LIGHTHOUSES OF THE WORLD.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on The Outer Banks of N.C.

i've been watching an excellent BBC series called Coast

some good lighthouse stories throughout the series

one of the shows presenters explains the appeal of the show

Neil Oliver explains the success of the hit BBC Two show's success and why we brits adore our coastline. Interviewed by Cavan Scott

Britain is unique. Every other country in Europe is linked to land, but we’re out here in our little archipelago. That fact alone has defined our destiny. It stopped Napoleon, it stopped Hitler and that’s only in recent terms. For thousands of years, that divide has kept us different.

It’s amazing to be back celebrating our shores, as Coast was only intended to be a one-off series. However, by the end of series five, which we’re filming now, the BBC will have broadcasted 45 hours of the stuff. Why? Well, when series one came out, we were living in interesting times. People were starting to really worry about climate change and there was war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Then Coast arrived with a celebratory feel that was never triumphant. It wasn’t Rule Britannia, but said it was ok to take pleasure in our natural beauty, culture, history and geographic richness. Like the coast itself, it was reassuring. It stated that our foundations underfoot were still quite firm.

Coast never implied that Britain was better than anywhere else, but pointed out that just up the road from where you live, there’s always an amazing sight. There’s something in the size of the country that makes a difference. Wherever you are in the UK, you’re only ever 72 miles from the coast. Our land is not too big, meaning you can’t feel a sense of ownership for the whole place, but at the same time it’s big enough to escape and get lost in every now and again.

I believe that the coast can be described as the fifth country of the United Kingdom. People living on the coast of north-east Scotland almost have as much in common with those living on the coasts of Cornwall, Cardigan Bay and Galway as they do with their immediate neighbours. There’s a shared relationship with the sea; the comings and goings of coastal life unite them.

Above all, people are the most important part of the coastline. They’ve certainly helped to make our show a success. I remember talking to a chap back in series three called Harry about his time working as a bellboy in the Midland Hotel, that Art Deco edifice in Morecambe. While filming the current series, a guy came up to me and told me he was Harry’s son and his dad had passed away just before the episode went out, but the family was overjoyed that he’d taken part. His story would live on. Every year we put on record the personal stories that would otherwise be lost. Lose these stories and you lose what’s important about the British coastline, the people who have made it what it is today.

Good summary..

The shoals and the currents at the "Diamond shoals" equal the Columbia Bar in velocity and turbulence. Hence the "Graveyard" moniker. Ive never sailed into the Inner Coastal waterway via Diamond Shoals but Ive heard that they must be piloted with strict consideration of tides and weather.

farmer, I'm going to try again. Hope you don't mind my using your great thread as a test.

Haunted lighthouse of St. Agustine, Florida

haunted is it? What made it haunted?

Even though I laugh at such stories, this one is nice..

The original St. Augustine Lighthouse was first
built by Spanish settlers during the 1600's. In 1824, it became an official U.S. lighthouse in one of the oldest cities in North America: St. Augustine, Florida. The present, haunted lighthouse was built in 1874 and replaced the original light (formerly located 1/4 mile away), which was lost due to tidal erosion. The original lighthouse had one noted tragedy: lighthouse keeper, Mr. Andreu fell to his death while painting the tower. Visitors claim that they can smell his cigar smoke.

The U.S. government built the current lighthouse by purchasing parcels of land from several owners. One of the land owners, Dr. Ballard, disputed his neighbors over the land deal and some tour guides have reported seeing his ghost. Possibly, Dr. Ballard or even Mr. Andreu still haunt the St. Augustine lighthouse, but there are other stories of tragedy associated with the haunted lighthouse.
haunted st. augustine lighthouse

Hezekia Pittee's daughters, along with an African-American girl, all drowned when the handcart in which they were playing went off the tramway that was built to carry supplies from ships to the lighthouse. There have been reports of ghostly girls being sighted at the St. Augustine Lighthouse, but there is no way to know whether or not they are the Pittee girls or their friend. In fact, no one ever reports the spirit of a third girl being seen. The most credible reports have been of a single girl. See the St. Augustine Lighthouse Girl

I know, Francis, but it's the month of Halloween.

Here is the girl on the picture, meanwhile the photographer was sure nobody was there:

Oh, my father was a keeper of the Eddystone Light
And he married a mermaid one fine night.
From this union there came three:
A porpoise, a porgy and the other was me.
Yo-ho-ho, the wind blows free
Oh, for a life on the rolling sea.

The small country of Denmark has more than 200 lighthouses ... some are light houses, like ...

Halskov II


When I searched them at daylight (for getting our position) I really overlooked them the first time(s) ...

... or Tvingsberg Forfyr and Tvingsberg Vinkelfyr

Heres the Faro de San Blas at the peninsula across from the port of Tepic , in the state of Nayarit, on the western shores of Mexico.

Is it me? Or the photographer? Or is the lighthouse tower leaning?

And I wonder if thats a vulture flying to the left of the tower? Or another kind of bird of prey?

From the seadide - and that's the only view which really counts - the faro looks perfectly okay

Wonderful thread, farmer. Lighthouses are beautiful!
Australia's first lighthouse, built in 1881:





http://maritime.heritage.nsw.gov.au/public/site_view.cfm?site_ID=2070

Looks middle eastern sorta.

I love lighthouses and old barns as examples of things where function dictates form.

my favorite is old firehouses, now that you bring stuff like that up...

Oldest lighthouse on the Hudson River. It's now a bed and breakfast: