THE United States Lighthouse Society on Monday visited Montague Island at Narooma chartering two boats and getting a tour from the National Park rangers.
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The society based in Washington state has 47 of its members, all Americans except one Dutchman and an Australian, touring the East Coast visiting 50 lighthouses and a couple of lightships.
The Americans from all over the US started in Brisbane and are headed all the way down to the Cape Nelson lighthouse near Portland, Victoria
The visitors were impressed with how the lighthouse had been built out of granite blocks hewn out of the island and also the resident seals.
“We had such a wonderful boat ride and historical tour of your spectacular lighthouse!” tour member Wanda Mayo said.
The international visitors went out on Narooma Charter’s two boats the Sea Eagle and Dreamtime, skippered by Norm Ingersole and his son Nick respectively.
Norm said the visitors had a great time and were impressed by Montague Island, its distance offshore and its wildlife.
“They were very impressed and especially with how far the lighthouse and island are offshore because back home particularly on the West Coast, they don’t have a lot of lighthouses that far offshore,” Norm said.
Norm was able to chat to them about lighthouses he had seen on the West Coast including at San Francisco Bay and San Simeon.
While on the US tour, Narooma Charters owner Darryl Stuart spent a lot of time telling people they met at the lighthouses and marinas about Montague Island, its history, wildlife, fishing and fantastic setting!
While the visitors were impressed with the seals, unfortunately they were just a few weeks late to see the little penguins of the island that had now finished nesting and had moved on.
Tour leaders, including renowned lighthouse author John Ibbotson, met at JJ’s restaurant at the Top of Town Motel to plan their next trip to Green Cape and then Point Hicks lighthouses.