I don’t use exclamation points in titles that often (actually I don’t think I ever have), and Boston Light’s official “birthday” isn’t until tomorrow, and the story of a visit out to the national treasure that is Boston Light with my cute little family and our cute little friend Julie is a great way to celebrate the start of what’s going to be “The Never-Ending Summer Of Awesome™.” And that’s not all!
Our visit was made extra special is thanks to the wonderful tour guides, and Sally the lighthouse keeper, and the Coast Guard auxiliary members, and the Boston Harbor Islands volunteers, and the smiling boat captain and crew that took us on the sea, and even the bona fide Coast Guard Admiral we met out on that rocky little island (Little Brewster) has me feeling down right lucky.
And oh yeah, the day was as sun-kissed and perfect as the Bay State can serve up.
I may have logged a bunch of air miles recently and sailed on some pretty fast boats but, it just goes to show that some of the coolest things around can be pretty close to home.
Talk about living, breathing history. There’s been a light on that little island guiding ships in and out of Boston since 1716 when the first keeper kept the candle lit. It’s the site of America’s first lighthouse. And of course, the first tower was blown up by the British in 1776. The current tower was re-built in 1783. The current tower is the 2nd oldest active lighthouse in the country (behind the tower on Sandy Hook, New Jersey). These days, Boston Light’s gorgeous 12 sided Fresnel Lens focuses a 1,000 watt bulb to produce and 1,800,000 candlepower light that’s visible for 27 nautical miles.
But as I said, it was incredibly cool to get up close and personal with such historic stuff that’s still in use. But everything about the trip was special.
The climb up the spiral stairs.
The climbing up the ladder to get to the “lens room.”
And chance to slow down and ponder our surroundings was pretty special too.
And I was even inspired to get kinda artsy. This one below has a Mediterranean vibe in spite of the fact that it doesn’t get any more New England than a lighthouse on a rocky coast.
And I love how much our little one seems to love the sea. Quite at home wouldn’t you say, no? And I love the plane in the background too.
The good feelings from this cool place are contagious. I mean check out Sally the lightkeeper and her husband. Do they look happy or what? They are. And Sally rocks the period garb simply because she rocks.
We even met Coast Guard Rear Admiral Linda L Fagan (sitting next to Sam in the blue hat) who oversees all Coast Guard missions across eight states in the Northeast including over 2,000 miles of Coastline from the U.S.-Canadian border to northern New Jersey and 1,300 miles offshore. She commands more than 11,000 active duty, reserve, civilian and auxiliary personnel, and employs 30 cutters, 200 boats and 8 aircraft. And she couldn’t have been nicer.
As a sailor, I’m incredibly grateful for and humbled by all that the Coast Guard does for us. And meeting Admiral Fagan was just more proof of how awesome those men and women are.
So, if you have never explored all that the Boston Harbor Islands have to offer do it. Soon! And take it from me, Boston Light is special.