THE KEEPER OF THE LIGHT IN NEWPORT

Author: By Victoria Shearer, Globe Correspondent

Date: SUNDAY, September 6, 1998

Page: M1

Section: Travel

Tonight marks our metamorphosis into keepers of Rose Island Lighthouse, the age-old beacon of light surrounded by watery vistas of the east passage of Narragansett Bay, now all but dwarfed by massive Newport Bridge. Built atop a 50-foot cliff on Rose Island, one mile off the coast of Newport, Rose Island Lighthouse aided seamen circumventing the New England coastline until its light was forcibly extinguished in 1971. The menacingly prominent Newport Bridge was deemed a more appropriate landmark for navigational charts. In 1984, the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation began the back-breaking labor that ultimately restored the lighthouse to its turn-of-the-century splendor. A fully automatic beacon was re-lit in 1993, and Rose Island Light once again proudly graces the charts. As part of the foundation's ongoing program, visitors may deftly step back in time, overnighting, unaccompanied by supervisory personnel, in either of two Victorian bedrooms of the former keeper's quarters. By day, Rose Island Light operates as a museum, where, until 4 p.m., costumed keepers from the Foundation go about daily chores and explain what life was like in the turn-of-the-century beacon tower. After Light A Rose shuttles the last visitor and volunteer ashore, the lighthouse hosts a living adventure of another kind.

Swaddled in wild rosa rugosa bushes, Rose Island Lighthouse immediately envelops us in the aura of a bygone era. The spirits of 19th-century keeper Charles A. Curtis and his dog Sly lead the way as Charlotte Johnson, director of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, briefs us on island history and lighthouse operating procedures before abandoning us for the mainland. Oozing with Victorian charm, the lighthouse is also a wonder of primitive efficiency, for no city services or utilities grace the island. A wind-driven turbine (with backup diesel generator) creates enough power for low-wattage lamp beams, though candle power and the twinkling harbor lights prove the romantically preferred option. The cellar cistern collects washing and flushing water, and solar heated shower bags rest in an insulated cooler for a freshwater wash-down.

The Victorian kitchen, complete with a pitcher pump at the pantry sink and a wood-/coal-burning stove, also sports an antique washtub, scrub board, black flatirons and pressing board, a startling reminder of female labors past. An oak sideboard, used by the keeper's wife, Christine Curtis, from 1887 to 1918, bulges with a potpourri of mismatched china and utensils. Johnson advises us to freely use the ancient teacups and plates and, if one breaks, to simply throw it out the window into the sea, where it will toss and turn against the rocks and be transformed into a polished beachcombing treasure for a future generation. A modern-day gas grill, which is tucked out of sight behind the keeper's quarters, awaits our dinner rations. As guests at Rose Island Light, we pack in our supplies and pack out our trash and dirty linens, for this motto from yesteryear reigns: ``Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.''

The view from atop the lantern tower reveals that the 17-acre pork-chop-shaped island holds a commanding view of Newport Harbor's bustling boat traffic as well as secreting a military past that goes back more than 200 years. The British constructed a small battery on Rose Island when they occupied Newport from 1776 to 1777. French troops followed from 1780 to 1781, adding to and strengthening the British works. American forces took over the island after the departure of the French, building Fort Hamilton in 1798 to defend the north/south passages of Newport Harbor. Although it was never completed and armed, the fort may be the nation's least altered first-system fortification, ranking as the largest remaining construction of that period. Rose Island Lighthouse was constructed atop the southwest circular bastion.

The majority of the island -- now privately owned by CMTS and the Atlantic Investment Corp. -- was the domain of the US War Department during world wars I and II. A range of Revolutionary War-era stone barracks was used as a storage dump for high explosives needed by the torpedo station on nearby Goat Island. (For much of the 1900s, torpedoes were manufactured on Goat Island and tested in Narragansett Bay. Eighty percent of the US torpedoes used in World War II were made here.) A short walk down the garden path of Rose Island Light and camouflaged by a riot of pokeberries, sweet peas, and Queen Anne's lace, the only arched-room barrack/ammo-dump on the 1.5 acres of lighthouse property, sits in eerie abandonment, filled only with the phantom dampness of the moldering stone.

