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This season, the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation will offer eight Saturday tours to the historic 1926 Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse and the 1885 Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse on May 31, June 14 and June 28, July 12 and July 26, August 9 and August 23, and September 6.
Each tour goes by boat to both lighthouses and includes a narrated history of the structures and stories of the keepers’ lives. Participants get to climb to the top of the lighthouses and stand on the exterior walkways for an unmatched view of Delaware Bay and the Lewes area.
At Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse (the red one), participants can get up close to the historic 1885 Fresnel lens. At Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse (the black and white one), visitors can inspect a more modern aerobeacon optic and see the large solar panels that power a working backup light.
Participants will also learn about the two massive breakwater walls on which the lighthouses stand and see firsthand how powerful storm waves have carried away foundation stones weighing up to 12 tons each. Also included will be information about how the foundation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working together to repair the 100-plus-year-old Harbor of Refuge Breakwater and prevent further damage to the lighthouse.
The cost of the three-hour tour is $75 for those who are not members of the foundation or $65 for members. New memberships are welcome. Reservations are a must because participation is limited by Coast Guard controls on the number of people on the boat.
Any profit from the tours is used by the foundation for the maintenance and preservation of Delaware lighthouses.
Call 302-644-7046 for reservations and additional information.
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