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Currituck Lighthouse

The Five Lighthouses of the Outer Banks – Part Four

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Staggered along the coast of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, are five historic and interesting lighthouses, each with a story to tell. The lighthouses are the actual buildings that contain the lights that warn vessels of danger, while the term light station refers to the buildings that form the entire complex (lighthouse, light keeper house etc.).

Recap from Part One

Prior to our visit to the Outer Banks, I confess to being totally in the dark about the five lighthouses. We arrived in Nags Head for a three-month winter stay in January 2020, and the idea was to walk the beaches, enjoy the water views, and I was hoping the ocean would be an inspiration as I finished my next book, which focuses on cruising. We also thought we might see a few of the sights that we had heard about on a quick visit to Nags Head in 2018.

One day, while looking at items in one of the ubiquitous antiques stores in the Outer Banks, I found some old postcards of the area and I came across two depicting lighthouses. I asked the proprietor about the subject of the postcards and he provided me with a brief history about the five lighthouses located nearby. Once back at our rental home, a little internet research produced more information and we were soon set to start out on our lighthouse exploration.”

On a beautiful March day, before the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in Canadians being asked to return home, we drove north along Highway 12 to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. From Nags Head to Corolla, it took us just under an hour (about 32 miles), as we passed through Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk. The lighthouse is off the main highway and can be located on Corolla Village Road. The route was well-signed and there was no issue finding the lighthouse.

The lighthouse is in the heart of Corolla. Standing 162 feet in height, it is distinctly different than the other lighthouses we had seen, as it had not been painted and is reddish-brown brick in colour. We were told it can be seen about 18 nautical miles out to sea and like the other lighthouses of the Outer Banks, it was built to help guide vessels along the coast and keep them way from the shoals and shifting sand bars.

You will note from the picture I took of the sign, that the lighthouse was closed for the winter, so the best we could do was to stand outside a white picket fence and photograph the exterior of the lighthouse and building from the perimeter. We had hoped to be able to climb the 220 steps of the lighthouse so we could take advantage of the reportedly great view, but unfortunately those plans had to be put aside. We did read that there is a small fee to climb the steps and the sign indicated that children under 7 are admitted free of charge. Unlike the Brodie Lighthouse that had its Fresnel Lens replaced, the Currituck lighthouse retained its giant Fresnel lens and you can still see it in operation to this very day.

The construction of the lighthouse began in 1872 and the light lit for the first time in December of 1875.

As mentioned, the light station and lighthouse were closed when we arrived but since we were not going to be in the area when it was open, we saw what we could, walked the neighbourhood and picked up information about the lighthouse’s history from the available signage. The lighthouse museum shop is open at the same time as the lighthouse (early spring until late November). If you are there in the summer when everything is open, be prepared to sign a waiver before climbing the interior lighthouse steps. From the literature I read, the little museum has information about the history of the lighthouse and the various keepers. We decided that another trip to the area is in order as there are sufficient places of interest to draw us back “in season”. The area just north of this location is where the famous wild horses are generally found.

Before leaving the area, we decided to stop at the Historic Corolla Village before heading south and visiting the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education and peruse the Whalehead (a restored historic house), in the area called “Historic Corolla”. Our visit, and what we found there, will have to be the subject of another blog.

As usual, if you have any comments or questions about this blog entry, please feel free to contact me or post your comments.

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 Best of Scandinavia Cruise

Celebrity Eclipse  May 21 – June 2, 2026 (12 nights)  

Details

  • Concierge * 

  • Wi-fi

  • Classic beverage package - includes beer, wine and spirits (see Celebrity website for details), specialty coffees, all soft drinks and juices.

  • Select dining - dine at any time you prefer (no early or late dining times - you pick the time you want to dine),

* Concierge included the following Amenities

  • Exclusive Welcome Aboard Concierge Class Lunch

  • 1 bottle of Sparkling Wine per cruise upon request.

