Buzzards Bay Entrance Light

Buzzards Bay Entrance Light is a lighthouse standing on three red steel piles with a central tube in open water, marking the entrance to Buzzards Bay near Cuttyhunk Island. The structure sits in waters that require specialized construction to remain stable.

The Coast Guard established this lighthouse in 1961 using a Texas Tower structure to replace lightships that had guided vessels since 1847. This transition from floating to fixed navigation aids represented a major shift in maritime safety methods.

The first Officer in Charge, Ralph Morris, and his successor Lionel Crossman managed a facility that included living quarters, a kitchen, and recreation spaces.

The lighthouse emits a white flash every 2.5 seconds at 67 feet (20 meters) above water and has a range of 14 nautical miles (26 kilometers). A dual fog signal system provides additional navigation support when visibility is poor.

Steel support legs extend 268 feet (82 meters) below the water surface to reach bedrock, showcasing the extraordinary engineering required to maintain stability in the 50-foot-deep (15-meter-deep) bay. This deep foundation is often overlooked by visitors focusing only on what they can see above water.

Location: Dukes County

Inception: 1961

GPS coordinates: 41.39699,-71.03479

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:40