Let the Buyer Be Bold
Prospective Owners Survey Run-Down Chesapeake Lighthouse

By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2007; B01

Point No Point, as it's called, is not the type of lighthouse that's
featured on postcards, towering nobly over surging waves, surrounded by
rocky cliffs and billowing clouds. As a piece of real estate, this one
is definitely a fixer-upper.

A century's worth of seagull droppings coats the roof. There are no
utilities, just an outhouse hanging off the edge of a deck about a story
above sea level.

Complicating matters for any would-be owner is that Point No Point
Lighthouse is not accessible by road or even located on land. It rises
stubbily out of the Chesapeake Bay more than two nautical miles from the
Southern Maryland shore.

So it was that on a recent chilly morning, after the federal government
decided to sell the 102-year-old lighthouse, nine prospective buyers
gathered at a dock in St. Mary's County. For some, it was their second
attempt at a viewing; an open house last month was canceled because of
high seas. To see the lighthouse, prospective buyers had to pay a
refundable deposit of $10,000.

They strapped on life jackets, climbed aboard two U.S. Coast Guard boats
and headed into the bay, water spraying as a crane feeding near the
shore faded to a speck and disappeared.

"There it is," passenger Kay Burrell said as Point No Point appeared in
the distance, looking like a giant buoy. This, she had been thinking,
could be a project for her and her husband, Tom, now that the kids are
in college.

As the lighthouse neared, it became clear how much of a project it would
be. Before setting foot on Point No Point, passengers were reminded not
to lean against railings and were told that they were entering at their
own risk.

Then they stepped from the bow of their vessel onto a metal ladder
attached to the brick caisson. Some were unsteady, gripping Coast Guard
members, white-knuckled and attuned to the ladder's sway.

On the deck, some took a moment to soak in the scenery -- the dark
waters, the big sky. Others pushed open the unlocked door and ventured
inside, greeted by a musty smell that suggested old dust and salty air.

The potential buyers rushed up and down the spiral staircase: up to the
second floor to see what could be used as two bedrooms and two dressing
rooms, up to the third floor to see an open space, down to a basement
where they found elaborate brickwork, then all the way up to the
solar-operated light, which comes on at dusk.

Bidders have offered as much as $135,000 in an online auction that
opened in late September. The auction has been temporarily suspended
because the lighthouse serves as a boundary marker for a restricted area
as defined by the Navy, and additional deed restrictions might be required.

Point No Point is one of 30 Chesapeake Bay lighthouses that the federal
government is selling. Last year, two similar beacons, the Baltimore
Harbor Lighthouse and Sandy Point Shoal, sold for $260,000 and $250,000,
respectively.

In 2000, Congress authorized the sale of historic lighthouses at
auctions. Local governments and nonprofit groups are given a chance to
buy the lighthouses first; none expressed interest in Point No Point.
The U.S. General Services Administration promises a three-day notice
before it closes the auction for Point No Point.

There are strings attached. The successful bidder must be prepared for
the U.S. Coast Guard to drop in anytime to check the light and foghorn,
and the winner must maintain the lighthouse, particularly the ladder, so
that it can function. Because Point No Point is a historic landmark,
improvements must meet certain standards -- meaning, among other things,
that an owner better think twice before installing a satellite T.V.

Even so, some members of a local lighthouse group say they worry that
buyers will purchase a lighthouse on a whim and not be aware of the work
and money required to maintain it.

"You don't necessarily know the intentions of those buying it," said
Anne Puppa, president of the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse
Society. "It's a shame they are going so fast. We don't know where they
are going to end up down the road."

Prospective buyers say their intentions are good.

There are historians, such as Ron Riedinger of Martinsburg, W.Va., who
know that the lighthouse floated down the bay not once but twice while
it was being built during the early 1900s.

There are designers, such as Dan Moore and his partner, Shawn Cox, who
want to use industrial and raw materials that are green-friendly but
would also like to add a generator to keep beer cold.

There are environmentalists, such as the Burrells, who are looking for a
weekend place where they can harness wind, tide and solar power.

There are entrepreneurs, such as Robert Smith and Rich Wilson, fishermen
who want to convert the lighthouse into a bed-and-breakfast. "Picture
this: A couple gets married in the lighthouse. Then they have their
honeymoon there," said Smith, who lives in Ridge. "How romantic is that?"

Very romantic, until another possible buyer reminds them of the foghorn
that sounds every few seconds on misty nights, so loudly that it can be
heard on shore.

Broken windows, peeling paint, splintering floorboards -- there are
plenty of reasons not to buy Point No Point. But as the Coast Guard
boats motored back to shore that day, some of the passengers, watching
as the lighthouse faded into the distance, saw a vision fit for a postcard.