  • Daily delectable delights (hors d'oeuvres or fresh fruit)

  • Pillow selection upon request

  • Use of umbrella and binoculars

  • Celebrity embossed key holder

Stateroom Features

  • King-sized bed** or two single beds if that is your choice

  • eXhale® bedding   

  • Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors

  • Sitting area with sofa

  • Veranda with lounge seating

  • Individual safe

  • Dual voltage 110/220 AC

  • Mini-fridge*

  • Hair dryer

Services

  • Personalized Concierge service

  • Exclusive Destination Seminar

  • Laundry service*

  • Complimentary shoeshine service

Dining

  • Main & specialty restaurant seating time preference upon availability

  • Exclusive Welcome Aboard Lunch on boarding day in the main dining room. Choose the earliest check-in times so you don't miss your welcome aboard Concierge Class lunch. (Welcome lunch times may vary by ship & itinerary.)

  • 24-hour room service†

 

 

The ship is a medium size ship with a passenger capacity 2852. The ship built 2012 but scheduled for refurbishment in 2025

 The cruise starts in Amsterdam but I recommend people go there a few days ahead of time to visit the city. 

 

The cruise itinerary is: 

Day One: Amsterdam, Netherlands   

Thu, May 21, 2026  Departs: 5:00PM 

 

Day Two - At Sea – Cruising  Fri, May 22, 2026

 

Day Three - Oslo, Norway  

Sat, May 23, 2026   Docked: 8:00AM to 6:00PM  

 

Day Four - Skagen, Denmark Sun, May 24, 2026  Docked: 7:00AM to 3:30PM 

 

 Day Five - At Sea – Cruising  Mon, May 25, 2026

 

Day Six - Stockholm, Sweden  Tue, May 26, 2026  Docked: 8:00AM to 5:00PM 

 

Day Seven - Tallinn, Estonia  Wed, May 27, 2026  Docked: 10:00AM to 8:00PM 

 

Day Eight - Helsinki, Finland Thu, May 28, 2026  Docked: 7:00AM to 5:00PM 

 

Day Nine - At Sea – Cruising  Fri, May 29, 2026  View Details

 

Day Ten - Copenhagen, Denmark  Sat, May 30, 2026  Arrival: 2:00PM

Overnight

 

Day Eleven - Copenhagen, Denmark  Sun, May 31, 2026  Departs: 5:00PM    

 

Day Twelve - At Sea – Cruising  Mon, Jun 1, 2026

 

Day Thirteen - Amsterdam, Netherlands Tue, Jun 2, 2026  Arrival: 6:00AM  Get off the ship

 

Statutory Holidays during the cruise     &       Currency

Amsterdam, Netherlands   - None on May 21, 2026          Euro

 

At Sea – Cruising  Fri, May 22, 2026 – not applicable         US dollar on ship

 

Oslo, Norway  - Saturday May 23, 2026 – none but the 24th and 25th are holidays so business may close early. Norwegian Krone ($1 CAD = 7.37 Krone)

 

Skagen, Denmark Sun, May 24, 2026  - none but the 25th is a holiday so businesses may close early. Danish krone ($1 CAD = 4.78 Krone)

 

At Sea – Cruising  Mon, May 25, 2026 – not applicable      US dollar on ship

 

Stockholm, Sweden  Tue, May 26, 2026  - no holiday     Swedish krona   ($1 CAD = 7.06 Krona)  

 

Tallinn, Estonia  Wed, May 27, 2026  - no holiday            Euro

 

Helsinki, Finland Thu, May 28, 2026  - no holiday            Euro

 

At Sea – Cruising  Fri, May 29, 2026 not applicable           US dollar on ship

 

Copenhagen, Denmark  Sat, May 30, 2026  Arrival: 2:00PM – no holiday

                                                                                            Danish krone ($1 CAD = 4.78 Krone)

 

Copenhagen, Denmark  Sun, May 31, 2026  Departs: 5:00PM –no holiday   

 

Amsterdam, Netherlands – no holiday                             Euro

 

Cost is $9046 per cabin ( $4,523 per person)

©2018 by Gail Gauvreau. All Rights Reserved.

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