owls Head Lighthouse.

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

The third lighthouse we visited was Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.  It sits at the end of a 7/8  mile long granite breakwater that guards Rockland harbor.  This lighthouse is 25 feet tall and was first placed in service in 1902.  It still serves as a US Coast Guard navigational aid.

Owls Head Maine Card
by lighthouseenthusiast

Lighthouse Photos- Using Guide Book

Photographing  Lighthouses

I am an avid photographer and photographing lighthouses is one of my favorite retirement activities.  When I travel to a new area I want to make sure that I find the best places to photograph and the best vantage points from which to photograph.

I have found that the best way to make sure I accomplish my goal is to look at photographs from other photographers that have been to the area.  In the photograph below, I captured this lighthouse off the coast of Maine.  I had seen the photo in a guidebook and I went off to capture the lighthouse from the same point of view.  I found it in the section of the book from the Boothbay area of Maine and I was really fortunate to find that there was a little boat docked in the foreground that I could get in my photo.

The link below shows the guidebook that I used on our trip to Maine.  I found it very helpful in finding places to photograph and in supplying directions to get to each of the locations.  The book is divided into  sections on each area of the Maine coast.  It is easy to follow and full of great photographs.


Here is another photograph I took after following the directions in the guidebook to arrive at Pemaquid Point  Lighthouse.  I love the rock formations leading up to the lighthouse.

To see more about my travels to Maine stop by my blog post at Review This.
Photographing BoothBay Harbor Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.

Old Fort Niagara Lighthouse

Old Fort Niagara Lighthouse

On a recent trip out east we made a stop at Old Fort Niagara lighthouse.  This lighthouse is located about 15 miles north of Niagara Falls in New York State.  It is on the Niagara River at the south shore of Lake Ontario.  We found the lighthouse on the edge of the parking lot of what is now the Visitors Center for Old Fort Niagara.

The original lighthouse on the site was constructed in 1782 on top of the "French Castle"  In 1872 the current lighthouse was established.  It is octagonal in shape and has a black lantern.  It is constructed of limestone and I found it to be one of the most attractive lighthouses I have visited.

Here is a view of Old Fort Niagara that spans a history of more than 300 years.  At different times in the history of the fort it was held by the French, the British and the USA.  The last armed conflict at the fort was the War of 1812. It was used as a training center for American soldiers throughout both World Wars.  The last army units were withdrawn in 1963.  Today it is held by the Coast Guard.

Old Fort Niagara Postcard
by lighthouseenthusiast

Fairport Harbor Ohio

First View of Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse

We were taking a trip out east and on the way I wanted to stop at a few lighthouses along the way.  The first stop was for the Fairport Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse and we followed the directions that led us to a park along Lake Erie.  The lighthouse was not visible from the park, so I took a trail that led through the dunes and was rewarded with the beautiful sight of the lighthouse as seen in the photo above.  It is a square building with the light tower along the far side.  The lighthouse was constructed in 1925 and is currently undergoing a major makeover.

The photo below is one I took from the beach. I like the way the driftwood in the foreground leads your eye up to the lighthouse.

Here is another view of the lighthouse taken from the other side.  We got to it by driving to the little town of Fairport Harbor where the original lighthouse sits.

Below you see the original lighthouse in Fairport Harbor.
It was first put into use in 1825 and was used until the lighthouse
above was  put into use in 1925.

Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light Card
by lighthouseenthusiast

Pemaquid Lighthouse

Pemaquid Lighthouse Maine

Visiting the Lighthouse

I had seen beautiful photos of the lighthouse at Pemaquid Point and was anxious to try my hand at photographing the lighthouse and the shoreline with the beautiful rocks.  We drove north on Hwy 1 in Maine until we reached the town of Damariscotta.  We then took hwy 130 till we reached the end of the point and Pemaquid Lighthouse.

When we first reached the point the fog was very thick, but I got out of the car and started to explore the grounds.  There were lots of beautiful flowers, an art gallery, a fisherman museum, and beautiful scenery in addition to the lighthouse and keepers house.  It is one of the nicest lighthouse areas I have encountered on my quest to photograph lighthouses.  After my exploring the fog began to lift and I captured the lighthouse from various angles.

The Lighthouse as Seen from the Rocks

One of the great features of Pemaquid Point is the beautiful rock formations.  Leading up to the lighthouse is a "frozen wave" rock formation that reaches down to the end of the point.  I had seen the photos and wanted to capture the rocks leading up to the lighthouse.  What I didn't realize is that the only way to capture that look was for me to climb down the hill on the rocks.  I stood and looked at it for a bit and then decided to go for it.  It was definately worth the climb.  There were lots of little flowers blooming in the cracks of the rocks and the entire scene was wonderful.  The climb was a little scary at first, but then it was not really too hard.

The Lighthouse Structure

The lighthouse stands 30 feet above the ground and 79 feet above sea level.  In clear weather the light can be seen for 14 nautical miles.  The white light flashes every 6 seconds and automatically turns on and off at dusk and dawn.  Winding stairs take you to the top of the lighthouse which is open to visitors.

Stop by my Zazzle store for a wide array of Lighthouse gifts.  Lighthouse Gifts and Photos