T he Beam Journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc. www.njlhs.org OCEAN LIGHTHOUSE BEGINS A SLOW FADE Tom Hester, The Star-Ledger Staff Used by permission of The Star-Ledger Newspaper Standing atop a pile of rocks in Lower New York Bay nearly four Since Romer Shoal is now a national historic landmark, any new miles north of Sandy Hook, the faded Romer Shoal Lighthouse has owner would not be allowed to change it. Sara Andre, an historic a colorful past and an uncertain future. preservation specialist with the state Department of Environmen- tal Protection, said Romer Shoal got the state and national nods The 109-year old lighthouse was recently honored with a designa- because of its long association with maritime safety in New York tion as an historic site on both the national and state registries. But Harbor and how it was built, a foundation of cast iron plates that doesn’t ensure it will even remain in New Jersey. dropped into the water and filled with concrete. Dirty paint, top half red, bottom half white is peel- Andre said Romer Shoal joins such New Jer- ing all over the building. Rust from saltwater scars sey lighthouses as Sandy Hook, Robbins Reef its cast iron sides. The windows are boarded up like off Bayonne, Cape May, Ship John Shoal in the an abandoned inner-city row house and its only en- Delaware River and the Twin Lights on the state trance is covered by a heavy, vandal proof metal registry. door. The dock is crumbling. Romer Shoal can be seen in the distance from With the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the New the Navesink Twin Lights in Atlantic Highlands York skyline visible in the distance, a feeling of iso- and from the tip of Sandy Hook and up close by lation surrounds the lighthouse. The only signs of boaters and ferry commuters. It is not open to life are large, spooky-looking black-feathered cor- the public for safety reasons. morants, who flap their bony 27-inch wings to dry them in the breeze. Nobody expects this spot at the Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Mike John- edge of New Jersey will go dark because a light is son, the supervisor of lighthouses for the New U. S. Coast Guard Photo needed to ward against the surrounding shoals and York-New Jersey area, said he travels from Romer Shoal during its hayday mark the Swash Channel. Bayonne to Romer Shoal every three months to inspect the rotating light with its plastic lens. Gone is the magnifi- But officials say the Coast Guard, which doesn’t consider main- cent old-style prism-like 4th order Fresnel lens that threw the light- taining lighthouses priority after 9/11, could unload Romer Shoal house beam seaward in the first six decades of the 20th century. to a private preservation group as early as next year. It also could be dismantled and moved to a planned National Lighthouse Mu- The lighthouse is named after the pilot boat William J. Romer, seum on Staten Island. which struck the shoals and sank in 1863. Soon after the lighthouse opened in 1898, one of the keepers mysteriously disappeared. He “The Coast Guard is getting out of the lighthouse business as fast was presumed drowned, but authorities suspected another keeper as humanly possible, and is putting up most of America’s light- until the case turned cold. houses to be taken over by private groups,” said Jerry Roberts, the National Lighthouse Museum director. In 1919, the Navy assigned six signalmen to the lighthouse to re- port ship traffic by telephone to the Daily Shipping Bulletin News- Roberts said if the museum gets expected financial backing, Romer paper in New York. In November 1920, death visited again when Shoal could be dismantled at a cost of up to $3 million and rebuilt one of the sailors drowned in the frigid water when his small boat as a main exhibit on the grounds of the old U. S. Lighthouse Ser- was swamped by the backwash of a larger Navy craft that was vice depot, just to the south of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. If delivering provisions. moved out of state, a modern warning light would replace it. In 1938, the Great Northeast Hurricane roared up the East Coast The Federal government is already offering West Bank and Old and damaged the lighthouse. “The water was black due to this Orchard Light, Romer Shoal’s sister lighthouses in the Lower Bay, gale,” Keeper Herman Westgate jotted in his log. “I have never for private preservation, as long as they are not used for profit and witnessed such a storm in my ten years in the lighthouse.” It is not are maintained