On Saturday we had a tour scheduled to climb
Oak Island Lighthouse (North Carolina). The lighthouse is open to only the second floor during the summer & 2 days per week the rest of the year, but tours must be scheduled to climb to the top. This lighthouse is one of the newest lighthouses in the United States. Oak Island Lighthouse was built in 1958 and there is only one other like it in the United States. What makes this lighthouse unique is that is does not have the typical spiral staircases found in most lighthouses. Instead, it is equipped with 8 flights of "ships ladders". The flight to the first floor is only 10 steps high; however there are 7 more flights of 17 stairs. The lighthouse itself is quite bright and you can see all the way to the top.
My husband, daughter and son-in-law and I (as well as 3 other people on the tour) ascended the first flight of stairs to the first floor where the tour guide commenced to tell the history of the lighthouse. I noticed that my daughter looked rather fearful. She decided not to climb further. My husband and son-in-law continued up along with the others and I waited until they were past. I started to climb the second flight of stairs, but realized that I probably didn't have enough courage to make the climb since the supply elevator shaft
was open all the way to the top, and it was CREEPY!!!
First flight of stairs...
Our tour guide...
Another view to the top...
I nearly climbed to the third floor before calling it quits. My husband climbed 4 flights of stairs and realized he was light-headed and should return to the bottom. My son-in-law and the 3 other brave souls made it to the top. Oh well, I never said I would climb every lighthouse in America, I would just like to visit them and and photograph them!!!
