The last day of August already!  Is it the "dog days of summer" when the days are very hot and dry and the flag is limp?  We did have 72 hours of on-and-off foghorn last week, every 30 seconds, however the days returned to hot, sunny and dry.

Fifteen weeks so far as Bakers Island Light Station Keepers.  We have welcomed almost 1000 visitors this summer, on the one-year anniversary of Essex National Heritage Commission owning this property.

Niece Elizabeth and Mary's brother Frank Hillery

Everyone seems to love the 1960's helicopter pad we uncovered on the upper lawn, however, when the Coast Guard came out last week to check their equipment, they came by boat.  

One of our early summer visitors sent out the book, Ten Hours Until Dawn by Michael Tougias, about the February 1978  blizzard in Salem Harbor and the sad loss of life during heroic sea rescue efforts.  This is a must-read book for students of Salem history and will remain in the Bakers Island Keepers House Library.  We will leave behind a few historical sea faring books and bring the rest of our summer novels to the Salem Library Book Sale when we leave.

Recently we were visited by Coast Guard Vets who used to be stationed on Bakers.  Randall "Andy" Anderson and his wife Lorraine, who came out to Bakers on Friday, lived in both houses between 1967 and 1969.  Paul Baptist (stationed 1946-51) was here with his daughters on Sunday.   Both Vets had fond recollections of work and family life with their very young children when on Bakers.  The pleasure of meeting these people seemed mutual.  The honor was all ours.

Lorraine and Andy Anderson with Mary & Greg

Paul Baptiste and Mary

The new Lighthouse Trail is complete, with the help of ten National Park Service teens from Salem.  The trail is a restoration of an old trail that shows up on early 20th century maps, but which had been greatly overgrown.   Visitors are delighted to end their visit with a walk from the Lighthouse down to the beach.  Another "Field Trail" is being restored for next year's guests.

Both houses now have hot water, however on these warm end-of-summer days, we still take outdoor sun showers.  The inside of the Assistant Keepers House is completely repainted; a few tile floors are yet to be replaced.

This past weekend our family from Martha's Vineyard left their beautiful island to fall under the spell of our beautiful island.  Three teens hiked, swam and explored in the daytime, and fell asleep playing cards with us on our front porch in the evening.  We all watched spectacular Salem Willows fireworks from our lawn on Saturday night.

Aurora, Eddie and Christopher and Sophie from Vineyard

Labor Day being late this year, our grandchildren are back in school.  We hope for another visit from all of them before our expected departure Oct 1.  Until then, we are loving the "dog days of summer" on Bakers Island.

August Events on Bakers Island

We so enjoy when visitors come to the Bakers Island Light Station.  Whether family or friends, they often turn into Bakers volunteers too, even grandchildren taking a break and niece Elizabeth and friend Annie, who painted four closets in Assistant Keepers house.

 

Distinguished visitors included a lovely woman named Kim whose father,  Richard LaLonde, had the last Coast Guard family posting on Bakers in 1959.  Kim brought old family photos which she had also donated to Lighthouse Digest for an April 2005 article.

Essex Heritage hosted area teachers who participate in the Parks for Every Classroom program.  This program promotes the linking of volunteer work with the cultural heritage of the community.

Another large group, with members coming from as far as California, represented the General Services Administration  National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Program.  These are the government people who facilitate transfer of lighthouse properties to worthy public groups which fit the federal statuary requirements of  preservation and public education.  On the one year anniversary of giving the Light Station property to Essex Heritage, we got the sense that the inspection of the property greatly satisfied all concerned.

We had a chance to see the automation of the lighthouse to its full effect when lightning struck the tower about a week ago.   Feeling very safe in a 150 year old house, we climbed the stairs to go to bed and looked out the 150 year old skylight, as did Keepers of old.   The lantern was out but the back-up outside light was blinking, just as it should.  Next morning a flick of a re-start switch and all was back in perfect order.

Other strange or wondrous events included an advertising blimp which circled Bakers Island over and over again to get us to go to a Peanuts movie or buy life insurance, Beverly Homecoming Fireworks, and the magnificent Manchester classic sailboat regatta.  Every evening,  Bakers Island quiets down and darkens when the sun sets, and that is earlier and earlier as summer wanes...

Bakers Island 12th week

August 2015 is the one year anniversary of Essex Heritage ownership of Bakers Island Light Station, after more than 200 years of ownership by US Government.   It is also the 12th week of Mary and Greg being volunteer Keepers of Bakers Island Light Station.   Time flies!

The several hundred guests, since the July 1 start of the  Essex Heritage tour boat, have been amazed at the brightness of the new white surfaces of the Lighthouse and Lantern House.  Amazed at the grooming of the grounds, the "staging" of the Assistant Keepers House with newly refinished floors and walls, retaining evidence of the three eras of living, US Lighthouse Service, US Coast Guard and now 21st century ownership by Essex Heritage.   Tour guides tell guests that lighthouses can be thought of as "America's Castles," some of the oldest structures on our soil.

Bakers Island Light Station became famous in the print and televised media end of July.  On the morning of July 23 a big black helicopter circled the island several times. We thought it was the police, that something terrible had occurred.  Then we found out it was WBZ- TV and our lighthouse dog, Mitchie, made his TV debut on the 6 o'clock news.  Since then, many guests have told us they heard about the boat tours from TV or the Boston Globe.

Family and friends have been out to visit.  Our dear friend Jay picked up gloves and loppers and helped Greg clear an old path from the Lighthouse down to the ocean.  Grandchildren inspired Mary to go swimming off our rocky beach, and to discover the water is much warmer than in Maine!

 Apple tree discovered on new trail

Dramatic summer storms have let us hunker down in our 150 year old Keepers House, feeling safe and sound.  Thunder and lightning right overhead left us a dramatic sunset on July 24, after the storm passed by.  A Blue Moon on July 31 was much more dramatic in the sky than this picture shows.

Blue Moon rising

Every day brings new surprises in weather, in chores to be done, and in guests and friends who arrive spellbound by the natural beauty and historical significance of Bakers Island Light Station.  Even today, the sun rose in the East, then fog horn on for a short time, fog lifted and sun returns.  That's the island life we love.

Caribbean Connection kids from Salem

Flotsam and jetsam on Coast Guard Beach