Bodie Island Lighthouse

After our fabulous trip to the Aquarium, we grabbed some lunch at

Big Al’s (Capri was really excited about this since her godfather is Al) and then headed out to the Bodie Island Light Station.

The Bodie Lighthouse was closed to the public for many years but to our luck…”There was a re-lighting ceremony on April 18, 2013, and the lighthouse was opened for the general public to climb the following day’.  Of course the girls wanted to climb it.  They are taller than the 42” height requirment – the next question was “Who would go up there with them?”  Without a doubt it would not be me…I’m not a fan of heights.  There is no way I was heading up there.  So it was between Jared and Aunt Karma.

Jared decided he would take the two big girls.  Pip was passed out in the car so Karma and I hung out with her for the tour.  Jared snapped this picture looking up at the 214 stairs they had to climb.

 

And here is the view of the stairs from the top.  Jared said he thought Cedi was going to beat the guide up the stairs…she was on his heals the whole time.  Capri, who’s not as big of a fan of heights or adventures did amazing and held her own the whole way up.

 The girls at the top of the lighthouse.

Jared snapped a picture of us on the ground looking up at them.

They made it to the top!

I was able to get some shots of them at the top of the lighthouse.  I love how Cedi’s sticking her head through the railing and Capri and Jared are plastered to the side of the main lighthouse.

Quick Facts from them ‘Carolina Lights’ website

• Popular folklore says that the island got its name because of the many bodies that were found around it, washed up from shipwrecks
• The inside plaque reads “Body Island” – no one is certain on the spelling change
• Bodie Lighthouse stands 156 feet tall
• The height of each stripe is 22 feet
• The beacon is visible up to 19 miles
• It currently has One 1000 watt lightbulb activated by photocell
• The land for Bodie Lighthouse cost $150 in 1846
• The total cost of construction was $140,000
• The first keeper of Bodie Island Lighthouse was paid an annual salary of $400.
• The tower still houses a 1st-order Fresnel lens

Again – this little excursion was really worth it.  It cost $4 for each of the kids and $8 for Jared to walk to the top. They will always remember it and I will always remember that I didn’t have to go to the top!