UPDATE: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Repaired After Being in a “Stuck” Position

UPDATE: The lighthouse rotation has been fixed as of early Wednesday afternoon, per Michael Barber, Public Affairs Specialist for the National Parks of Eastern N.C.

The U.S. Coast Guard representative who was called to check on the lighthouse on Wednesday morning identified a mechanical issue with the rotation motor and was able to quickly repair the malfunction. The lighthouse was tested and is once again rotating. “We really appreciate the [Coast Guard’s] speedy response,” said Barber. 

The beacon at the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has stopped rotating, and has been stuck in a fixed position since Sunday night, according to several Buxton residents.

Michael Barber, Public Affairs Specialist for the National Parks of Eastern N.C., reported that the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) started receiving reports on Tuesday that the lighthouse had stopped rotating, and that a representative from the U.S. Coast Guard was examining the potential issue as of Wednesday morning.

Though the lighthouse itself is managed by the National Park Service, the light within the structure is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for the repairs.

The lighthouse has gotten “stuck” in a stationary position before, most notably in 2016 when the rotating light was at a standstill twice – once in February, when it remained stuck for several days, and then several months later in April. Two years later in 2018, the light was disabled for roughly a month due to damage from a wave of winter storms, and the need for a replacement part to be built from scratch.

The Island Free Press will continue to post updates on the lighthouse repairs as soon as they are available.