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Lighthouse Quest
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My passion for them began in 1988 on a trip to Maine with my family; I saw one standing there, on the rocky cliffs of the ocean's shore--strong, beckoning, evocative. I clambered over slippery boulders and rocky paths to frame a shot of it; my camera was an Olympus OM1, brand new, just out of the box, with a 75-150mm zoom lens. Rather than capturing the image, however, it captured me, and I have been on a hunt for lighthouses ever since. Below, you will find my favorites. Be sure to check back from time to time for more--especially after this summer when I'll be trekking up the East Coast and through the St. Lawrence River Valley. Enjoy your stay; you have permission to use my pictures if you give me credit--Dr. Diane K. Harper--and load them into your own server.
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Bass Harbor Head Light, McKinley, Maine, on Mt. Desert Island, 1988
Between stuffing ourselves on lobster and exploring national seashore on foot, we managed to spot out a couple of charming lights on the coast. This is the only shot that came out very well, because we really had no clue as to how to get where we needed to be to get a picture that looks as good on paper as in our heads.
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Anastasia Light, St. Augustine, FL, 1989
This one was easy; the light is on a barrier island off the coast of St. Augustine, a Florida favorite for family daytrips. The lighthouse was built c1885 and looks much like the Outer Banks Lights. The only problem with the shot was the size of the trees in front of the house, but the picture turned out better than expected, even with the sun high in the sky. It's faded with age because we didn't know how to take care of our pictures until recently.
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Ponce Inlet, near New Smyrna Beach, FL, 1993
We have a certificate to prove that we climbed all 203 steps to the top of Ponce DeLeon Lighthouse. This one was made famous in a short story by Stephen Crane. There is a stained-glass replica of the light inside the keepers cottage, and the site is something of a museum to all the keepers and their families of old.
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Sister Island Light, St. Lawrence, NY, 1993
This one sits in the middle of the St. Lawrence Seaway between the US and Canada and is accessible only by boat. The Seaway lights mark treacherous sand bars and huge rock boulders that lie just below the surface of the water. There is a castle-like home on Dark Island not far from this light.
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Sunken Rock Light, Alexandria Bay, St. Lawrence Seaway, NY 1993
This little light sits right on top of a huge boulder that lurks just below the surface. In fact, they had to build up some rock to include keepers quarters. Behind the light you can catch a glimpse of Boldt Castle on Heart Island; the castle was brought over, rock by rock, from Europe as a home for a beloved young lady. She died before the castle was finished; its ruins have been restored and are a favorite tourist attraction.
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Tibbets Point, Cape Vincent, NY, 1998
Standing at the outlet of Lake Ontario and the head of the St. Lawrence River, this light was first built in 1827 and rebuilt in 1854. We caught this picture in the fall, as the leaves were just beginning to turn. The house is used as a youth hostel in the summer, with folk arts and crafts programs.
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Summer 2000 Update:
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