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My first visit #60827 04/29/00 10:59 PM
Joined: Mar 1999
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Joanne Offline OP
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Well, I did it. I rented a car for the day and I went "Lighthousing". I visited my first lighthouse today. I went to St. Augustine. Of course, I made a turn and went the wrong way. So when I corrected my mistake, I was sure I was going to go in the wrong direction again. I made a right turn onto A1A thinking I should have turned left, and there, right in front of me I saw the lighthouse. I gasped when I saw it. I was a good mile away and it appeared huge. I had no idea how tall it is. They're building a house next to the keeper's quarters for the store. I think they want to remove it from the museum. The grounds were just lovely. They have a pail that replicates the bucket of oil the keeper had to carry to the lantern room. The pail weighed 30lbs. I was not easy to lift never mind carrying approximately 14 stories up.

I have to admit though, that I did not climb the tower. If I did, I'd still be there. I knew I would never make it down, (fear of heights). Looking up the spiral staircase was enough to make me sweat.

What surprised me most was how cool and comfortable the lighthouse and keepers quarters were. The tower had the windows open and what a breeze came in. It was very hot outide, but wonderful inside.

On the way home, I made another stop - I went to Ponce Inlet. Again, it's a breathtaking sight when you turn down a road and see the lighthouse in the distance. It's a beauty. I would have attempted trying to climb that one, but when I got there it was closed. I was only able to photograph it.

I hope the pictures come out well so I can post a few.

Joanne

P.S. The property located right next to the lighthouse is for sale if anyone is interested. How would you like to have Ponce de Leon lighthouse in your backyard?

[This message has been edited by Joanne (edited 04-29-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60828 04/30/00 01:04 AM
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DeDo Offline
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Congratulations Joanne, on visiting the "real" thing and twice! You are so right about the thrill of seeing those great towers looming in the distance. I always get so excited when the lighthouse comes into view that my family teases me.

I hope someday to visit Florida and see all those great towers.

Now that you've started, the fun will continue. Enjoy!

Donna

Re: My first visit #60829 04/30/00 02:28 AM
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Weasel58 Offline
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Congrats Joanne. You could not have picked a better pair of lights to start your insanity with. Well maybe Currituck and Bodie Island, but neither of them have anywhere near the stuff on display as St. Augistine. Just hated to hear you missed out on Ponce. YOU MUST GO BACK. If you never visit another lighthouse you must visit Ponce and tour the grounds and stand face to face with the Cape Canaveral First Order Lens, that is on display there.


Eric
Re: My first visit #60830 04/30/00 11:58 AM
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Wow - it's hard to believe that you live in Florida and had never visited a lighthouse!

Congratulations! You probably picked to two greatest lighthouses open to the public!

Now you've got to get over that fear of climbing -- so you can appreciate the views from the top!

John

Re: My first visit #60831 04/30/00 12:36 PM
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Once you get started, Joanne, you get hooked. Pretty soon you'll be planning trips north, south, and west. It becomes an addiction.

There are two kinds of thrills I get when I go in seach of a new lighthouse. The first is the one you described...you can see the light for miles away and it seems to take forever to get there. The other thrill is when you can't see a lighthouse until you're literally on top of it. Bass Harbor, Maine comes to mind...or White River, Michigan. Those are the ones that seem to create the most travelling frustration. At least when you can see the tower in the distance you have an idea of where you're going.

Glad you had fun. Where ya headin' next?

[This message has been edited by Bill Harnsberger (edited 04-30-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60832 04/30/00 09:27 PM
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Joanne Offline OP
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My next trip will be to Jupiter Inlet. Unfortunately I just saw on yesterday's news that they had the relighting ceremony Friday night so I missed that celebration. I think I will do that next month.

I brought my photos to a one hour place and they came out great. The first picture on the roll was of Bill Younger and 1/2 of me. My mother doesn't quiet know how to center a photo. Although, Bill looks great. The pictures of St. Augustine and Ponce are terrific. I'll scan them tomorrow and see if I can figure out how to post them.

Joanne

Re: My first visit #60833 04/30/00 09:51 PM
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Weasel58 Offline
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Joanne,
It's preatty easy, if you have a online storage site. ie a home page or just a sorage page. Then you just put a link to the picture.

To place a link just type in the photos url.
like this..... http://web.tampabay.rr.com/esharp/images/boca1.jpg

hope that helps a little.


Eric
Re: My first visit #60834 05/01/00 11:34 AM
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rscroope Offline
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I love your report of observations. First time is something but you'll experience the same first time experience with each new light. If your going to Jupiter you might as well hit Cape Florida and Hillsboro on the same trip. (see my lighthousing a couple of month ago.)


LONG ISLAND BOB
Re: My first visit #60835 05/02/00 11:28 AM
Joined: Jul 1999
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Great reading that report, Joanne. And you get to experience it each time you see a new one! Isn't lighthousing great? My last one was Key West. We were on a cruise, and when I woke up that morning and realized we were docked already, I got dressed and ran straight up to the top deck to get that first glimpse. It was great to see a new tower (in my eyes), and couldn't wait to get to it. You'll love Jupiter, still my favorite, and the grounds are beautiful.
Have fun!


