Park 1. Fire Island National Seashore and Lighthouse



Catherine posing next to the lighthouse.

5/6/12. Today we completed our first visit to a National Park site for an official cancellation (stamp). We were visiting family on Long Island, and on the way home, decided to spare a few hours and see Fire Island, the barrier island off of Southern LI. It was a beautiful sunny day and decently warm for early May. It was before the real start of the season, so the park was quite empty. To get to the lighthouse, there was a long wooden walkway that wove around all sorts of plant life. The signs along the way about the birds and other animals in the area, and about the history of Fire Island were a lot of fun. 



Our first official (and cool non-official)
cancellation!

Muriel on the pathway leading
to the lighthouse.  

The visitor center (seen in the top photo to the left of the lighthouse) looked brand new and was lovely, with a replica lighthouse lens and some posters about the history of the lighthouse and its technology. Inside what used to be the caretaker's house, there is a lovely little museum, with some fun interactive exhibits. For instance, we played a game in which we identified different light signals that a lighthouse might transmit. We also played a search & find game with a diorama, finding seagulls and ship equipment.There is a shop inside the caretaker's house that has some beautiful crafts and a good selection of books about the area and lighthouses for all ages. This is where we got our first passport stamp (and where we bought matching T-shirts with rhinestone Fire Island lighthouses on the front, shell bracelets, and a framed panorama photo of the lighthouse and beach). 



So our first outing was a resounding success and felt like an exotic vacation hidden within our otherwise normal weekend. We hope you enjoyed your vicarious journey and maybe will consider visiting Fire Island too!