I had the opportunity to go out to Smith Island and see Cape Charles Light as well as visiting the Nature Conservatory Office in Brownsville VA over the last few days.
Cape Charles Light
With a height of 191 feet, the third and final Cape Charles tower is the second tallest lighthouse in the United States. The tower consists of a central iron tube surrounded by eight massive legs. A spiral staircase with 216 treads, enclosed in the tube, leads upwards to the generator room. Ascending seventeen more steps from there, one arrives at the watch room, where the lower gallery may be accessed. The tower is painted white, while the upper rooms are a contrasting black.
The lights at Cape Charles and Hog Island were electrified in 1933, completing the electrification of all coastal lights in the fifth lighthouse district.
In 1963, the Fresnel lens was removed and the light was automated through the installation of a DCB 2-24 aerobeacon. An Automated Monitoring Control System, installed at Cape Charles Lighthouse and Cape Henry Lighthouse, allowed the lights to be controlled remotely by a Coast Guard station in Portsmouth. This system, however, is no longer operative.
The Fresnel lens from Cape Charles Lighthouse was donated to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, where it revolves ceaselessly, emitting its distinctive “4-5” to the thrill of numerous visitors.
Visiting Cape Charles Lighthouse today is an undertaking that only a truly adventurous and seafaring soul should attempt. One needs to be aware of the tides and familiar with the shifting sandbars. An old pair of shoes or hip waders is recommended while on the island, as one will likely encounter the same marshy conditions that plagued the keepers. This trip is perhaps best left for the Coast Guard and the helmsmen of the Nature Conservatory, for even their landings on Smith Island can be interesting.
Nature Conservancy -Brownsville VA
The Conservancy manages Brownsville to enhance bird habitat, and the farm serves as headquarters for the Virginia Coast Reserve.
The William B. Cummings Birding and Wildlife Trail offers a round-trip hike of three miles through memorable coastal Virginia scenery. Explore wooded uplands, take in expansive marsh views, and enjoy the variety of life all around you.