NLPS Update
Eastham, Massachusetts, May 2008
This Oil House
May, 2008
Restoration of the oil house began in September 2007 with the replacement of the slate roof. The old slate was removed with as much as possible being salvaged for reinstallation. Several rotted beams and the wood sheathing were replaced followed by the installation of the old and new slate with new copper nails. A crew of five NLPS members became very adept at measuring, laying out, cutting, drilling holes, and installing the slate on the roof. It was hard work with a professional-looking result. A very satisfying job for those involved. After much historical research, a new cupola and door have been designed and will be constructed by a professional builder.
While the oil house was under the ownership of the Coast Guard, it was painted white, so the exterior brick has been restored to that time period. Now that restoration is nearing completion, plans are moving forward to create a small museum in the oil house, which would be open to the public during tours.
In February, the fire crew from the park, assisted by a number of volunteers, cleared brush and dead trees from the site. The view has been greatly enhanced and is in keeping with the historical time period.
Top Left Photo, the restoration crew, left to right: David Gray, Shirley Sabin, Betsy Richards, Richard Ryder, Sherm Lovering
Lighthouse Tours 2008
March, 2008
Our 2008 tour schedule begins Sunday, May 11 on Mother's Day. We will then be open for tours every Sunday through October as well as Wednesdays in July and August. Click here to view the dates and times the tower will be open.
We're planning on another great season and look forward to seeing you.
Full MoonTour Success
November, 2007
The Full Moon Tour was a success! We had 166 visitors, who generously contributed to our donation box.
Unfortunately, it was not a bright moonlit night all evening, but we did see the moon rise. It was visible for a short time before going behind clouds, and then it popped out again for another few minutes. Nobody seemed to mind and everyone had a great time.
This was the public's first opportunity to be in the lighthouse at night, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Our plans are to do the tour again next year, so perhaps some of you can come and join the fun. We will keep you posted.
Full Moon Tour
October, 2007
Let us show you the magic of full moon at Nauset Light. Bring a flashlight and meet us at the Nauset Light Beach parking lot, off Cable Road in Eastham for the Full Moon Tour of Nauset Light. Friday October 26, from 5:30pm - 8:00pm.
April Northeaster
April, 2007
The three-day Northeaster, April 16-19, 2007, with astronomically high tides, took its toll at Nauset Light Beach. Unfortunately, during the night high tide early Thursday morning, the stairs succumbed to the relentless pounding of the surf and undercutting of the bank. They broke away. At this time, it is unknown how many feet of bank were lost, but the erosion appears to be significant.
The post marking the center of where Nauset Light stood before it was moved in 1996 is now only a little more than two feet from the edge of the cliff, which appears to be severely undercut below. The post could be claimed by the sea at any time. We're thankful it is just a post marking the spot that is about to go over the edge and not the lighthouse itself. The tower is safely across the road. We appreciate your continued interest in Nauset Light and welcome your support. Your generosity keeps the light operating and open to the public.
View Improvements
March, 2007
On February 20 and March 1, 2007, volunteers from Nauset Light Preservation Society and Friends of Cape Cod National Seashore assisted David Crary, Jr., and his National Park Service fire crew with cutting and clearing the grounds of Nauset Light. Dead trees and invasive brush were cleared. The much-needed enhancement has opened up the view of the tower, as well as the view of the ocean from the lighthouse grounds. We hope you enjoy the new improvements.
Conrad Nobili
November, 2006
We are deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of our most ardent supporter, Conrad Nobili, on October 25, 2006. Conrad, along with his wife, Pam, our present treasurer, was instrumental in the formation of the Nauset Light Preservation Society in 1993. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
New Officers
November, 2006
Election of officers was held during our November board meeting. New officers are Sarah Mumford, President; Richard Ryder, Vice President; Shirley Sabin, Clerk; Pamela Nobili, Treasurer. We extend our heartfelt thanks to retiring president, Bud Griffin for his hard work, dedication and support.
Welcome in...
