Progress Report from Robbins Reef Lighthouse
Robbins Reef Trip Report, Thursday, July 28, 2022
Noble Crew: Carmen Campo; David and his twin sons, Linus and Gorm, and Gus Scott
Conditions: High 80◦s, cloudy
Access: Left Miller’s at 10:10 AM and returned at 3:15 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Dave Steckly.
Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to continue working on interior husbandry and painting the exterior.
Tasks accomplished: The Crew brought out and rigged the second platform.
David, Gorm, and Linus took in the lighthouse for the first time. David, who has experience working at heights, worked beside Gus and ground down two more panels on the underside of the Watch Gallery. Thunderstorms were expected, and they did not paint. Carmen and the young men spotted them all day.
Here’s how to tackle that portlight.
PHOTO: Erin Urban, 2016
Linus and Gorm scraped and sanded the portlight adjacent to the fourth floor. We had not addressed it since 2016 because it is in a tricky place, as seen in the photo to the right, taken in 2016 when Damon Urban was working in that spot. We needed someone tall—today we had two tall people—6”1” to be exact. With help from Carmen and David, they took on the project and will be able to finish scraping, sanding, and sealing it. They also spent some time down on the reef.
Next steps: We will build a new threshold for the kitchen door and finish the final adjustments to its surface and fixtures. We are in the process of building the new Watch Gallery door and will install it, along with a new threshold and jambs.
We have to paint the red portion of the exterior. If possible we should put another coat of paint on the white, white, white Watch Gallery.
We will remove the metal fixtures in the surface and sides of the promenade and caisson and cement them.
Ongoing projects include work on the floors and touching up other areas inside.
The exterior painting has been hampered by the extreme heat and the other weather and tidal conditions, but it is progressing at a great rate thanks to many donations, especially from Miller’s Launch and Armorica Sales, our paint donors. As always Noble Crew takes on all tasks; the dedication of its members will go down in the annals of American maritime history.
Provided we can, we will go out on Thursday, August 4, leaving Miller's at 10 AM. Let Erin Urban know if you want to go; we have 4 crew people now and can take two more
