July 21, 2006
To The Lighthouse
Climb 175 wrought iron stairs to reach the top of the Lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park. This is not recommended for those with either vertigo or OCD (step 1, step 2, step 3. . . ). Nineteenth century lighthouse keeper dudes carried a 50lb vat of oil up these gyre-like steps 3 times a day to keep the lighthouse lantern lit. I think Sisyphus had a better gig. According to our guide, Anne, 3 families lived in one large house on the island, with the lighthouse keeping being divided equally among the three men in the family. You'd think that after several years of climbing 175 stairs with a heavy can of oil that someone in that bunch might have gotten a bright idea (no pun intended).
Lighthouse Keeper 1: I've heard tell of a device called a pulley. Is it used for lifting heavy objects? I wonder if we could use such a device here at ye olde lighthouse?
Lighthouse Keeper 2: Yes! I've heard of that device as well. The pulley is a marvel. I've been thinking of how it could help us with our heavy can of oil. We could afix one to the landing at level five and run a line to a. . .
Lighthouse Keeper 3: Hush, you lazy bones! That's fool's talk! Pulley's are the devil's pull-toys!
Lighthouse Keeper 2: You mean playthings.
Lighthouse Keeper 3: You know what I mean.
Lighthouse Keeper 1: What's a pull-toy?
Anyway the view from the top was impressive - ocean on one side and a wide sea of intercoastal marsh to the other. In between, the treetops stretched like a protective green blanket across the entirety of this wonderful state park. It's truely heartening to see an undisturbed tree line in this part of the world. Almost every other island in this area has been developed for vacation property. Ironically, because of the historical significance of the Lighthouse and it's surrounding buildings, the island is now protected from further rampant development. If you build it, sometimes, they (developers) won't (can't) come. So climb to the top and you get a bird's eye view of an undeveloped coast line and unbroken forest. Beautiful. I'm getting dizzy now just thinking about being up there. Here's some more pics. . .
The Lighthouse - another view
The Oil House
"Is this the gift shop?"
"No, little girl. This is where the men with strong arms picked up their quotidian burden."
Stairs - interior, looking up - also called The Wrought-Iron Gyre of Sisyphus or The Spiral Stairs I Climb Thrice-a-Day with Me Heavy Can of Oil or Those God Damned Stairs
View from the Top - Treetops (Trust me, there's marsh to the right, I just got too dizzy to turn with my camera to the right.)
Posted by Red Chuck at July 21, 2006 11:46 AM