ALF Volunteers Tackle More than Housekeeping Work at Cape Elizabeth Light

ALF volunteer Ross Tracy pokes his head in the entryway to take a look at the snow-pack behind the door (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Taking advantage of a day (2/5/11) when professional contracting work was being done in the lantern of Cape Elizabeth Light, a group of American Lighthouse Foundation volunteers gathered at the lighthouse to simultaneously carry out some housekeeping inside the tower.

No sooner had the volunteers arrived and tried to open the entry door to the lighthouse, they knew something wasn’t right. Though the door was unlocked, it hardly budged. A little more force was applied, but still an opposing mystery force resisted the metal door’s movement.

Finally, with great exertion, the volunteers were able to open the door just wide enough to slip in behind.

To the surprise of the group, they found approximately three feet of snow packed up against the interior base of the metal door. Before the volunteers could go about their housekeeping tasks, they had to – of all things, shovel snow from inside the lighthouse.

The best the volunteers could determine, the snow appeared to have piled up inside thanks to a window vent on the east side of the tower. Evidence of snow also coated the window sill and steps below, but nothing like the amazing pile at the base of the door.

(L to R) Jeremy D'Entremont and Ross Tracy clean the lantern windowpanes at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Such a winter scene inside Cape Elizabeth Light prompted the volunteers to contemplate the far-reaching fingers of a wind-driven storm, and how this type of adverse situation only compounds the challenges of lighthouse preservation.

Once all the snow was cleaned up inside, the ALF volunteers went about cleaning the lantern’s windowpanes and tower windows, as well as wiping down all the woodwork that adorns the interior of the lighthouse.

Armed with recommended procedures for cleaning historic glass and wood, the volunteers used materials that would protect the historic fabric of these tower components.

Afterward, the luster of the elegant tower was a touch renewed thanks to the efforts of the ALF volunteers – and some unexpected snow removal!

ALF volunteer William Marshall wipes down the woodwork inside the watchroom of Cape Elizabeth Light (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Snow covers the window sill along the east alcove where a vent permits air flow into the tower (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Jeremy D'Entremont (above right) and Ross Tracy wipe down the wood handrail along the staircase (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Bob Trapani, Jr. cleans an upper windowpane in the lantern (Photo by William Marshall)

Ross Tracy cleans a windowpane in the lantern of Cape Elizabeth (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

William Marshall wipes down the wood pedestal inside the lantern of Cape Elizabeth (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Jeremy D'Entremont cleans a windowpane in the lantern of Cape Elizabeth (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Ross Tracy (above) and Jeremy D'Entremont clean the snow away from the east window (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

Bob Trapani, Jr. shovels snow from the interior entrway door so that volunteers can bring in their supplies (Photo by William Marshall)

Cape Elizabeth Light on February 5, 2011 (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

ALF volunteers at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse (L to R) Bob Trapani, Jr., Jeremy D'Entremont, William Marshall and Ross Tracy (Photo courtesy of Bob Trapani, Jr.)