as navigation aids. So far, only the People for the unusual in a gale for waves to splash over the second floor level. Ethical Treatment of Animals has shown interest. PETA wants to use at least one of the lighthouses as a place to teach the public that During World War II, the lighthouse was also used as a lookout fish feel pain and should not be caught and eaten. Continued on Page 3 Number 75 T he Beam March 2009 In this issue of The Beam there are stories LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT of rainbows and lighthouses, Romer Shoal in Mary Beth Doherty New York’s Harbor, West Point Lighthouse on the Hudson River in New York, Kilauea Happy New Year…Happy Spring! I hope you had a wonderful Point in Hawaii, and Cape Canaveral Light- holiday season and are looking forward to many lighthouse ad- From The house in Florida. We also look at the new ventures this year! Editor’s Desk U.S. Gulf Coast Lighthouse stamps coming Wow…how time flies. It feels like it was just yesterday (actu- out later this year. Other features include the 2008 Recognition ally, almost 15 years ago) that I began my lighthouse adventure. Award, the relighting of Barnegat Lighthouse, Challenge Photos It’s amazing to me how my life changed on that small boat going and the Lightship Tender “Lilac”. On the back page you will no- down the Kennebuec River in Maine when I found out there was tice the new lighthouse border of New Jersey Lighthouse drawings a lighthouse society in New Jersey! Never in my wildest dreams to replace the clip art that I found on the web. Another feature is (then) did I think I’d be writing this article (now), but here I am! a list of articles and what page to find them on. At the bottom of each page is a 20th Anniversary logo that will replace the standard Through the years I’ve met many fellow lighthouse lovers; made NJLHS logo for this year only. I have a couple of other changes I’ll many friends (and lost a few), seen many lights, went on some be toying with in the next issues, some you will notice and others great trips...and had a lot of FUN! I’ve also volunteered many you will not. Remember this is your Beam and I would love to see hours, days, and years to NJLHS along the way--and what a re- stories from the membership about your lighthouse adventures or warding experience it’s been. Now, I’d like for you all to share in misadventures and your photos. the experience… The Beam, the official journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc., Changes are plentiful this year in the Society. As you may be is published quarterly, March, June, September and December. Member- aware, there has been turnover on the Board as well as its com- ship dues are $20.00 single and $25.00 family, and are for the calendar mittees. We have a few vacancies that need to be filled--Publicity year. Back issues are available free for members joining mid-year. All ma- Chair and Historian and, at the end of the year, we’ll need a Ways terials are copyrighted and cannot be borrowed or reproduced without per- & Means Chair and Challenge Co-Chairs. Help is needed with mission of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. The NJLHS - New Jersey administrative tasks throughout the year for the Challenge, and Lighthouse Society, Inc., is a non-profit educational corporation (501c3). of course there is the ongoing need of volunteers for Outreach, OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS Speaker’s Bureau, Sandy Hook, Programs, Trips, articles for The President Mary Beth Doherty (973) 966-5573 Beam, Helping Hands…the list goes on. 1st Vice President Brett Franks (856) 256-0881 Please don’t feel you need to be an expert in any particular area or 2nd Vice President Cindy Mitzen (908) 281-6879 that you have to commit an incredible amount of time--most all of Treasurer Faith Giamboi (732) 580-0155 us work, have family obligations, etc. So, if you’re willing to help Recording Secretary Bob Gleason (732) 238-7066 Corresponding Secretary Jayne Swope (856) 468-2561 and have some free time, we’ll put you to work! Please contact Director Tom Laverty (732) 872-2966 me, another Board member, or a Committee Chair and express Director Doreen Berson (732) 202-7420 your interest. Director Jim Cope (609) 587-6266 This year is the 20th Anniversary for the Society and the 10th Director Anthony Albence (302) 983-3200 Director Marty Hudspeth (609) 877-1393 year for the Challenge. With your help, we can make 2009 and the years ahead better and “brighter” for the New Jersey Lighthouse COMMITTEES Society.