Craighill Keeper’s bLog

Wow, thanks for the comments below! I’ve had a few website issues lately, so I didn’t get emailed about the new comments, but I think I’ve resolved most of them tonight and the main website is also back up. I’m glad someone has noticed the small progress we’ve been making out there (hi John! I’ll definitely take you up on volunteering!).

We made a lot more progress this weekend. After replacing the impeller on the new boat twice (I will never go in the Potomac again) and the fuel pump, I think we’re in business. The RCRA held a race this past Sunday (July 8th) and money from each entry was donated to the lighthouse. I wanted to make sure we were out there to wave as the racers sailed by, so I had the boat ready in time. We spent the first night on the lighthouse as a whole family and even got out and back without needing to call Tow Boat US! I consider that a huge success. Of course, I was so paranoid about a breakdown that I never opened the throttle up and we chugged out there and back slowly. [Photoset from weekend]

We arrived long before sundown which was nice. I found that the tabletop grill I had purchased and left was “complete assembly required”. So we didn’t eat til about 9 PM once I assembled it. This was the first time my 5 year old daughter was out at the lighthouse. She actually scampered up the makeshift “fire escape” ladder pretty easily. She was also my best little helper scrubbing the exterior and decks the next morning. I was thrilled to find the boombox I brought actually picked up the Nationals baseball broadcast (no offense to the Orioles). We unloaded the remaining supplies from the boat, made dinner, put the kids to bed, and relaxed on the deck while keeping an eye on the boat. I tied it up with three lines and put the anchor down. Can’t be too careful - especially considering one line broke overnight, as did the anchor line. Now I have to go buy a new anchor.

After the sun set, we noticed fireworks going off all across the shore in the distance. Fantastic! I had wanted to go out for the 4th of July, but the boat was just fixed and we had to get up for work the next day, so decided not to. It was thrilling to still get a fireworks show. We didn’t sleep very well (gotta keep checking that boat) and the sun came up around 5 AM, so it was time to get to work.

We replaced the busted doorknob and reinstalled the padlock, which had been removed. In fact, the door was wide open when we arrived. I wrote the organization’s phone number and web address on the door with a sharpie, hoping to keep people from trying to break in. A boater going by Saturday night asked what we were doing up there. When I said we were cleaning it up, he replied, “Yeah, I’ve ‘cleaned it up’ before too,”. Hmm…

We swept out all the years of dust and bird feathers from the interior and put up a curtain over the makeshift head. Did I mention the cool camping toilet I got? I still love that thing.

The gallery decks were swept and scrubbed. No bird poop to be seen. Then we scrubbed about half of the exterior to prep it for painting.

I unpacked and organized all the supplies into categories: Tools, Cleaning, Painting, Food, Miscellaneous

The tattered shards of metal still clinging to the privy roof were removed (the tarp we had left to protect it over the winter was hanging like a diaper, so we removed it). We covered the roof with Ice and Water Shield and it should last a while before we can get a real metal roof replaced on it.

I flew an American flag on the lighthouse on Sunday. It was probably the first time a flag has been hung over the lighthouse in about 40-50 years. We plan to fly it every time we’re out there. I think I need to get a banner made up as well. Fishermen and boaters nearby were giving us curious looks all day, but only one actually asked us who we were. Considering it’s illegal to tie up to (much less board) a navigational aid, I was surprised we weren’t questioned more.

Ok, so shopping list for next time:

• Anchor
• Big fenders for the entire side of the boat
• Generator
• Drill
• Mattress (it popped)
• More water
• More I’ll add later…

Next time out… painting the exterior and hanging the fishing line to deter birds. Oh yeah, and pest control. The spiders, my goodness, the spiders! How do all those bugs and critters get off-shore anyway? We do monitor VHF 16 while out there, so yell hello if you see us!

A huge event not to miss is coming up in September! The North Point Sailing Association will be sponsoring the “Craighill Cup Regatta” race. I can’t wait! More is in their newsletter.