Lighthouse cruises on Long Island

The Fire Island and Montauk Point lighthouses might be the most popular, but there are other, lesser-known lights around Long Island that have guided ships at sea for centuries. This summer, you can explore several of these historic beacons by setting sail on one- to two-hour cruises leaving from ports in Huntington, Greenport and Orient.

Here are three options to try:  

”BUG” LIGHTHOUSE: Depart from Greenport for a 20-minute ride aboard the Peconic Star, followed by an hourlong tour of the Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse, a North Fork landmark nicknamed for its shape at high tide. Built in 1870, the lighthouse burned down in 1963 and was rebuilt and recommissioned as an official aid to navigation in the early 1990s, said Tracey Orlando, executive director of the East End Seaport Museum.

During the tour, visitors will learn about life in the 1800s in a lighthouse, Orlando said. They will also have access to the museum, where a newly installed 1,000-gallon aquarium features a giant black seabass named “Grumpy Gills,” a porgy named “Bess” and other native acquatic species, she said.

Cruises run Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 and Sept. 7, 14 and 28. Meet at the East End Seaport Museum, 100 Third St. in Greenport. Tickets are $65 for adults; $58.50 for seniors 62 and older, museum members and military; and $25 for children aged 4-12. For more information, call 631-477-2100 or visit eastendseaport.org/cruises.  

HUNTINGTON LIGHTHOUSE: An hourlong cruise and tour spotlights what Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society vice president Deanna Glassmann described as a “little concrete castle on rocks” that has been guiding mariners into Huntington and Lloyd harbors since it was built in 1912.

After a 10-minute boat ride to the lighthouse, Glassmann said, “We tell them about the living quarters, then we go up 17 steps to see the watch deck.” Visitors can also climb a 14-rung ladder into the lighthouse cupola.

Cruises run Aug. 11 and Sept. 8. The boat runs continuously starting at 11 a.m. from Gold Star Battalion Beach, 324 W. Shore Rd. in Huntington. The last trip departs at 3 p.m. Passengers must wear flat, rubber-soled shoes. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 65 and older and $15 for children aged 5-12. Children under 5 are not allowed. For more information, call 631-421-1985 or visit huntingtonlighthouse.org/tours.   

 LONG ISLAND LIGHTS TOUR: Cross Sound Cruises’ 143-foot catamarans, which hold up to 600 passengers, provide views of as many as eight lighthouses, including Little Gull and Race Rock in Long Island Sound. Tours last about two hours.

Cruises run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through early October. Meet at the Orient Point ferry terminal, 41270 Main Rd. in Orient. Tickets are $34 for adults and $17 for children aged 2-11. Children under 2 are free. For more information, call 860-444-4620 or visit lighthouse.cruises.