Photo:

http://tinyurl.com/2r6n65

On Nov 23, 9:06�am, HK wrote:
Let the Buyer Be Bold
Prospective Owners Survey Run-Down Chesapeake Lighthouse

By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2007; B01

Point No Point, as it's called, is not the type of lighthouse that's
featured on postcards, towering nobly over surging waves, surrounded by
rocky cliffs and billowing clouds. As a piece of real estate, this one
is definitely a fixer-upper.

A century's worth of seagull droppings coats the roof. There are no
utilities, just an outhouse hanging off the edge of a deck about a story
above sea level.

Complicating matters for any would-be owner is that Point No Point
Lighthouse is not accessible by road or even located on land. It rises
stubbily out of the Chesapeake Bay more than two nautical miles from the
Southern Maryland shore.

So it was that on a recent chilly morning, after the federal government
decided to sell the 102-year-old lighthouse, nine prospective buyers
gathered at a dock in St. Mary's County. For some, it was their second
attempt at a viewing; an open house last month was canceled because of
high seas. To see the lighthouse, prospective buyers had to pay a
refundable deposit of $10,000.

They strapped on life jackets, climbed aboard two U.S. Coast Guard boats
and headed into the bay, water spraying as a crane feeding near the
shore faded to a speck and disappeared.

"There it is," passenger Kay Burrell said as Point No Point appeared in
the distance, looking like a giant buoy. This, she had been thinking,
could be a project for her and her husband, Tom, now that the kids are
in college.

As the lighthouse neared, it became clear how much of a project it would
be. Before setting foot on Point No Point, passengers were reminded not
to lean against railings and were told that they were entering at their
own risk.

Then they stepped from the bow of their vessel onto a metal ladder
attached to the brick caisson. Some were unsteady, gripping Coast Guard
members, white-knuckled and attuned to the ladder's sway.

On the deck, some took a moment to soak in the scenery -- the dark
waters, the big sky. Others pushed open the unlocked door and ventured
inside, greeted by a musty smell that suggested old dust and salty air.

The potential buyers rushed up and down the spiral staircase: up to the
second floor to see what could be used as two bedrooms and two dressing
rooms, up to the third floor to see an open space, down to a basement
where they found elaborate brickwork, then all the way up to the
solar-operated light, which comes on at dusk.

Bidders have offered as much as $135,000 in an online auction that
opened in late September. The auction has been temporarily suspended
because the lighthouse serves as a boundary marker for a restricted area
as defined by the Navy, and additional deed restrictions might be required..

Point No Point is one of 30 Chesapeake Bay lighthouses that the federal
government is selling. Last year, two similar beacons, the Baltimore
Harbor Lighthouse and Sandy Point Shoal, sold for $260,000 and $250,000,
respectively.

In 2000, Congress authorized the sale of historic lighthouses at
auctions. Local governments and nonprofit groups are given a chance to
buy the lighthouses first; none expressed interest in Point No Point.
The U.S. General Services Administration promises a three-day notice
before it closes the auction for Point No Point.

There are strings attached. The successful bidder must be prepared for
the U.S. Coast Guard to drop in anytime to check the light and foghorn,
and the winner must maintain the lighthouse, particularly the ladder, so
that it can function. Because Point No Point is a historic landmark,
improvements must meet certain standards -- meaning, among other things,
that an owner better think twice before installing a satellite T.V.

Even so, some members of a local lighthouse group say they worry that
buyers will purchase a lighthouse on a whim and not be aware of the work
and money required to maintain it.

"You don't necessarily know the intentions of those buying it," said
Anne Puppa, president of the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse
Society. "It's a shame they are going so fast. We don't know where they
are going to end up down the road."

Prospective buyers say their intentions are good.

There are historians, such as Ron Riedinger of Martinsburg, W.Va., who
know that the lighthouse floated down the bay not once but twice while
it was being built during the early 1900s.

There are designers, such as Dan Moore and his partner, Shawn Cox, who
want to use industrial and raw materials that are green-friendly but
would also like to add a generator to keep beer cold.

There are environmentalists, such as the Burrells, who are looking for a
weekend place where they can harness wind, tide and solar power.

There are entrepreneurs, such as Robert Smith and Rich Wilson, fishermen
who want to convert the lighthouse into a bed-and-breakfast. "Picture
this: A couple gets married in the lighthouse. Then they have their
honeymoon there," said Smith, who lives in Ridge. "How romantic is that?"

Very romantic, until another possible buyer reminds them of the foghorn
that sounds every few seconds on misty nights, so loudly that it can be
heard on shore.

