Fall Foliage Cruise — Portland Lighthouses in Casco Bay

Portland, Maine by sea

Just off Commercial Street, Portland, just past the Portland Lobster Company (pictured below) down where you can catch the Cushing’s Island Ferry is the place where we boarded our afternoon boat tour from the Portland Discovery Land and Sea Tours.

Portland Lobster Company, Commercial Street, Portland

As our tour boat headed onto Fore River and into Casco Bay, one of the first sights of interest pointed out to us was Portland Breakwater Light, also called the Portland Bug Light. This is a smallish lighthouse of a design knows as a caisson, sparkplug, or bug lighthouse, hence the ‘Bug Light’ name. Portland’s Bug Light dates back to 1875.

Spring Point Ledge “Bug” Light

Next up, a little farther to the east of the Bug Light is another sparkplug-style lighthouse, the Spring Point Ledge Light built in 1897:

Spring Point Ledge Light

If you wait until you round that lighthouse you’ll get a better image of it:

Spring Point Ledge Light

South of Spring Point Ledge are the remains of Fort Preble, which served as an Army fort from 1808 until 1950. Today Fort Preble sits on the campus of the Southern Maine Community College.

Remains of Fort Preble (1808-1950)

This next lighthouse you’re recognize from Monday’s article. It’s the Portland Head Light, and I timed it just right to catch the beam from the lighthouse’s Fresnel lens.

Portland Head Light shining bright

This week and next Fun Photo Friday I’ll present some Portland favorites, and next Monday we’ll continue with this boat tour with an emphasis on fall foliage colors. Until then, I’ll leave you with these boat tour images:

Portland, Maine

Portland fall colors

Portland, Maine