To the Editor:

After reading Gina Scala’s excellent article “Coast Guard Steers Through Centuries on LBI Waterways” in last week’s paper, I thought readers may appreciate more insight into how deep these roots go and how much lifesaving changed over the years at Barnegat Light.

Though the Coast Guard traces its roots to the Revenue Cutter and Life-Saving services, formed in 1790 and 1848 respectively, the practice of responding to ships in distress dates back as early as the 1700s.

July 16, 2026