High Light

High Light 120905

The first and third Wednesday of each month a tour of the Amelia Island Lighthouse is offered by the city of Fernandina Beach. The tour takes about an hour, costs only $5.00 per person and is full of the history of the island. RS and I decided today to give it a try.



Amelia Island Lighthouse Sign 120905

We met with several others at the Atlantic Recreation Center just before 10 am. After paying our $5 fee we hopped on a van driven by Scott Mikelson. A short ride later and we were at the lighthouse. We entered a one-story, white building with the insignia of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14-1 on the door.

Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14-1 (120905)

Wow! The coast guard auxiliary ... another thing to research about Amelia Island.

Inside were two members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Judy something (sorry I did not get the name) and Helen O'Hagan Sintes. Judy explained a bit about the history of the lighthouse to start. You can find info about the history at several sites (1, 2, 3). The interesting parts to me were that the lighthouse was moved in the 1830s in about a two-year period from Cumberland Island next door, it is a short lighthouse and one of only a few land-based lighthouses, and it is on the highest coastal land south of New Jersey (60 feet).

Next Helen took over. She is the daughter and granddaughter of the last two lighthouse keepers and grew up at the lighthouse. She is now 78 and recounted stories from her childhood. It was fun hearing about having the fastest boat on Amelia Island, swimming with the alligators in Egan's Creek, artesian wells on the island and what her dad had to do as a lighthouse keeper.

Helen O'Hagan Sintes 120905


Then, we went to the lighthouse. You cannot go up the steps of the lighthouse but you can look up. Here is RS' view.

Lighthouse Steps Looking Up 120905

Near the lighthouse is what we think is the highest point on Amelia Island. RS snapped this shot ... 60 feet above sea level and the place to go if there is a tsunami.

Highest Point on Amelia Island - 60 Feet 120905

At the end we again took the van back to the Atlantic Recreation Center.

Judy(?) and Scott Chatting 120905

One unusual thing I learned is that there is something called a lighthouse passport. You get one of these and, when you visit a lighthouse, you get a stamp in your lighthouse passport. Sounds like fun. The stamp is at the Atlantic Recreation Center.

-CR
Photos by RS