05/18/17 - Day 45 - Long Island - Montauk
Took a day trip out of the city for the first time since arriving. Montauk is at the tip of Long Island, about 120 miles east of Queens. The drive took about three hours, though I've heard it can be five or more once the summer rolls around. It was a pretty nice day.
Montauk is home to Montauk State Point State Park and the Montauk Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse is oldest lighthouse in NY state. It was authorized by George Washington not long after he became president and completed in 1796. It's now a National Historic Monument.
The lighthouse was originally built about 300 feet from the shore, but about 200 feet of coast has eroded since then. Makes for some pretty scenery, but it required some emergency remediation to shore up the cliff to prevent the lighthouse from falling into the ocean.
The top of the lighthouse is still functional, but it's fully automated and the rest of the facility is now a museum that explains the history of the lighthouse and Montauk in general.
The tour also lets you climb almost to the top of the lighthouse tower. For whatever reason they don't let tourists all the way up as the Coast Guard is responsible for maintaining that region.
It was windy as heck up there
After seeing all there was to see in the lighthouse I took a look around the beach and for the first time since March took a step into the Atlantic (it was cold).
The rest of the park has several hiking trails. One of them lea to a beach where seals are known to congregate. It was nice to spend some time outdoors again.
But no seals... :(
Eventually I made my way back home. Saw an amusing warning on the way back:
Montauk is home to Montauk State Point State Park and the Montauk Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse is oldest lighthouse in NY state. It was authorized by George Washington not long after he became president and completed in 1796. It's now a National Historic Monument.
The lighthouse was originally built about 300 feet from the shore, but about 200 feet of coast has eroded since then. Makes for some pretty scenery, but it required some emergency remediation to shore up the cliff to prevent the lighthouse from falling into the ocean.
The top of the lighthouse is still functional, but it's fully automated and the rest of the facility is now a museum that explains the history of the lighthouse and Montauk in general.
The tour also lets you climb almost to the top of the lighthouse tower. For whatever reason they don't let tourists all the way up as the Coast Guard is responsible for maintaining that region.
It was windy as heck up there
After seeing all there was to see in the lighthouse I took a look around the beach and for the first time since March took a step into the Atlantic (it was cold).
The rest of the park has several hiking trails. One of them lea to a beach where seals are known to congregate. It was nice to spend some time outdoors again.
But no seals... :(
Eventually I made my way back home. Saw an amusing warning on the way back:
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