#culebrita

By Sousa_pr

(from: http://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/pr.htm)

Culebrita (1)

1886. Inactive. 43 ft (13 m) cylindrical stone tower rising from the center of a 1-story stone keeper's house. Critically endangered. The building was in ruins, severely damaged by vandals and by Hurricanes Hugo (1989) and Marilyn (1995). Deactivated in 1959, the lighthouse was reactivated in 1975. Although a July 2006 photo shows a small modern light in the shattered lantern, it is amazing that this lighthouse was in service that recently. The active light is now on a square skeletal tower in front of the lighthouse. Anderson has a good page for the light station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Colón-Sepúlveda has an 1895 historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. A street view from atop the historic lighthouse shows the modern light. This is another lighthouse on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. The building is quite hazardous inside. In 2003 ownership of the light station was transferred from the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge to the Municipality of Culebra. A commonwealth grant of $700,000 was reported to be available for preliminary restoration, and architects had been hired to supervise the work. However, Mari-Mutt reports that the restoration project failed to take place. In January 2015 the environmental organization Para la Naturaleza signed an agreement with the municipality of Culebra to restore the lighthouse, beginning with stabilization of the surviving structure. Hurricane Maria has probably brought this effort to a halt. Located on the highest point of Culebrita, off the eastern tip of Culebra and overlooking the Virgin Passage. Accessible only by boat (good anchorage available; day tours available from Culebra, which can be reached by air from San Juan or by ferry from Fajardo). However, it's a long, hot hike from the beach to the lighthouse. Site open; tower open. Owner/site manager: Municipio de Culebra. ARLHS PUR-004.