“As seen in Moonrise Kingdom”
The Point Judith Light is located on the west side of the entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island as well as the north side of the eastern entrance to Block Island Sound. The confluence of two waterways make this area busy with water traffic and the waters around Point Judith are very cold and dangerous. Historically, even with active lighthouses, there have been many shipwrecks off these coasts. Three light structures have been built on this site. The original 35-foot (11 m) tower, built in 1810, was destroyed by a hurricane in 1815. It was replaced in 1816, by a 35-foot (11 m) stone tower with a revolving light and ten lamps. The present octagonal granite tower was built in 1856. The upper half of the tower is painted brown and the lower half white to make the light structure a more effective daymark for maritime traffic. In 1871, ship captains asked that Point Judith's fog signal be changed from a horn to whistle. This change distinguished the Point Judith light from the Beavertail Lighthouse, which used a siren to announce fog. A whistle could also be heard more distinctly over the sounds of the surf in the area. Point Judith Light was automated in 1954.
Unfortunately the lighthouse is now closed to the public for the forseeable future. You can get within like 300 feet of it, but need to stay outside the gate. There are some benches overlooking the ocean on a nearby grassy area which is a nice view of the lighthouse but wish we could get closer!
Beautiful viewing area of the ocean. One solo surfer was braving the cold November waters. The lighthouse was lit while we were there. I believe there is a Homeland Security office right beside the lighthouse. It doesn't look like much of a swimmer's beach, but you can't beat the views of the ocean. There were benches to sit, relax, and listen to the crashing waves. This is a place I would return to!
Currently blocked off by Homeland Security, so you can't really get close to it at all. There's a small parking area off to the side where you can overlook the ocean and any boats in the water. However you can't swim, due to them having it roped off with signs posted "Dangerous Drop Off Keep Back".
Currently blocked off by Homeland Security, so you can't really get close to it at all. There's a small parking area off to the side where you can overlook the ocean and any boats in the water. However you can't swim, due to them having it roped off with signs posted "Dangerous Drop Off Keep Back".
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Point Judith Lighthouse
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 8:00 am - 7:30 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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Outdoor Seating
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