Lighthouses

Three Lighthouses, three experiences, all amazing. In my travels I've been lucky enough to visit and climb three different lighthouses. Each experience was unique and had wonderful views from the top.

The first lighthouse I'd ever visited was on Bald Head Island just off the coast of North Carolina, the lighthouse, Old Baldy, was a concrete tower and not the round shape I'd expected of a lighthouse. In my mind, lighthouses were striped standing tall with a regal light twirly regally at the top. Not in the case of Old Baldy. This old guy was concrete gray with angled sides. I'm not quite sure if it was badly in need of a new coat of paint or if the concrete is starting to crumble on the outside. The light part itself, wasn't perched regally at the top but rather off kilter to one side of the top. The light itself was long since gone as the lighthouse was no longer in operation. The stairs, made of wood, creaked under my feet as mom and I climbed to the top, she oo'd and ah'ed at the views taking pictures at every window of the island and marsh below. The fact that the landings all creaked and cracked beneath our feet not fazing her in the least. I however, was a little more concerned about the reliability of the old wood. I slowly followed mom up the steps, flight after flight as the stairs curved around, hugging the concrete wall. We finally neared the top where a single metal ladder led the way into the very top where the light would have been housed. Not to be swayed from going to the very top for the ultimate pictures, mom scampered on up the ladder. Me on the other hand, I stayed where I was at the top landing and waited for her to come back down. My sense of adventure my be into exploring but where heights are concerned, this part was just a little to far out of my zone. Eventually she'd gotten her fill of pictures and made her way down the latter. We slowly climbed back down the stairs, mom moving slower than I as she paused A LOT to take more pictures. Me, well, I moved as quickly as my legs could handle and didn't stop until my feet hit the ground outside the lighthouse. It was neat to see for sure, but a little more adventurous than I'd like. Still though, the history of the place, the peacefulness of the island made this a great and slightly scary first lighthouse experience to have.

My second lighthouse experience was just outside of San Diego on Point Loma, I visited the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The lighthouse was shorter than expected but still neat to visit. Mom and I wandered the property, taking in the information and history of the keeper's house and the lighthouse. It was neat to see the garden and the different buildings. This lighthouse had a set of stairs leading near the top but not going all the way up. Unfortunately, the lighthouse offered no views from inside of the outside. The simple grey stairs had a dizzying effect as they were tight and swirled up with little break from the greyness of the interior. Going down was more challenging as the colors ran together, messing with your eyes in trying to watch each step while making your way down. Each person had to take a turn going up or down, there was barely enough room for one to navigate the steps, passing nearly impossible. This lighthouse though, I have a favorite picture of mom. She is climbing steps to the lighthouse building, the simple white building with the small tower of the lighthouse itself sticking out above the rest of the structure stands brightly in front of her. Her back is to the camera as she looks up at the lighthouse. It is an angle that shows her and her love of the lighthouses she visits. A memory and picture I'll cherish.

The third and final lighthouse in my journey's was Hook Lighthouse in Ireland. This beauty is the world's oldest operational lighthouse and has quite the history behind it. When this place came into view, this was the quintessential lighthouse I'd been looking to visit. Massive in size, black and white striped exterior. Tall, straight, and round with the light at the top swirling majestically around. Coupled with being shrouded in mist, this would be the lighthouse to beat, at least for me. We were lucky enough to go on a guided tour, like always, mom had camera in hand ready to shoot pictures of the interior and outside from every window at every level as we climbed. We learned of the history of the monks who ran the lighthouse, the origins of phrases light "by hook or by crook" inspired by this structures location, and other tidbits on modern operations. We climbed to the observation deck on concrete stairs embedded in the walls of the lighthouse. Each flight was flanked by walls until a landing was reached and the floor opened up with a space designed by the monks for a specific purpose, a chapel, the kitchen, and sleeping quarters. The view from the metal observation deck was gorgeous and one I love to relive.

It has been interesting to see the difference between the three lighthouses and I'm sure in my future travels I will have adventures exploring other lighthouses, most likely with mom at my side as she loves the things. Me, I mostly prefer the view from the ground but with mom's sense of adventure, it's good to get out of the comfort zone and climb those stairs. Wood or concrete, rickety or solid, defunct and old or well cared for and operation. All these lighthouses have one thing in common. They are amazing with a history that can't be beat.