As the melting sun slides into Newport Harbor, the ghosts of Rose Island Lighthouse sing like a disembodied choir. Crickets chirp. Harbor bells clank. A stiff breeze whistles through the revolving spokes of the windmill. Dusk turns to nightfall as we roost on the grass, cliffside, sharing a bottle of Chianti and the spoils of our grilled picnic. The pulsing beacon of Rose Island Light streaks the sky with metronomic regularity. Newport Bridge twinkles, a lighted garland suspended between concrete guardians. The island of Newport sparkles like a garden of topaz in a sea of sable.

Flickering candlelight enlivens the interiors of the Victorian keeper's quarters as we move indoors for the evening. We crank up the ancient Victrola for a scratchy rendition of ``Minnie the Moocher,'' and a player piano picks up the pace with such timeless ditties as ``I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover'' and ``Missouri Waltz.'' The tonal repertoire winds down about the same time as our stamina, assaulted for many hours with a rat-a-tat-tat on sensory stimulation.

Short, narrow, but made for two, the brass bed beckons. Candles extinguished, the harbor lights wash the stenciled walls like supernatural souls. Waves crash against the sea-shined clamshell beach beneath the cliff in sleep-inducing rhythm. And a distant foghorn hauntingly laments its time-honored warning refrain, ``Pay heed to Rose Island Light.''

Big Bay Point Lighthouse (906-345-9957). Guarding the shores of Lake Superior, 26 miles northwest of Marquette, Mich., in the Upper Peninsula, Big Bay Point Lighthouse -- decommissioned in 1961 -- is now an adult-only bed-and-breakfast. The 18-room inn features seven guest rooms, five with private bath, and a common living room, dining room, and library. The lighthouse tower now sports a sauna.

East Brother Light Station (510-233-2385). Constructed in 1873-'74, East Brother Light Station is the oldest of the 17 lighthouses built around San Francisco Bay. It hugs the Contra Costa shoreline about a quarter-mile west of Point San Pablo. A gourmet dinner bed-and-breakfast from Thursday through Sunday nights, East Brother features bedrooms furnished with queen-size beds and period antiques. A stay includes hors d'doeuvres and beverages upon arrival, dinner with wines, and a morning hot breakfast.

Isle au Haut Lighthouse -- The Keeper's House Inn (207-367-2261). Six miles by mail boat from Stonington, Maine, the lighthouse and Keeper's House Inn sit on Isle au Haut in the mouth of Penobscot Bay between Camden and Bar Harbor. The six-bedroom inn has indoor plumbing but no electricity or telephone. Three meals per day are provided. The inn is open from May 15 to Oct. 31.

Monomoy Point Lighthouse -- Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (508-896-3867). The lighthouse stands on South Monomoy Island, 30 minutes by boat from Chatham, on Cape Cod. Open from June to October, the rustic but comfortable keeper's cottage accommodates six persons accompanied by a museum naturalist, who guides guests on birding expeditions and natural history hikes.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse and AYH-Hostel (650-879-0633). Towering sister of Point Montara Lighthouse, Pigeon Point Lighthouse and hostel graces the California coast, 50 miles south of San Francisco. Four bungalows near the lighthouse shelter up to 50 hostelers. Baths, kitchens, and common rooms are shared. Separate quarters for families or couples can be reserved. An outdoor hot tub can be rented.

Point Montara Lighthouse and AYH-Hostel (650-728-7177). The restored Point Montara Fog Signal and Light Station stands on the California coast, 25 miles south of San Francisco. Now an American Youth Hostel operated by the Golden Gate Council, Point Montara features eight bedrooms, two kitchens, two common rooms, laundry facilities, and bathrooms with hot showers. Rooms for families and couples are available by advance reservation. An outdoor hot tub and bicycles are available for rent.