Broken windows, peeling paint, splintering floorboards -- there are
plenty of reasons not to buy Point No Point. But as the Coast Guard
boats motored back to shore that day, some of the passengers, watching
as the lighthouse faded into the distance, saw a vision fit for a postcard..

Photo:

http://tinyurl.com/2r6n65

We have a Point No Point in Puget Sound. I wonder if your Point No
Point acquired its name in the same way that ours did?

I can't remember it was Vancouver or Wilkes, but one of the early
explorers in these parts scribbled NO. Point on an original chart,
with NO. intended to abbreviate the direction "north" and the
intention was to name the feature North Point. Of course the pun
proved too tempting, and ever since we have had a point called "Point
No Point" :-)

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 23, 9:06�am, HK wrote:
Let the Buyer Be Bold
Prospective Owners Survey Run-Down Chesapeake Lighthouse

By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2007; B01

Point No Point, as it's called, is not the type of lighthouse that's
featured on postcards, towering nobly over surging waves, surrounded by
rocky cliffs and billowing clouds. As a piece of real estate, this one
is definitely a fixer-upper.

A century's worth of seagull droppings coats the roof. There are no
utilities, just an outhouse hanging off the edge of a deck about a story
above sea level.

Complicating matters for any would-be owner is that Point No Point
Lighthouse is not accessible by road or even located on land. It rises
stubbily out of the Chesapeake Bay more than two nautical miles from the
Southern Maryland shore.

So it was that on a recent chilly morning, after the federal government
decided to sell the 102-year-old lighthouse, nine prospective buyers
gathered at a dock in St. Mary's County. For some, it was their second
attempt at a viewing; an open house last month was canceled because of
high seas. To see the lighthouse, prospective buyers had to pay a
refundable deposit of $10,000.

They strapped on life jackets, climbed aboard two U.S. Coast Guard boats
and headed into the bay, water spraying as a crane feeding near the
shore faded to a speck and disappeared.

"There it is," passenger Kay Burrell said as Point No Point appeared in
the distance, looking like a giant buoy. This, she had been thinking,
could be a project for her and her husband, Tom, now that the kids are
in college.

As the lighthouse neared, it became clear how much of a project it would
be. Before setting foot on Point No Point, passengers were reminded not
to lean against railings and were told that they were entering at their
own risk.

Then they stepped from the bow of their vessel onto a metal ladder
attached to the brick caisson. Some were unsteady, gripping Coast Guard
members, white-knuckled and attuned to the ladder's sway.

On the deck, some took a moment to soak in the scenery -- the dark
waters, the big sky. Others pushed open the unlocked door and ventured
inside, greeted by a musty smell that suggested old dust and salty air.

The potential buyers rushed up and down the spiral staircase: up to the
second floor to see what could be used as two bedrooms and two dressing
rooms, up to the third floor to see an open space, down to a basement
where they found elaborate brickwork, then all the way up to the
solar-operated light, which comes on at dusk.

Bidders have offered as much as $135,000 in an online auction that
opened in late September. The auction has been temporarily suspended
because the lighthouse serves as a boundary marker for a restricted area
as defined by the Navy, and additional deed restrictions might be required.

Point No Point is one of 30 Chesapeake Bay lighthouses that the federal
government is selling. Last year, two similar beacons, the Baltimore
Harbor Lighthouse and Sandy Point Shoal, sold for $260,000 and $250,000,
respectively.

In 2000, Congress authorized the sale of historic lighthouses at
auctions. Local governments and nonprofit groups are given a chance to
buy the lighthouses first; none expressed interest in Point No Point.
The U.S. General Services Administration promises a three-day notice
before it closes the auction for Point No Point.

There are strings attached. The successful bidder must be prepared for
the U.S. Coast Guard to drop in anytime to check the light and foghorn,
and the winner must maintain the lighthouse, particularly the ladder, so
that it can function. Because Point No Point is a historic landmark,
improvements must meet certain standards -- meaning, among other things,
that an owner better think twice before installing a satellite T.V.

Even so, some members of a local lighthouse group say they worry that
buyers will purchase a lighthouse on a whim and not be aware of the work
and money required to maintain it.

"You don't necessarily know the intentions of those buying it," said
Anne Puppa, president of the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse
Society. "It's a shame they are going so fast. We don't know where they
are going to end up down the road."

Prospective buyers say their intentions are good.

There are historians, such as Ron Riedinger of Martinsburg, W.Va., who
know that the lighthouse floated down the bay not once but twice while
it was being built during the early 1900s.

There are designers, such as Dan Moore and his partner, Shawn Cox, who
want to use industrial and raw materials that are green-friendly but
would also like to add a generator to keep beer cold.

There are environmentalists, such as the Burrells, who are looking for a
weekend place where they can harness wind, tide and solar power.

