The Sanibel Lighthouse with its new permanent leg!
Photos from The City of Sanibel
A symbol of hope for so many after Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel Lighthouse has just received a new cast iron leg and is standing strong once again.
When Hurricane Ian left its catastrophic impact on the island sixteen months ago, rumors swirled that Ian’s surge took out the lighthouse. As the sun came up the next day, islanders were relieved to find that the 138-year-old lighthouse had survived, but had been battered so fericiously that it was missing a leg and its two caretaker cottages had washed out to sea.
The lighthouse became a sign of hope — and a symbol of the island’s resilience — to the hundreds of residents and business owners determined to remain #SanibelStrong.
A tremendous amount of work was done to preserve the 98-foot-tall historical landmark and its foundation. A temporary wooden leg was installed six weeks post-Ian, and the lightouse was ceremoniously relit five months after the storm.
This week, a permanent leg was finally installed to the structure that means so much to so many. Soon, the lighthouse will be painted and a beach renourishment program will improve the eroded shoreline.
Below, please find a video shot by Andrew West of The News-Press, showing the team of workers who diligently worked on installing the permanent cast iron leg to our beacon of light.
Shine on, Sanibel!
