North Carolina - Cape Lookout Lighthouse

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is located on the southern half of Core Banks, NC. This is the second lighthouse built at Cape Lookout. The first was built in 1812 and this one in 1859. This tower is 163-feet above sea level and has 201-steps. The red brick tower at Cape Lookout became the prototypal for all lighthouses erected on the Outer Banks. It received its distinctive day-mark "diagonal checkerboard" design in 1873. The lantern room has a 15-second rotation light signal which is provided by a duplex airport type beacon. Cape Lookout's first-order Fresnel lens was removed in the 1970's, and at the time of my visit here in 2000, it was reported as in service at the Southeast Lighthouse in Block Island, RI. The light in Cape Lookout is owned and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The lighthouse is closed to the public, but the keeper's quarters located near the base of the lighthouse was open seasonally.

Cape Lookout National Seashore could be reached by ferry at the time of my visit. There are no stores or places to get fresh water on the island, so water and other supplies had to be packed in. The two spots on my picture are reflection from the sun off my camera lens .

North Carolina - Oak Island Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located on Oak Island, NC. It was built in 1958 and is the Coast Guard's newest reinforced concrete tower. It stands 169-feet high. This silo-style tower was erected by using a Swedish-developed "moving slip form." Concrete was poured and once that section dried, the form was moved up to complete the next section. Colors were integrated into the concrete. The top third of the tower black, the middle third white, and the bottom third gray. It never has to be painted. The lantern gallery was set in place using a helicopter.

The foundation of the lighthouse is 70-feet down and sits on bedrock. The lighthouse is designed to sway 3-inches at the top in a 100-MPH plus wind.

The beacon in the tower is the second strongest light in the world, and has a range of 24-miles. The light produces such a powerful heat that repairmen must wear protective clothing when working in the beacon room. This lighthouse has 134-steps to the lantern room level and are not set in a spiral staircase.

At the time of my visit here in 2000, the lighthouse was not open to the public, however, photos could be taken from outside the compound.

North Carolina - Price Creek Front Range Light

The Price Creek Front Range Light is located on the west bank of the Cape Fear River, above Southport, NC. It was built in 1849 as part of a range light system. This lighthouse was built 20-feet high and is shorter in height than the second lighthouse which would be located several yards to the rear of this front light. The mariner would align his ship so it would be aligned with the front light directly in line with the rear light. This enabled the ship's captain to know he was on a safe course to enter the harbor or particular channel of water.

This lighthouse was constructed of brick, and although only 20-feet high, the walls are 3-feet thick at the bottom and taper to 2-feet thick at the top. The lantern room was originally equipped with a series of lanterns and reflectors to provide the light. In 1855 a sixth-order Fresnel lens replaced the lanterns and reflectors.

During the Civil War the lighthouse was used as a Confederates States Signal Station. The lighthouse suffered considerable damage during the war and was never refurbished.

I photographed this lighthouse in the year 2000 from across the river using a 500mm lens.

North Carolina - Bald Head Lighthouse

The Bald Head Lighthouse is located on Bald Island off the coast of Southport, NC. The first lighthouse built here in 1794 suffered severe erosion and it was replaced in 1817. Old Baldy, as it is affectionately known to the locals, is the State's oldest lighthouse. Unlike the other NC lights, Old Baldy is octagonal in shape. It stands 90-feet high and was built of brick. The exterior was plastered to provide the tower with an off-white as a day-mark. In 1855 a third-order Fresnel lens replaced the series of lanterns and reflectors previously used to provide the light.

In 1935 the lighthouse was decommissioned and later sold to a private owner in 1963. Years later, it was donated to the Old Baldy Foundation. In the early 1990's the lighthouse underwent restoration.

Bald Head Island is a private residential community which is accessible only by passenger ferry. I regret not having time to make the ferry trip when I visited here in 2000. Although the light was inactive the lighthouse was open for tours. I took this picture using a 500mm lens with 2X coupler.