Public invited to tour local lighthouses

After a nine-year hiatus, the Delaware River and Bay Lighthouse Foundation successfully held back-to-back tours June 16. The weather was picture-perfect with sunny skies and light winds, ideal for a visit to the lighthouses.

Both tours were sold out. Tour patrons were picked up by the Delaware Launch Service at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal and cruised past the Delaware Breakwater East End Light for pictures. Then they proceeded to the Harbor of Refuge for a one-hour guided tour of the lighthouse.

Lighthouse enthusiasts were treated to the sight of dolphins and skin divers along the breakwater wall. They were allowed to climb the light and get the best view of Lewes from the top deck.

Foundation organizers were thrilled to make the tours accessible to the general public after such a long delay, caused by dock issues that have plagued the project since 2002. The new dock that was constructed in 2016 made restoration work, parties and tours possible again.

Upcoming tours are set for 3 and 4 p.m., Saturday, July 21; 1 and 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 18; 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 8; and 9 and 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 22. For more information or to register, go to www.delawarebaylights.org.

The foundation is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that depends on its volunteers and donors for preservation and restoration. Volunteers educate the public on the Delaware Bay lighthouses, with prime focus on the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse.