(almost) Full Harvest Moon Night Tour
Event
The Point Arena Lighthouse continues its popular Full Moon Night Tours with an (almost) Full Sturgeon Moon Night Tour on Saturday, September 14. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the tour starts around 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature a special presentation about the Light Station’s history and technology, sweet and savory snacks accompanied by champagne or sparkling juice, capped off by a guided “Climb to the Top” tour of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast under the rising full moon – if the weather cooperates, of course! An etched Point Arena Lighthouse souvenir champagne flute is included in the price of admission for each participant, which is $50 per person. The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are recommended in advance of the tour. While the tour is scheduled to coordinate with the full moon, weather conditions may preclude lunar visibility. The tours are conducted regardless of weather conditions unless the Lighthouse Staff deems them to potentially cause safety issues for the guests. If the tour is canceled, guests will receive a full refund. The Lighthouse is located at 45500 Lighthouse Road in Point Arena.
The Harvest Moon is the moon that falls near the autumnal equinox. This full Moon provides the most light at the time when it’s needed most—to complete the harvest. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac full moon names were used by early Colonial Americans who learned the names from the local Native Americans. Indigenous people did not record time by using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Many tribes kept track of time by observing the seasons and lunar months, although there was much variability. The September full moon is also called the Full Corn Moon because it traditionally corresponds with the time of harvesting corn. It is also called the Barley Moon because this is the time to harvest and thresh ripened barley. Some other traditional September Full Moon names used by Native Americans include “Moon When the Plums Are Scarlet” (Lakota Sioux), “Moon When the Deer Paw the Earth” (Omaha Native Americans), and “Moon When the Calves Grow Hair” (Sioux Native Americans).
The Lighthouse offers Full Moon and (almost) Full Moon Night Tours throughout the year on the Saturday closest to the full moon if it doesn't fall on that day. Check our Calendar of Events for dates and times of all Lighthouse events. For more information or to make a reservation, call the Lighthouse at 707-882-2809, ext. 1 at least three days before the date of the tour.
