The beacon is visible up to 19 miles, a sentinel in the darkness, the darkness a stretch of coastal waters called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic. “
Ah, Jimmy, did I mention I have a fear of heights?
In the light of day, 156 feet up, it looked to be smooth sailing along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Hope springs eternal with every new sunrise.
The view, courtesy of Nags Head’s Bodie Island Lighthouse, left me feeling both insignificant and inspired.
The view, courtesy of Nags Head’s Bodie Island Lighthouse, left me feeling both insignificant and inspired.
My nickname for Bodie Lighthouse: the zebra!
Charming seems the appropriate description for this striped National Landmark, especially considering “the third time’s a charm.”
The first lighthouse, built in 1847, lasted two years before the then 54-foot tower began leaning. Oops! Retreating Confederate soldiers destroyed the second lighthouse in 1861, fearing it might be used by Union soldiers as an observation post during the Civil War. Such a waste! The third lighthouse, completed in 1872, is what still stands today, although an extensive restoration effort was needed before the Bodie (pronounced body) Island Lighthouse would be available to the public beginning April 18, 2013.
The first lighthouse, built in 1847, lasted two years before the then 54-foot tower began leaning. Oops! Retreating Confederate soldiers destroyed the second lighthouse in 1861, fearing it might be used by Union soldiers as an observation post during the Civil War. Such a waste! The third lighthouse, completed in 1872, is what still stands today, although an extensive restoration effort was needed before the Bodie (pronounced body) Island Lighthouse would be available to the public beginning April 18, 2013.
Popular folklore suggests Bodie Island got its name because of the bodies that washed up on its shores after the shipwrecks, which sounds much more interesting than the alternative; the land on which the lighthouse stands was originally owned by the Body family. That land, purchased by the federal government for $150 in 1846, was actually an island one-hundred-fifty years ago, before time and wind and surf did the work of bridging the gap between island and mainland.
 Lighthouse view looking east toward Atlantic Ocean. |  Lighthouse view looking west, towards the sound. |
The historic tower still houses a first-order Fresnel lens, now automated, that continues to light up the night along Carolina’s Outer Banks;
Youuuuu light up my life!
of course the pirates, tall ships, and lawless seas that were once part of the scrubby and barren landscape have disappeared, but the timeless beauty of the sea and sand continue to mesmerize.
Sunset on the sound.
I felt nothing but nostalgia for this beautiful relic from the past, and pride for the history we share.
Stairway to the stars - 214 steps.
Shouldn't we all be a beacon of light in this crazy world?
Jimmy is the light of my life.
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