Lighthouse Large Parking Lot Closing 1/25 till approx. 3/26
PLEASE NOTE: The large parking lot to the east of the lighthouse will be closed due to the construction of a Caswell Beach Rd. storm water project. It is currently CLOSED until approximately Friday 3/26. Please check here for the latest status. The small 4 car lot adjacent to the lighthouse will remain open. There is NO parking anywhere along Caswell Beach Rd. so if the small lot is full, you will need to return at another time. Thank you for your patients during this construction project.
OI Lighthouse has been upgraded to LED technology 12/6/20
To all area residents and Lighthouse Enthusiasts, The Town of Caswell Beach and the Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse have been receiving many inquiries regarding the status of the navigation lights on the Oak Island Lighthouse.
In mid-October the Lighthouse experienced several power fluctuations causing the motor that rotates the lights to fail, which required the lights to be turned off. USCG ANT Oak Island (Aids to Navigation Team), the group responsible for maintaining the light, had been in the process of evaluating what it would take to upgrade the existing lights to a newer LED technology. With the failure of the motor, they determined that this would be the perfect opportunity and most cost-effective solution going forward, to implement the new LED lights. The new LED rotating fixture (FIRST of its kind in the US!) was turned on as of 12/6/2020.
The LED lights produce a more focused beam that is a different look (not as diffused) than the prior canister configuration and are brighter out at sea. With the rotating fixture, the Coast Guard was able to maintain the sweeping motion of the prior lights and keep the signature flash pattern we have all come to love (4 one second flashes followed by 6 seconds of blank).
Check out this Video of the new LED light in action!
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at oakislandlighthouse@gmail.com.
Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse (FOIL)
No Lighthouse Tours Until Further Notice
The Oak Island Lighthouse will be CLOSED until further notice due to COVID-19 – NO TOURS
See next notice.
Top Tour Availibility
Due to the Executive order issued by Governor Cooper on Saturday 3/14/20 stating that all public venues be canceled until further notice, the Town of Caswell Beach and the Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse will comply and have suspended all tours until further notice. No reservations for any tours will be accepted at this time. With the availability of the vaccine starting this month (Jan 2021) we anticipate that our staff will be vaccinated by sometime in late spring or early summer. Our primary concern is for the safety of our visitors and health of our all volunteer staff. We anticipate being able to reopen to the public sometime in early summer. Please check this website in late April for the current status of the tours.
Once tours have been reinstated, we accept reservations year round for Top Tour requests with AT LEAST 2 weeks advanced notice for a reservation and 4 weeks in JUNE, JULY and AUGUST. Last minute requests (less than 2 or 4 weeks in advance) will be considered if other tours have already been scheduled and space still remains. There is a maximum of approximately 20 climbers per tour and ALL tours are in the MORNINGS and climbers MUST be at least 9 years old.
Summer top tours (Memorial Day through Labor Day) are only scheduled in the mornings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Please visit our tour webpage here ==> tour page for additional details and to request your tour.
Financial Support for the Lighthouse
The Oak Island Lighthouse is owned by the Town of Caswell Beach, however, all governance, tours and maintenance activities are run by a 501c(3) Tax Exempt organization (FOIL - Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse) that the town created. If you would like to help support the Lighthouse and our "Keeping Our Light Strong" campaign to fund our recent repairs, your tax deductible donation would be greatly appreciated. 100% of all donations and profits from our merchandise sales go to the maintenance of the lighthouse. FOIL is completely run by volunteers, have NO paid staff and receive no funding from the government. THANK YOU!
Checks may be made out to FOIL and sent to:
Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse
1100 Caswell Beach Rd.
Caswell Beach, NC 28465
Touring the Oak Island Lighthouse
Once reopened after COVID-19
Public "no reservation required" free tours to the second level (NOT to the top) are offered every Wednesday and Saturday (10 AM - 2 PM) ONLY starting after Memorial Day and running through Labor Day. Visitors climb 1 level (12 steps) for anyone age 7 and up. A docent will provide information about the lighthouse and answer any questions you may have.
Climbing to the top is available year round for anyone 9 years or older with AT LEAST 2 weeks advanced notice for a reservation and 4 weeks in JUNE, JULY and AUGUST. Requests with less than 2 or 4 weeks notice will be offered the opportunity to join already scheduled tours IF openings exist. Memorial Day through Labor Day, top tours are only offered in the mornings on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. We are closed on most major holidays. Top tours are up 131 metal ship stairs to an outside balcony and are currently offered free of charge and by appointment only. Please check our tour page for additional details and to find out how you can request a tour.
2012 4th of July Guides at the Top Kathleen and Alice
2012 XMAS Decorating
2012 XMAS Lights On
2012 XMAS Top Decorating Alice
2012 XMAS Top Decorating Alice Kathleen Lee
2012 XMAS Walkway Decorating Jack Alice Bob Richard
2013 XMAS Lights On
2013 XMAS Top Decorating Team Alice Sherrie Marty Lance
2013 XMAS Walkway Decorating Team Lance Frank
2014 Jack Building the Base for the Sales Table
2014 Jack Testing the Strength of New Table
2014 New LED Lights and Garland for the TOP
2014 Sales Table Complete back
2014 Sales Table Complete
2014 Top Decorations Alice
2014 Top Decorations Debby and Lance Admiring their work
2014 XMAS Walkway Decorating Team Having Fun
2014 XMAS Walkway Lights
2015 Bob and Jack fixing the leaking door at light level 2 on a windy day
2015 Bob and Jack fixing the leaking door at light level
2015 Jack checking out the 36 in. lights in the upper level
2015 John fixing plaque base
2015 New Plants for Center Area are in
2015 Replanting the Center Area
2016 Center Weeding before new Mulch
2016 Mulching the Center Area Complete
2016 Mulching the Center Area Denis Jack Richard
2016 Mulching the Center Area Gifford Denis Jack
2016 Girl Scout event in Southport - Gifford manning the table
2016 Girl Scout event in Southport - Kathleen at the ready
2016 Girl Scout event in Southport Kathleen with some of the girls
Lighthouse LED Xmas Walkway Lights 2015
Lighthouse Sign with LED Xmas lights 2015
Xmas top decorating Debbi Kathleen Alice 2015
Xmas Top Decorating Team 2015 (top left to right) Jack C, Bob A, Richard B, Steve W, Alice C, Rachel H, Claudia G, Kathleen M, Glenda D, Lee M 2015 & Gifford S taking picture
Sherrie B (left - who runs the merchandising for the lighthouse) and Leslie A display all of the merchandise on the sales table during our Wednesday July 20th open house
Bob A Preparing to Present the First Ever LightKeepers Awards