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One of the more difficult to see lighthouses in the Chesapeake Bay is the one on Fishing Battery Island about 3.25 miles offshore from the Penns Beach Marina in Havre de Grace, Maryland. It is at the far northern end of the bay so it is not very convenient to other lighthouses in the area. The only other one that is close is Turkey Point Lighthouse, about 5 miles away.
Fishing Battery Lighthouse was built in 1853. Its original lamps and reflectors were replaced with a 6th order Fresnel lens in 1855. The lighthouse was enlarged and raised to two stories in the 1890s. In 1917, the light was automated. In 1921, the light was transferred from the lantern room to a 38-foot steel tower erected near the lighthouse. This tower is still there but there is no longer an active light or aid to navigation. The tower is now home to a pair of ospreys.
I was able to arrange a trip along with two friends John Hopp and Sherri Roberts, in April 2024. Capt. Jeff Popp took us out in his 23-foot fishing boat, the Vista Lady, he was able to come in very close to the lighthouse. The water depth is only one foot or so in some places and we scraped bottom a few times in spite of the fact that the boat has very shallow draft.
Capt. Jeff maneuvered us close to be able to capture the lighthouse and the adjacent steel, former light tower from two sides. The lighthouse is in very bad shape. The lantern room is still in place on the roof, but it and the steel tower appear to be leaning slightly. Half of the lighthouse structure has already collapsed, fortunately, not the half directly under the roof tower and lantern.
In addition to maneuvering into the very shallow cove (which has numerous submerged obstructions), Capt. Jeff completely circumnavigated the small island so that we had many views of the lighthouse and steel tower through openings in the trees which are plentiful.
The island is part of the Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge and Canada geese, terns, seagulls, and at least one pair of osprey nest there. There are some small stretches of narrow beach on the island and several people had anchored their boats and waded ashore to relax in the sun during the first really hot (85º) day of 2024. I do not know if it is possible to walk to the lighthouse. The growth around and on the lighthouse is abundant. I am not certain whether or not the land immediately around the lighthouse is dry. As mentioned, the lighthouse building is partially collapsed and it may be dangerous to get very close. We could see nothing inside the lantern room and we could not see any stairs inside the lighthouse.
There were about a dozen boats anchored when we were there, but in the summer, there are hundreds. The island is known for the party goers who arrive whenever the weather is nice and the sun is out (local captains report that some sunbathers apparently decided that clothing is optional on the island).
If you want to get close to Fishing Battery Lighthouse, contact the Vista Lady and speak to Capt. Jeff Popp or his son Capt. Ryan Popp. They can take 2-6 passengers. Because the island has so many trees, a better view can be had when the leaves are not on the trees, so November through April. www.VistaLadyFish.com, Jeff@vistaladyfish.com, Ryan@vistaladyfish.com or by text or voice to (410)790-2015.
This story appeared in the
Jul/Aug 2024 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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