The beacon of light cascading from the mighty lighthouse, along with its vigilant keeper can be credited for many harrowing rescues at sea. These lighthouses, standing sentinel along Rhode Island’s craggy coastline, are monuments to history, offering guidance and safety to seafarers braving hazardous shoals.

A 21-beacon salute to Rhode Island’s lighthouses still standing: Beavertail Light, Block Island North, Block Island Southeast, Bristol Ferry, Castle Hill, Conanicut, Conimicut, Dutch Island, Hog Island Shoal, Lime Rock, Nayatt Point, Newport Harbor, Plum Beach, Point Judith, Pomham Rocks, Poplar Point, Prudence Island, Rose Island, Sakonnet Point, Warwick, Watch Hill.

A deep blue sea requiem for: Bullock’s Point, Fuller Rock, Gould’s Island, Gull Rocks, Musselbed Shoals, Sabin Point, Sassafras Point, Whale Rock, and Wickford Harbor.

Shining a light on lighthouse gossip:

"Beavertail Light" (Conanicut Island, Narragansett Bay; nearest town, Jamestown, Rhode Island): Station established, 1749; present lighthouse built, 1856; automated, 1972.

Accessible by car, the lighthouse is located in Beavertail State Park at the end of Beavertail Road, at the southern tip of Conanicut Island. The grounds are open to the public, and there is a museum in the assistant keeper's house, though the tower is not open to the public.

"Point Judith Light" (West side of entrance to Narragansett Bay; nearest town, Narragansett): Station established, 1810; present lighthouse built, 1857; automated, 1954. Accessible by car, the grounds are open during the day, but the lighthouse is not open to the public.

"Lime Rock Light"/ Ida Lewis Yacht Club (Newport Harbor; nearest city, Newport): Station established, 1854; discontinued, 1927. Though the yacht club is not open to the general public on a regular basis, it can be viewed from the many harbor cruises in Newport.

History shines brightly on Idawalley Zoradia Lewis, the most celebrated lighthouse keeper in American history. By the age of 14 Ida had become known as the best swimmer in Newport while her family was the official lighthouse keeper, and is credited for rescuing many at sea single handedly.

Ida’s most heroic rescue occurred on March 29, 1869 during a snowstorm when two soldiers clung to their overturned boat. Ida, who suffered from a cold, ran to her boat without taking time to put on a coat or shoes. With the help of her younger brother, Ida hauled the two men out of the water into her boat and rowed to the lighthouse. Ms. Lewis became the first woman to receive a gold Congressional medal for lifesaving.

"Watch Hill Light" (Fishers Island Sound east approach, juncture of Block Island Soundand Fishers Island Sound). Station established, 1808; present lighthouse built, 1856; automated, 1986. Closed to the public, the grounds are open during the day, and a museum in the oil house is open for limited hours in summer.

Without a doubt, the most comprehensive tour of lighthouses would entail boarding a seagoing vessel. You’re merely a google search away from booking passage online or phoning in a reservation through Rhode Island Bay Cruises aboard the 400-passenger 'Millenium' catamaran for a “Rhode Island Lighthouse Cruise.”

This 90- minute narrated sightseeing tour of lower Narragansett Bay encompasses 10 lighthouses, 10 islands, and 30 miles of coastal scenery. You will sail under the Jamestown and Newport Bridges, passing by historic Fort Adams, Hammersmith Farm, and Castle Hill. You will cruise along Newport Harbor filled with sailboats and yachts. The 'Millenium' departs from Quonset Point in North Kingstown in May through October.

For those more adventurous, "Rose Island Light" (see photo) in Narragansett Bay north of Newport Harbor, offers overnight and week-long accommodations in the keeper’s house restored to its 1900 living conditions. You can also sign up as a keeper to live in and maintain the lighthouse for a full week. There is a coal stove in the kitchen and a working Victrola with a large supply of 78 rpm records in the library.

Whether you harbor the notion of touring a lighthouse by land, sea or sequestering inside one, the memory of any such jaunt will keep. Rhode Island’s craggy coastline is dotted with towering lighthouses—beacons of safety and monuments to history.