Jeff
Re: My first visit #60836 05/02/00 10:02 PM
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Deb Weissler Offline
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Joanne, I can appreciate your fear of heights - I am an acrophobic and cannot tell you how many lighthouses I have attempted to climb only to chicken out 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up! I actually made it up 2/3 of St Augustine before freaking out and had to sit on a bench at one of the landings trying to get up my courage to go the rest of the way. I sat with my back resting against the thick brick walls and suddenly (despite the fact I KNEW the walls were VERY thick) I felt like if I kept leaning against the wall that particluar section would suddenly crack and I would fall through it! An irrational fear for sure, but fear nonetheless. I headed to the stairs and hurried down as fast as i could safely go and had to be content with a view from the bottom. Still an awesome sight! The only consolation was that I was the only member of the family that did not have sore thigh muscles from the climb the next morning!
I HAVE climbed Hatteras Light but only because I hookedmy fingers into my husband's belt and kept my eyes on his cute butt the whole way up!!

Deb

[This message has been edited by Deb Weissler (edited 05-02-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60837 05/09/00 08:23 AM
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chris g Offline
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Joanne- the first and only LH that I have ever climbed is St. Augustine. I too am afraid of heights, and had it not been for my kids egging me on, I would have never made it. I kept my eyes straight ahead at all times and somehow made it to the top! When we got to the top, the kids went out on the deck. I put one foot out the door, steadied myself, took a couple of pictures and get the heck back inside! The kids did not see me put my foot out and still do not believe that I did it! Anyway, there was a storm rolling in that day and I got some magnificent photos. If you get the opportunity to climb again, please try. If I did it, you can do it!


Chris G
Re: My first visit #60838 05/09/00 05:08 PM
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Joanne Offline OP
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Thanks for all the words of encouragement. Deb, I know exactly what you mean about imagining the walls cracking. Where I work, there is an open atrium that is floor floors high and of course I work on the fourth floor. I will not walk near the railing because I envision it breaking. But as far as St. Augustine, going up would have been okay, but coming down would have been the problem. I am sure that once I visit other lighthouses, maybe I will start out small and climb those, that eventually I will be able to climb the tall towers and be able to come down (eventually and if I pack a lunch because it will be a slow descent. LOL)

Joanne

Re: My first visit #60839 05/09/00 06:59 PM
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mombo Offline
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Joanne, maybe you need to visit shorter lighthouses!

Re: My first visit #60840 05/09/00 07:21 PM
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I guess it is time for me to confess. I could not climb the St. Augustine or Ponce Light for my fear of heights. I bought some motion sickness medicine which the DR assures me will help with this problem. So, I am determined to return to climb.

I have climbed many others, Barnegat, Montauk and others but when I can see all the way down to where the stairs begin from up on the stairwell, I cannot make myself climb. I was by myself when I attempted the climbs so maybe taking my husband to hold onto would help.

Derith

[This message has been edited by Nana (edited 05-09-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60841 05/09/00 07:34 PM
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Rod Watson Offline
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I too was always afraid of heights, Joanne.

I have found that if you make an effort to always go to the top of the tallest structures around, whenever you can, you will gradually overcome the fear and feel safer on each subsequent climb. It's very difficult at first, though.

I have forced myself onto the roof of the World Trade Center, outdoor observation platform of the Empire State Building, and observation floors of The Chrysler Building, Terminal Tower, Sears Tower, Pilgrim Monument, Perry Memorial, Washington Monument, Chimney Rock, and outside balconies of many tall lights. It has taken a long, long time to break the fear, but it doesn't quite bother me the way it used to. I still have major problems with ski lifts to the top of really high mountains, though. Seeing adventure movies with ski lifts crashing down hasn't helped much!

Becki always has a nice laugh watching me snap photos while holding on for dear life, but I am the one who always wants to climb something. Rollercoasters are another way of breaking the fear. Good luck...just at least keep trying.
Rod Watson


[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 05-09-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60842 05/17/00 12:42 PM
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Speaking of first visits Joanne, I'm off to the New Jersey coast this weekend to meet up w/other USLHS members for a tour of NJ's lighthouses. Starting at Cape May, we will make our way up to Staten Island to see the new US Lighthouse Museum. Never been there before and my only experience w/NJ at all are the frequent jokes I hear about the state in the media...but I understand that they have a beautiful coastline and take great care of their lights...very much looking forward to it and will climb whatever towers I (we) can get into!

[This message has been edited by Rock (edited 05-17-2000).]

Re: My first visit #60843 05/17/00 03:10 PM
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Joanne Offline OP
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Rock, I hope you have a great time visiting the lighthouses in NJ. It's a great time of year to be doing that, the weather should be nice and the shore not too crowded with the summer beachgoers.

Have fun!

Joanne

Re: My first visit #60844 05/30/00 12:10 PM
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Rock Offline
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Joanne, I'm back from my tour and had a great time and the weather SHOULD'VE been nice but wasn't, we didn't see the sun until the last day and had to climb a couple of towers in the pouring cold rain...it didn't stop me (us) from our tour however...very impressed w/Jersey's tall towers, especially Cape May...on the other hand, I wish there was something we could do to move Absecon light out of that miserable sinkhole called Atlantic City...with its filthy boardwalk, rude casino/hotel employees, and cigarette smoke EVERYWHERE, I found AC to be a dirty, depressing place and this beautiful tall lighthouse is stuck right in the middle of what looks like low-income housing. The keeper's dwelling was replicated and nearly completed before it was torched almost two years ago, and they are still fighting w/the insurance company for the settlement so they can start re-building...definitely the low point of the trip...but Hereford Inlet, Sea Girt, Barnegat, Sandy Hook, and even Staten Island light (ever heard of it? I hadn't...) were all gorgeous and fun to see...


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