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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
