North Carolina’s historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse went dark for at least nine days when Hurricane Florence hit the Outer Banks on September 14, but the Coast Guard soon had it working again.
The seasonal climbing season for the lighthouse ended on September 16. But the National Park Service is opening it to the public for three days starting this Friday, October 5, “to celebrate the progress towards recovery from Hurricane Florence.”
Admission will be free. Climbing hours will be from 10:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and can only be acquired in-person at the site the day of the climb. There are no advance tickets.
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Candace was the US Lighthouse Society historian from 2016 until she passed away in August 2018. For 30 years, her work involved lighthouse history. She worked with the National Park Service and the Council of American Maritime Museums. She was a noted author and was considered the most knowledgable person on lighthouse information at the National Archives. Books by Candace Clifford include: Women who Kept the Lights: a History of Thirty-eight Female Lighthouse Keepers , Mind the Light Katie, and Maine Lighthouses, Documentation of their Past.
What caused the blackout?
To the best of my knowledge, the Coast Guard never announced any official cause for the loss of power.