For the past few years, my wife has wanted to visit the lighthouses on the Outer Banks of North Carolina so with a little extended vacation time this year we decided to undertake the journey on our way to the beach in Oak Island, NC. On this trip we visited a total of 5 lighthouses over three days including lighthouses of Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke Island, Bald Head Island, and Oak Island.
Bodie Island Light Station
The Bodie Island Lighthouse lies about 6 miles south of Nags Head and is one of the lesser known jewels of the east coast lighthouse system. As you drive down US 12 and make the right turn onto Lighthouse Road you wonder, “why am I driving into the woods to see a lighthouse?” However, once you climb the lighthouse you see that you are not as far from the beach as you think.
When arriving, you are greeted by a visitor center containing the ticket office and gift shop. Touring hours are 9 AM – 5 PM and tickets cost $10 each. They are timed and a 1 to 1 1/2 wait is not uncommon. We arrived at approximately 12:50 and our climb tickets were for 2:30, however between the gift shop, a boardwalk with views of the marsh, and a short rest our wait passed quickly.
Before the actual climb we were greeted by a ranger who provided us with basic a safety information and a brief overview of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was originally constructed in 1847 and was built un an unsupported brick foundation. Within two years the lighthouse began leaning and after several unsuccessful attempts to repair it the lighthouse was eventually abandoned in 1859.
The second, constructed at a nearby site in 1859, resolved the issue of structural soundness however, it fell victim to an unforeseen danger, it was blown up by confederate troops in the Civil War who feared that it would be used by Union forces.
1871, construction began on the began on the third and present day lighthouse. The new lighthouse was built on a 15 acre plot of land north of the Oregon Inlet on land was purchased from John Etheridge for the sum of $150.00. Markers designating the corners of the original property markers are still visible today.
We have climbed several lighthouses and this one ranks as one of our favorites. Of particular note is the floating staircase which, unlike many lighthouses, is attached only at the top and bottom of the lighthouse. The lighthouse is 168 feet tall and is lighted by a first order Fresnel lens which is made up of prisms arranges in a particular pattern in order to magnify the light.
Should You Wish to Visit:
From the third Friday in April to Columbus Day in October the Bodie Island Lighthouse is open for self-guided climbs. The address is 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road Nags Head, North Carolina 27959
Cape Hatteras Light Station
Following our visit to Bodie Island we traveled south on Highway 12 through the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to the town of Buxton, NC where we spent the night at the Cape Pines Motel, a quaint mom local hotel near the lighthouse and approximately 15-20 minutes from the Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry Terminal.
We arrived at our motel around 5:00. After checking in we headed out to the beach at the recommendation of the desk clerk. There is a wonderful beach just a few minutes away. To get there you follow the signs to the lighthouse entrance. After turning in the entrance to the lighthouse, turn take the first left to the parking area. There are two parking areas, I would recommend going to the one that is further away and to the left as it is closer to the beach and you have a better view of the parking area while at the beach. We have a wonderful time at the beach: watching the ghost crabs popping up from the sand witnessing two weddings!
The following morning we proceeded to the lighthouse, arriving around 9:15 AM. We were glad we were early as by the time we got to the top around 10:30 it was getting quite warm. The view from the top is quite good are you in the Atlantic Ocean and keep pointing to the South.
You will also notice four markers at the bottom of the base outlining the original the location of the original Lighthouse before the reconstruction. The park rangers were very informative and helpful and we met a lot of nice people after about 30 minutes you made our journey back down the stairs and after a brief visit to the Museum and Gift Shop or on our way to Ocracoke.
Should You Wish to Visit:
The visitor center is open year-round and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is open for guided climbing tours From the third Friday in April to Columbus Day in October.
https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/lighthouseclimbs.htm
Ocracoke Island Light Station
While it doesn’t appear to be far, the Ocracoke ferry is about a 20-25 minute drive from the lighthouse. After an enjoyable ferry ride and a stop for lunch, we arrived at the Ocracoke lighthouse. Unlike the other lighthouses on our journey this one is not available for public tours or climbing. It is at the end of a residential neighborhood about 7-8 blocks off the main highway.
