One More Lighthouse

 

Waves, North Carolina High 72 Low 66

Last night we got a lot of rain and the wind has blown all day. It was interesting watching the clouds come in and how fast they moved.

These three pictures were taken in about 2 minutes. It started to rain very soon after.

We went to Bodie Lighthouse and got a few pictures and learned some of the history.

This last picture was taken from the observation platform on the proceeding photo.

While some people (including North Carolinians not from the Outer Banks) pronounce the name with a long "o" sound, it is traditionally pronounced as body. This is derived from the original name of the area, which was "Bodies Island", after the Body family from whom the land was purchased. Folklore would have you believe it is due to the number of dead sailors washed ashore from this portion of the Atlantic Ocean, which is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Local gift shops sell maps of the shipwrecks on the ocean floor. An impressive array of ships have been sunk due to storms, shoals, and German U-boats in World War II. 

The preceding Bodie Island lighthouses actually stood south of Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in an area now under water. The first was built in 1847 and then abandoned in 1859 due to a poor foundation. The second, built in 1859, was destroyed in 1861 by retreating Confederate troops who feared it would be used as a Union observation post during the Civil War. The third and current lighthouse, with its original first order Fresnel lens, was completed in 1872. In 1932, the light was upgraded to an electric lamp by using oil-fueled electrical generators. It remained manned until 1940, when the lighthouse was fully automated. In 1953, the generators were disconnected and power was supplied from the commercial electric grid.

It is a white lighthouse with black rings. In 2012 it was remodeled and opened to people to climb in 2013 for a fee. It is run by the National Park Service.

Tomorrow we leave here for New Bern, North Carolina where we will only stay for one night. I felt it was too far to drive to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in one day.

Thanks for visiting.