April, 2006
Thanks to the expertise of our past president, Richard Ryder, Nauset Light has a new outside door to replace the one made of black-painted plywood that was installed by the Coast Guard many years ago. The new door is also plywood and is temporary, but it is a big improvement. Eventually we hope to replace it with an authentic copy of an original door. In the meantime, we will enjoy the results of Richard's fine effort.
Painting the Tower, part 2
November, 2005
Despite unexpected delays due to hurricanes and a Northeaster, the painting of the light has been completed.
The vinyl envelope that covered the tower to contain overspray from the paint made it difficult to document the progress, so we have very few photographs of the project. Just before the painting was totally completed, the storms arrived, and the force of the high winds tore away the vinyl. That was an impressive sight, but it canceled our planned "unveiling". J. Goodison Co. finished the final touch-ups on October 27, 2005, and the tower looks magnificent once more.
Future plans include replacing the exterior door of the tower with an authentic replica of the original, painting the interior of the light and restoring the oil house.
Thank you for your interest and continued support.
Painting the Tower, part 1
October, 2005
The repainting of the tower has finally begun. After many months, the paperwork was completed, proposals received, a contractor selected and final details put in place.
J. Goodison Co., Inc. of East Providence, RI, is the contractor, and work began on September 15, 2005. The scope of the project includes sealing and resurfacing the deck, repairing and replacing the railing as needed, and prepping, caulking and painting the exterior of the tower. The project is expected to take two to three weeks, depending upon the weather.
Scaffolding has been erected, and the tower is now totally encased in vinyl. Although the vinyl will prevent visitors from following the day-to-day progress, it will keep the area cleaner and prevent the paint from blowing onto neighboring surfaces. All workers will follow required safety procedures and wear proper protection.
The lighthouse will continue to be open for tours on Sundays from 1-4 p.m. until October 30.
The blizzard of 2005
January, 2005
The blizzard of January 22-23, 2005, paralyzed Cape Cod with hurricane-force winds and more than three feet of snow. In some places, drifts were six feet or higher. Nauset Light weathered the storm well, but there was considerable erosion of the coastal bank. The storm hit during the time of a full moon, which resulted in an astronomically high tide. This caused several feet of the bank to wash away. This photo, taken on January 24, shows the aftermath of the erosion. Note the concrete blocks on the beach. They were part of the foundation of a building that once stood on top of the bank.
2004 in review
January, 2005
In 2001, Richard Ryder was elected President of the Nauset Light Preservation Society. He has been outstanding during his three-year tenure. Richard's biggest accomplishment was drafting and overseeing the formation of the Partnership Agreement with the National Park Service. Superintendent Maria Burks and Richard Ryder officially signed the Agreement on May 24, 2004. Richard retired as president in October 2004.
We were deeply saddened by the death of our treasurer, George Abbott, in August 2004. George served as treasurer since 1993, the year NLPS was organized. His passing represents a tremendous loss to his family, the Society and the Town of Eastham.
The annual meeting of the Nauset Light Preservation Society was held on September 29, 2004. New officers for 2005 were elected: President - Bud Griffin, Vice President - Sara Mumford, Clerk - Richard Ryder, Treasurer - Pam Nobili. We thank them for agreeing to lead the group as we continue our mission of maintaining the light, keeping it lit and making Nauset Light accessible to the public.
Our tour schedule for 2005 has been set. In addition to our usual Sunday tours, the light will be open on Wednesday afternoons from 1-4 p.m. during the month of July. Please note that parking fees may apply for all afternoon tours.
Would you like to be more active in NLPS? Volunteer to help with the tours. We have a dedicated group, but we are always happy to welcome more. Some people volunteer only once during a season, and others more often, depending upon when they are available. It's fun, it's easy and we provide the necessary historical information. You may audit tours as often as you like. Interested? Send us an e-mail or give us a call at 508-240-2612.
Now that the Partnership Agreement is in place, we can move forward with our most pressing project - painting the tower. A subcommittee is actively working to obtain approval from the park to solicit bids and award a contract as soon as possible.