Race Point Light -- Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (508-896-3867). The New England Lighthouse Foundation restored the 1816 Race Point Light and its keeper's quarters, which are nestled in the dunes at the very tip of Provincetown on Cape Cod. The July and August overnight stays in the house -- which features indoor bathroom facilities, a gas stove, and refrigerator -- are enhanced by a narrated nature tour of the salt marsh and beach given by a local naturalist. Transportation to and from the lighthouse is by beach buggy.

Saugerties Lighthouse -- Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy (914-246-4380). The keeper's quarters wraps around the tower of Saugerties, which sits on a half-mile peninsula on the Hudson River, 12 miles north of Kingston and 10 miles from Woodstock, N.Y. Open from April through October, Saugerties has two double bedrooms, electricity, indoor plumbing, an equipped kitchen, and a charcoal grill for cooking. A caretaker is on the premises.

Selkirk Lighthouse (315-298-6688). The lighthouse and keeper's house, owned by Jim Walker, stand at the mouth of the Salmon River on Lake Ontario in Port Ontario, N.Y., about 30 minutes from Syracuse. Open from April through December, the completely furnished and equipped waterfront home accommodates six to eight persons in one party for self-catering.

Tibbetts Point Lighthouse -- American Youth Hostels Inc. (315-654-3450). The working lighthouse stands at the outlet of Lake Ontario and the head of the St. Lawrence River, 3 miles west of Cape Vincent, N.Y. Open from May through October, the keeper's quarters have been converted to accommodate 31 dormitory-style beds in single-sex rooms. Family rooms are sometimes available. The hostel has a fully equipped, self-service kitchen and dining room.

West Dennis Light -- The Lighthouse Inn (508-398-2244). Originally Bass River Light in West Dennis in Cape Cod, the inn encompasses the former combination keeper's quarters and lighthouse. The lighthouse was retired from federal service in 1914 and is now officially re-lit as West Dennis Light. The full service resort inn, open May through October, features 61 rooms and cottages with working fireplaces, all spread over nine oceanfront acres.

West Point Lighthouse (902-859-3605; 800-764-6854). The active lighthouse and keeper's quarters inn, managed by Jack Peddle, stand on the southwestern tip of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Open May through October, the inn maintains nine guest rooms with private baths in the tower and keeper's quarters and has a full-service restaurant.

Everything but food and ice is provided, including linens, dishes, pots and pans, bottled water, and a two-gallon solar shower. Most guests bring provisions for dinner and breakfast. A gas barbecue grill and a hot plate are available for cooking. The indoor lavatory is equipped with a toilet where flushing water is pumped by hand. There are pitchers and bowls for washing up in each room. No smoking is allowed at any time. No pets are allowed. Overnight parking is available on Goat Island, where the launch Light A Rose leaves for Rose Island promptly at 4:10 p.m. Prices range from $125 per weekday night and $140 per weekend night in spring/summer to $110 per weekday night and $125 per weekend night in fall/winter season.

For a longer lighthouse adventure, Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation offers you the opportunity to live in the modern upstairs keeper's apartment for a cost-efficient week if you are willing to do chores one-hour per day. Equipped with electricity, refrigeration, television, ship-to-shore radio, and indoor plumbing, the apartment rents for a fraction of the price of other Newport waterfront lodgings. The hands-on record-keeping or maintenance chores may encompass logging weather, water, and electrical data; weeding the garden; mowing the lawn; general cleaning; or raising and lowering the flag. Four people may be accommodated. Weekly prices are $400 from December through March; $600 for April, May, October, and November; and $800 for June through September. Weekly reservations require the commitment of one hour per person per day for assigned lighthouse chores. Book summer weeks at least one year in advance.