The current lighthouse is actually the second lighthouse to be built on Ocracoke Island. Construction of the original lighthouse began in 1794, construction began on Shell Castle Island, a small island located between Ocracoke and Portsmouth Island to the south.
Unfortunately, the lighthouse was obsolete in less than 20 years due to the migration of the main channel and was destroyed in lightning strike in 1818. In 1822, for a the federal government purchased two acres at the south end of Ocracoke Island as the site for a new lighthouse. It was Constructed by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter and finished in 1823, the tower still stands today.
The lighthouse stands about 75 feet tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet at the base to 12 feet at its peak. The walls are solid brick – 5 feet thick at the bottom tapering to 2 feet at the top. An octagonal lantern crowns the tower and houses the light beacon.
The exterior’s solid white coloration serves as its identifying mark to mariners by day. The original whitewash “recipe” called for blending lime, salt, spanish whiting, rice, glue, and boiling water. The mixture was applied while still hot.
Early in the Civil War, the lens was dismantled by Confederate troops but was re-installed in 1864 by Union forces. Originally an oil-burning light, the Ocracoke Light was electrified in the early decades of the 1900s. The present light is equal to 8,000 candlepower and casts a stationary beam that can be seen 14 miles at sea. A battery-powered back-up light operates during power.
Keepers performed a wide range of duties. Maintaining the buildings and grounds, hauling oil, trimming wicks, and polishing the lens were part of a well-trained regulated life.
Fully automated, the lighthouse no longer needs a resident lightkeeper and the United States Coast Guard now oversees the operation of the light. The Ocracoke Light is the second oldest operating lighthouse in the nation. Though the lighthouse is not open for climbing, the site can be visited daily. (Source: National Park Service). If you are a collector of the National Park Service lighthouse passport stamps, you may obtain your stamp at the National Park Service information center across near the ferry terminal.
Bald Head Island Light
Old Baldy is constructed of brick and mortar covered in a layer of whitewashed stucco. When Old Baldy was deactivated in 1935 and the lighthouse was abandoned large pieces of the stucco eventually began to fall off the lighthouse. Occasionally someone would come along and patch the lighthouse with new stucco which eventually resulted in the patch work quilt of different stucco patterns that we see today.
Old Baldy is 110 feet tall, has 108 steps, and 5 landing on the wooden circular staircase which is attached to the outer walls. The walls sit on a 36 foot octagon base, are 5 feet thick at the base and 14.6 feet wide at the top with a short ladder leading into the lantern room. If you’d like to know more please visit https://www.oldbaldy.org
Oak Island Lighthouse
Our journey ends at perhaps one of our favorite lighthouses, maybe because we’ll be retiring here, the Oak Island Lighthouse which is operated and maintained by Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse, Caswell Beach, NC. Oak Island consists of the towns of Caswell Beach and Oak Island.
Completed in 1958 at a total cost of $110,000.00, structure is 153 feet tall and sits on a slight rise making the actual height above the water 169 feet, and it is so reported on nautical charts. Unlike most lighthouses which have spiral staircases, this lighthouse has a series of ships ladder staircases which run directly up the center of the lighthouse with a total of 131 steps.
Also unlike other lighthouses, the tower is not a tapered design but the tower has a uniform inside diameter of 16 feet 4 3/4 inches. The main tower is 128 feet tall and was poured continuously into a movable form that was raised by jacks at the rate of one foot per hour. This required that a concrete mixing plant was set up on the site to allow for the continuous 24 hour a day operation for 7 days a week. The walls are 8 inches thick, and the three stripe color pattern is permanently cast into the concrete by using different shades of Portland cement.
Since the lighthouse is not run by the National Park Service but rather a private volunteer organization it is not open every day. Free tours to the second level (NOT to the top) are offered every Wednesday and Saturday (10 AM – 2 PM) ONLY starting Memorial Day and running through Labor Day. Visitors climb 1 level (12 steps) for anyone age 7 and up. A docent will provide information about the lighthouse and answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in a climbing to the top, tour reservations may be requested and are generally offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Sundays. For tour reservations seE http://www.oakislandlighthouse.org/tour-information/