We look forward to seeing many of you during our 2005 season.
Partnership Agreement signed
June, 2004
On May 24, 2004, the long-awaited Partnership Agreement between the Nauset Light Preservation Society and the National Park Service was signed. NLPS president Richard Ryder and Cape Cod National Seashore superintendent Maria Burks affixed their signatures to the agreement. It will be in effect for five years, after which time, the agreement will be subject to renewal. Past presidents Hawkins Conrad and Pam Nobili were among those attending the signing.
Under the agreement, NLPS operates Nauset Light as a private aid to navigation, and is responsible for all utilities, repair and maintenance associated with the tower and the oil house. The terms of the agreement prohibit the society from operating a gift shop on National Seashore property, so our sources of income are limited to memberships in NLPS, memorial gifts and donations. The lighthouse tours are still free, but we do accept contributions from our visitors. We thank you for your continued generous support.
Northeaster Erosion
December, 2003
Once again, the enormous power of the ocean was evident on Sunday, December 7, 2003. A three-day Northeaster consisting of snow, rain and high winds roared through New England. These photos were taken at the top of the stairs leading to Nauset Light Beach at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, one-half hour before high tide. The battering of the bank continued for several more hours. The resulting erosion is evident in the photos taken three days later.
12/7/03
12/10/03
The Winter Beach
January, 2003
The 2002-2003 winter season began with a severe Northeaster in November. Since then, there have been at least two more Northeasters, with the latest one on January 4. The result has been extensive erosion all along the outer bank, including Nauset Light beach.
Many of our visitors are familiar with the summer beach, but most have never seen the ocean during a severe storm. The photos show how powerful and dangerous the ocean becomes when the height of the storm strikes at high tide. The waves pound against the bottom of the cliff and gouge out large amounts of sand that is carried out to sea. The sand above the gouged area becomes unstable and falls down the cliff to the beach.
Although the top of the bank is severely undercut, it generally has grass, shrubs or trees growing on it, so several days or weeks may pass before it, too, breaks off and falls onto the beach. Eventually, the sand smoothes itself out and the bank looks like it did before. The only difference is that the cliff can be as little as a few feet or as much as twenty feet inland from where it was before the storm.
The photos were taken at high tide on January 4, 2003. One photo shows the waves climbing up the cliff, and the other, the undercut bank. The red and white stake is where Nauset Light stood before the lighthouse was moved in 1996. When installed, the stake was 30-35 feet from the edge of the cliff and now it is only 3-4 feet away. Had the lighthouse not been moved, it would have long ago been removed from the site. Thanks to the generosity of all our many friends and supporters, Nauset Light is safe and remains an important part of Eastham's maritime history.
You Were There...
June, 2002
We have something new for all our friends who have U.S. Lighthouse Society passports - a Nauset Light stamp. When you come, bring along your passport, and you can officially record your visit.
We're looking forward to another busy and successful season. See you at the light!
50,000 Lighthouse Lovers
June, 2002
Thanks to everyone who has surfed to www.nausetlight.org over the years. We've just had visitor number 50,000 to our web site since it was created in 1996!
Build your own Nauset Light
December, 2001
What's the diameter of Nauset Light? We now have a measured drawing of the tower posted, with helpful dimensions for model builders. Thanks to Hawkins Conrad for his accurate measurements and illustration. Look for more additions to the web site in 2002.
Nauset Light Video
June 1998
The video is here! RESCUED The Story of Nauset Light is now available for sale. The thirty-two minute VHS video is the story of the history and relocation of Nauset Light, and is a "must have" for all lighthouse lovers. Greg O'Brien wrote the text and Chuck Kraemer did the narration. Get your copy now. Send a check for $16.95 plus $3.00 shipping to:
Nauset Light Preservation Society
P. O. Box 941
Eastham, MA 02642.
Please make your checks payable to Nauset Light Preservation Society. Questions? Send an e-mail or phone us at 508-240-2612.
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NLPS Update photos © 2000-2008 Shirley Sabin
