August Sunset and Full Moon Climb at Cape St. George Lighthouse

The 2nd August Sunset and Full Moon Climb at the Cape St. George Lighthouse on St. George Island will be held on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. Visitors can enjoy this opportunity to view St. George Island, the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola Bay under the evening sky.

The Sunset and Full Moon Climb will begin at 7:30pm p.m. and run until 9:30p.m. Fifteen-minute time slots will be allotted for each group on a first come, first served basis. No advanced reservations will be taken. You will purchase your tickets in the gift shop and then sign up for your 15-minute time slot with the lighthouse keeper. Up to 12 persons allowed in each 15-minute time slot. The gift shop will open at 7:00pm to begin selling tickets.

Cost is $10.00 per climber for the general public and $7.00 for members of the St. George Lighthouse Association. Cash or credit card payments accepted. All climbers must be at least 40 inches tall to climb the tower and children must be age 13 and over to access the outside catwalk. For more information, please contact the Lighthouse Gift Shop at 850-927-7745.

The sun will set at 8:04 p.m. and the “Sturgeon” moon will rise at 8:13 p.m. on August 30th. This moon is a rare “Blue Moon”. The term “Blue Moon” does not refer to the color of the moon but to the occurrence of it being the second full moon in one calendar month. For a blue moon to occur, the first of the full moons must appear at or near the beginning of the month so that the second will fall within the same month. Additionally, since this full moon falls in August, this moon is also referred to as the Sturgeon moon. Native American tribes referred to the moon as the Sturgeon Moon because sturgeon, a large fish common to the Great Lakes and other large bodies of water, are most readily caught in August. Full Moon names are attributable to native American tribes, most notably the Algonquin, who named the moons to mark the changing seasons.

The Cape St. George Light is located in St. George Lighthouse Park at the center of St. George Island, where Island Drive (the road off the bridge) ends at Gulf Beach Drive. Parking is available in lots at either side of the park.

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