Narraguagus Update #1

Narraguagus Light Station, on Pond Island, off the coast of Milbridge, Maine was established in 1853. It was decommissioned in 1934 by the US  Coast Guard and sold at auction to a private family who have taken care of it through 3 generations. 

     As time catches up to us all, so it has for this great Maine Coast landmark.  Dunnybrook Co has been hired to stabilize and restore the interior and exterior of the lantern. 

       A 4 hour drive from home, carrying equipment, materials and supplies from the truck to the lobster boat we hired, the ride to the island, where we transferred everything to a skiff to get us to shore, where we then walked it all up the beach and loaded it onto a gator and trailer, which mercifully took some work off our shoulders and brought us to the starting point of the real adventure. We put all our belongings on a fields edge, where we took our first of many trips, carrying everything by hand on what’s best described as a 700-800 yard goat path over rocks, roots, mudholes and through mosquito  infested woods. We finally reached our destination. We stay over night in the keepers house with no electricity and no running water. But if its good enough for the bats that live in there, well then its good enough for us. 

    Out of the 22 lighthouses that I have worked on, 10 with our 3 man Dunnybrook crew, this is by far not only the most challenging, but also the one most in need of attention. 

    We removed what broken glass was left, took off the old glass stops, ground all the loose rust off, top to bottom, inside and out. Every inch will be primed and painted two coats and every one of the 120 bolts holding the glass stops on had to be drilled out a re-tapped for new hardware. 

   Be sure to check back in to see how we did on the second part of our adventure, where we bring the new glass to the island, by truck, boat, gator and trail to be installed in what has definitely been our greatest challenge to date. 

      This job would not be possible without the adventurous spirit and stubborn will of the Dunnybrook Co Crew.