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"This is the best mortar we have ever seen in an old building," said stone mason Alex Skellon of Scotland.

The last moments of removing the final part of the foundation from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was "one of the most crucial points of the move," said Jerry Matyiko to the press on May 4. He was not concerned with the possibility of the structure falling but rather, he didn't want to make more work for the team. More work causes delays. He was intent on having the job done right the first time. Matyiko explained that they were always considering the best options - the most practical, the safest.

The ever faithful diamond cable saw was removed from the base of the Lighthouse before the final cut was made. As the tower shifted her weight to the shoring towers, a faint hairline crack appeared in the remaining mortar and rock. The Lighthouse was lifting skyward ever so slightly. This was anticipated to happen. A regular hand held chain saw equipped with a special diamond chain was used to make the last cut.

In the final moments of the tower shifting her weight, surveyors detected a slight lean in the Lighthouse. It wasn't even enough to set off all of the warning systems. Once again, the engineers involved claimed that this was an expected event. Presently, the black and white beacon is sitting square on her new feet. The large concentration of weight keeps her steady.

Already, it is noticeable that some of the equipment used in the severing process is starting to vacate the premises, the grounds that once housed the Primary Keepers Quarters. This area is once again taking on a different look. As the steel beams arrive, they are being stacked in this area. Due to the incredible weight and size of each bean, they are arriving slowly from Virginia where they were manufactured. According to Expert House Mover employee Louis Fortt, it may take until the end of the month before all of the steel beams arrive. Meanwhile, the steel beams that have arrived in Buxton are being assembled and welded to make the moving platform. Soon, the process of lifting the structure upward will begin.

Life at the future Lighthouse site was very busy during the very beginning of May. A low pressure weather system parked in the ocean just south of Cape Hatteras and Mother Nature did her very best to delay the scheduled pour of the new foundation. Torrential rains and gale force winds made work conditions difficult for the workers.

The night before the concrete pour, the foundation forms and bulkhead were not completed. Design changes in the forms had delayed this phase of construction. But the concrete had been ordered well in advance and delivery was scheduled to begin in the pre-dawn hours on Saturday, May 1. In a consorted effort, the men of the Lighthouse move pulled together to meet this deadline. They pulled an all-nighter. Said Skellie Hunt of lnternational Chimney, "it was quite a scene." The halogen lights were blaring, making night look like day. By the time the cement carriers arrived, the forms were ready and fully bulkheaded. "lt is the most reinforced footing," said Hunt.

The new foundation is 60' x 60' x 4' deep and contains 58 tons of rebars. Approximately 550 yards of concrete was needed to fill this area. Twenty-one trucks (6 from Buxton, 15 from Nags Head) were used to make this continuous pour. Distributing the cement in this fashion makes the pad seamless. As the concrete started to arrive, Mother Nature abated. It did not rain for the duration of the pour. After this phase was completed, it then rained seriously for the next 2 days. Skellie Hunt said the pour went "very smoothly". It took 6 hours to fill this hungry pit. Fdr 6 hours, it did not rain.

To insure that the concrete wouldn't harden too quickly, wet sheets of burlap were laid across the pad to keep it moist and cool. Despite the cooler temperatures and sunless days, retardant chemicals were added to the concrete mixture to slow down the curing process. in 7 days, the pad was hardened about 75% and would take 21 days to completely cure. Since the Lighthouse will not arrive to this new pad for at least two months, the quality control team will have many opportunities to test the concrete for any deficiencies.

Consistent with a design-build project, some final decisions are not made until all the data is conclusive. Such is the case with the Lighthouse foundation. When the tower is placed directly above the new pad, it will be 5'4" higher than the recently formed concrete. The outstanding question concerns is - what will the black and white beacon sit on when she is being reattached? The most popular thought at the moment is precast concrete forms. However, steel beams are also being considered. The engineering team assembled by International Chimney will make that decision.

No matter how many modifications and changes are made to the original plan, the price remains the same. ICC is getting 9.8 million dollars to move the Light Station 2,900'. In a design-build contract, the final price is a fixed price. ICC designed the plan and priced the plan.

May 5,1999 was a landmark day in the moving of the Cape Hatteras Light Station. Since February, workers have labored endlessly under the Lighthouse, mining away the original foundation. In the early afternoon hours of May 5, this process came to an end. All 4,800 tons of this historic structure were totally resting upon orange colored shoring towers.

It was a moment of triumph for these men who collectively completed this major step, probably the most difficult step, of the relocation project. After all these weeks of hardship and physical exertion, the crew took a moment to reflect and revel in a job well done. Many local faces have been a part of this historical undertaking. Some of these men have "Save Not Move" bumper stickers plastered on their vehicles. Yet at this moment in time, the movers of the Lighthouse were as one. Whether they were for or against or indifferent to the move, they were on the same team. They played for the same coach, Skellie Hunt.

Worked stopped for the rest of the day and every man was given a cigar. Photographers were there to capture the moment. Laborers and bosses alike posed under the Lighthouse and puffed their cigars in a moment of glory. The team then moved to the pile of rubble, remains of what used to be the foundation of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, for more photos. The pile was so large that it comfortably sat the many faces that smiled for the camera. This pile of old rock and mortar will be pushed back into the hole from which it came after the spiral beauty takes her journey. The men were proud. No harm had come to the majestic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on their watch.

This will start a new phase at the work site and there will be a shifting of employees. Many of the ICC workers from the Buftalo, NY area will be returnmg home for a while. Expert House Movers will become the prominent crew around the base of the Lighthouse. After the last picture was snapped, Jerry Matyiko of Expert House Movers was quickly riding his bulldozer moving I beams that will torn the moving platform. He was a man on a mission with a cigar clenched between his teeth

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The Hatteras Island News will be documenting each and every move the lighthouse makes, from ground level and also from the air.

The Hatteras Island News is a free By-Weekly Publication by the Hatteras Monitor. It arrives in our mailboxes twice a month.

Publisher
Richard Jones
Anne McDermott

Printing
Curtis Cromwell

P.O. Box 364
Frisco, NC 27936
252-995-5378