Beavertail Lighthouse: A Light on Narragansett Bay
On a dark night, the rocky edge of an island can be difficult to spot from a boat. Waves, fog, and unfamiliar shorelines make navigation even harder. For centuries, lighthouses have helped mariners recognize dangerous places and find their way. One of those lights stands at Beavertail, on the southern tip of Conanicut Island in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
A warning at the water’s edge
Beavertail Lighthouse overlooks the entrance to Narragansett Bay. Ships traveling between the Atlantic Ocean and ports inside the bay pass through waters near its rocky shores. A light on the point helps mariners identify their location and avoid getting too close to land.
A lighthouse does more than shine brightly. Its light may flash in a particular pattern, called a characteristic. Mariners can compare the pattern they see with information on a nautical chart, a map made for traveling on water. That helps them tell one light from another. Lighthouses are most useful when they are combined with charts and other navigation tools; a light alone cannot show every underwater danger.
From fire to a stone tower
- mariners:
- People who travel or work on the water.
- navigation:
- The process of finding and following a route.
- occupied:
- Took control of and stayed in a place.
- withdrew:
- Left or pulled back from a place.
- visibility:
- How clearly or how far something can be seen.
- automated:
- Made to work without a person controlling it constantly.
- hazardous:
- Dangerous or likely to cause harm.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How does the lighthouse's location make it useful to mariners?
- 2Why should mariners use a lighthouse along with charts and other navigation tools?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Beavertail Lighthouse: A Light on Narragansett Bay” is a explanatory article reading passage about Lighthouses, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (549 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.