Ned's Point Lighthouse open but volunteers needed

Georgia Sparling
Jul 13, 2012
Ned's Point Lighthouse began opening once a week on Thursday and already had visitors from as far away as France. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
Bert Theriault organizes the volunteers, keeps watch over the lighthouse and serves as a historian for the structure. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
This Fresnel light is a modern update of the whale oil powered lamps of the 1800s. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
The 32 steps leading up to the top of the lighthouse are made of granite and were created by hand. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
This narrow opening leads into the top of the tower. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
Volunteer Eunice Manduca also helps inform visitors of the history of the lighthouse. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
Visitor and lighthouse owner Nick Korstad admired the granite stairs and other unique details of Ned's Point Lighthouse. BY GEORGIA SPARLING
With this view of Mattapoisett Harbor and Bert Theriault's extensive knowledge of the lighthouse's history, visitors get more than their money's worth! BY GEORGIA SPARLING

It’s not everyday you can climb the 32 hand-cut granite steps that lead to the top of Ned’s Point Lighthouse’s in Mattapoisett. In fact, it’s just on Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon.

That’s when Bert Theriault, the civilian manager of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 63, arrives with his wealth of lighthouse history to share with visitors of the local, national and international variety.

After Flotilla 63 adopted the lighthouse in 1993 and began opening it to visitors, Theriault said, “We used to get questions we couldn’t answer.”

Theriault headed to the Registry of Deeds in Plymouth and from there began collecting information about every detail of the building, which first cast its light on Mattapoisett’s harbor in 1838.

Originally, that beam was fueled by sperm whale oil that burned with the power of 160 candelas (or candles). Acetylene gas was later used with the 550 candela.

Now the photoelectric rays cast 4400 candelas of light that can be viewed from 12 miles away, said Theriault.

And it’s a good thing.

Even with modern technology, Theriault said the lighthouse continues to be a “bonafide aid to navigation.”

“Not everybody has GPS and radar,” he said. “It can make all the difference in the world to get your bearings.”

Theriault and fellow volunteer Eunice Manduca shared their lighthouse knowledge at the first opening of the season on Thursday, July 12.

“I’m surprised at how many people have been out,” said Manduca, who saw visitors from as far away as France.

A more local visitor was Nick Korstod, who owns his own lighthouse in Fall River.

“I’m a lighthouse hunter,” said Korstod who marveled at some of the structures unique architecture. “This is a great lighthouse.”

Theriault said he hopes to continue tours throughout the summer, but would like to get more volunteers.

Currently, he has only found a total of three volunteers. “We’re required to have two people by the coast guard,” he said. “If we can’t do that we can’t open the lighthouse.

Theriault was hopeful that more people would step forward so everyone could enjoy the town’s iconic lighthouse.

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