NELL Spring Meeting May 30-31, 2026
This year our Spring event began in New London, Connecticut. Once again Mother Nature wreaked havoc with our schedule. Saturday morning rain and high winds forced us to cancel the boat trip out to New London Ledge Lighthouse. But our resilient members filled the day visiting museums (including the Custom House Maritime Museum in New London) and other museums in the area and other lighthouses (as far as Mystic and Manhattan to see the Statue of Liberty). On Saturday evening we held our business meeting at the Best Western Hotel in West Haven. Sunday morning the sun was shining and we all went to Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven to visit and climb the 5-Mile Point lighthouse (also known as the New Haven Lighthouse at Lighthouse Point). Arrangements had been made with the New Haven Parks Department to have the lighthouse open for our members to climb. The Parks Department not only agreed to our members climbing, they also offered each attendee a free ride on the beautiful, historic carousel. Our last activity of the weekend was a boat ride on the Essex River. We had chartered a boat to take our group to take us to view the Lynde Point Lighthouse and Old Saybrook Lighthouse.
NELL Grants to Scituate Light, Baker’s Island Light and Portland Breakwater
A grant presented to Scituate Lighthouse in Scituate, MA last year assisted in the renovation that was completed late last Spring. The grant helped to repair the stairs leading up below the lantern room. In recognition to the grant, a plaque has been placed outside the walkway between the house and the tower.
NELL also recently awarded Baker’s Island Light in Salem, MA a grant to facilitate repairs to motar and repointing work inside the tower. Several members of NELL visited Baker’s Island Light with the Essex National Heritage Commission to see where the repairs will be made.
In addition to the above grants, NELL also recently awarded Portland Breakwater Light in Portland, Maine a grant to assist with outside and interior repainting. NELL is proud to continue to assist New England Lighthouses with their renovations so that many generations may be able learn about and appreciate lighthouse history.
On Saturday, May 10th, NELL visited Portland Head Light, Spring Ledge Light and Portland Breakwater Light. On Sunday, May 11, NELL visited the East and West Lights of Cape Elizabeth and Spring Point Ledge Light. All lights on both days were open for climbing. Afterwards, Retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral Dan May gave us a presentation.
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