The Sandy Neck Lighthouse is iconic. It is the centerpiece of Barnstable Harbor.
The lighthouse is photographed by thousands of people annually as they pass by on the Hyannis Whale Watch.
Located on the Sandy Neck barrier beach that forms Barnstable Harbor, the Sandy Neck Lighthouse has guided mariners for two centuries. Well, not exactly…during WWII, the top of the lighthouse was dismantled and the lighthouse went dark for 75 years.
Local lore is that the fresnel lens was thrown into the harbor channel in front of the lighthouse. To this day, no one has ever rediscovered the lens but many of us are ever hopeful that one day it will wash up with the tide.
The lighthouse was re-lit in October, 2007. The restoration did not include traditional fresnel lens, but instead a modern flashing LED powered by solar panels and batteries. The lighthouse is not considered by the US Coastguard to be “navagational aid” nevertheless anyone who visits Barnstable Harbor after dark will not miss it’s rhythmic beacon.
Sandy Neck Lighthouse celebrates 200 Years!
This October 1st, the Sandy Neck Lighthouse will celebrate two centuries of existence as it was first lit in 1826.
Harbor Tours
Salty Fly’s Harbor Tours offer an opportunity to visit the Sandy Neck Lighthouse up close. Unfortunately, the lighthouse is privately owned and not accessible to the public however, we can get pretty close.
Did you know that at one point the Sandy Neck Lighthouse marked the tip of Sandy Neck? Geologically, Barnstable Harbor is a “depository environment” meaning that sand is continually collecting in the harbor. As a result, Sandy Neck just keeps on growing longer and longer!
Join Salty Fly for a Harbor Tour and learn more about Barnstable Harbor, the Sandy Neck Lighthouse, and the coastal processes that combine to make Barnstable Harbor such a unique and beautiful place.