There are entrepreneurs, such as Robert Smith and Rich Wilson, fishermen
who want to convert the lighthouse into a bed-and-breakfast. "Picture
this: A couple gets married in the lighthouse. Then they have their
honeymoon there," said Smith, who lives in Ridge. "How romantic is that?"

Very romantic, until another possible buyer reminds them of the foghorn
that sounds every few seconds on misty nights, so loudly that it can be
heard on shore.

Broken windows, peeling paint, splintering floorboards -- there are
plenty of reasons not to buy Point No Point. But as the Coast Guard
boats motored back to shore that day, some of the passengers, watching
as the lighthouse faded into the distance, saw a vision fit for a postcard.

Photo:

http://tinyurl.com/2r6n65

We have a Point No Point in Puget Sound. I wonder if your Point No
Point acquired its name in the same way that ours did?

I can't remember it was Vancouver or Wilkes, but one of the early
explorers in these parts scribbled NO. Point on an original chart,
with NO. intended to abbreviate the direction "north" and the
intention was to name the feature North Point. Of course the pun
proved too tempting, and ever since we have had a point called "Point
No Point" :-)


We could study this but there would be no point to it.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Let the Buyer Be Bold
Prospective Owners Survey Run-Down Chesapeake Lighthouse

By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2007; B01



Good grief! Up here you could get a nice little island with a lighthouse
for not much more than that. the last time Devils Island was for sale, the
owner wanted a quarter million CDN.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nshalifa/Ch10.html

HK wrote in
:

Broken windows, peeling paint, splintering floorboards -- there are
plenty of reasons not to buy Point No Point. But as the Coast Guard
boats motored back to shore that day, some of the passengers, watching
as the lighthouse faded into the distance, saw a vision fit for a
postcard.



Wonder what liability insurance costs on a lighthouse some idiot can run
into?

Am I the only one that notices how HIGH up the lighthouse that concrete
SPLASH RAIL is to deflect the storm surf away from it? Where would you
leave the BOAT?! It's totally exposed!

Larry
--
Xterm IS the ultimate video game...(c;

"Don White" wrote in
:

Good grief! Up here you could get a nice little island with a
lighthouse for not much more than that. the last time Devils Island
was for sale, the owner wanted a quarter million CDN.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nshalifa/Ch10.html



Yeah, but this one isn't buried in snow and solid ice 5 months out of the
year....(c;

Larry
--
Xterm IS the ultimate video game...(c;

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Don White" wrote in
:

Good grief! Up here you could get a nice little island with a
lighthouse for not much more than that. the last time Devils Island
was for sale, the owner wanted a quarter million CDN.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nshalifa/Ch10.html



Yeah, but this one isn't buried in snow and solid ice 5 months out of the
year....(c;

Larry
--
Xterm IS the ultimate video game...(c;


No ice in this harbour! Snow...mmmm ..flurries out there right now, but
we get enough 'hot air' blowing up from the Washington area on the prevalent
SW winds that modify our climate somewhat. ;-)

"Don White" wrote in message
...



No ice in this harbour! Snow...mmmm ..flurries out there right now, but
we get enough 'hot air' blowing up from the Washington area on the
prevalent SW winds that modify our climate somewhat. ;-)



Took these pics an hour ago here on Cape Cod.

Remember ... this is salt water .... and it's only November.

Global warming, my ass ...

http://www.eisboch.com/ice2.jpg

http://www.eisboch.com/ice1.jpg


This three-mast arrived last week for the winter. Port of call on the
transom is
"Anchorage, Alaska".

http://www.eisboch.com/blackseal.jpg

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Don White" wrote in message
...



No ice in this harbour! Snow...mmmm ..flurries out there right now,
but we get enough 'hot air' blowing up from the Washington area on the
prevalent SW winds that modify our climate somewhat. ;-)



Took these pics an hour ago here on Cape Cod.

Remember ... this is salt water .... and it's only November.

Global warming, my ass ...

http://www.eisboch.com/ice2.jpg

http://www.eisboch.com/ice1.jpg


This three-mast arrived last week for the winter. Port of call on the
transom is
"Anchorage, Alaska".

http://www.eisboch.com/blackseal.jpg

Eisboch



I'm looking out the window at green grass, lots of leaves laying around...
in the gutters.
If it wasn't so cool & windy, you'd swear it was the end of October. Rain
comes back early in the week with temps forcast to hit 14 C.

"Don White" wrote in
:

No ice in this harbour! Snow...mmmm ..flurries out there right now,
but we get enough 'hot air' blowing up from the Washington area on the
prevalent SW winds that modify our climate somewhat. ;-)



Washington is the cause of Global Warming....the whole religion.

Larry
--
Xterm IS the ultimate video game...(c;