Surely the most important aspect of the lighthouse to the mariner is the light that emanates from the tower. The tall, white beacon also serves as a day marked. The light, a 1,000 watt electric bulb, is reflected by a fixed 3rd order Fresnel Lens manufactured by L. Sautier of Paris. Four flash panels, mounted around a fixed lens, revolve around the bulb flashing one being per minute. The beam projects out 23 miles, limited by the curvature of the earth.

Today, our lighthouse is under the jurisdiction in care of the United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The preservation of the historic structure on this site is the responsibility of the Coastal Georgia Historian Society.

The "bug beacon" was used by bar pilots with the lighthouse to form the St. Simons range. The range was the area represented by the lighthouse in the rear and the beacon in the front. Today, the range is marked by the lighthouse in the front and two large steel towers on the Fredereica River in the rear. When the lighthouse is aligned between the two towers with an equidistant spacing, the vessel will be on a centerline of the St. Simon's range. The bug beacon was dismantled in the mid 1960's.