TIM KELLY FILE PHOTO | A Cross Sound Ferry vessel passes by the Orient Point Lighthouse on it’s way to Connecticut.

The Orient Point Lighthouse, also known as the “coffeepot” light, just off the tip of the North Fork in Plum Gut, is a fixed aid to navigation, but the the federal government’s deadline for would-be buyers to submit purchase bids keeps shifting like the tide.

The federal General Services Administration began the auction last summer and initially planned to sell the lighthouse to the highest bidder within two months. But last week, the GS announced on its property auction website, http://realestatesales.gov, that the auction would end Sept. 17.

The closing date was since been moved to Sept. 20 and then extended to just before noon today, Saturday. The GSA indicates that another extension is possible. Nine bids have been submitted to date, with the highest at $100,000. The East End Seaport Museum was initially interested in seeking ownership but determined it did not have the required financial resources.

Whoever purchases the structure must allow the U.S. Coast Guard access to maintain the light.

The lighthouse is made of cast iron and is partially filled with concrete. It stands 45 feet tall with three stories of living quarters and two watch decks, according to the GSA.