Top of the World ~ Pensacola Lighthouse

I would love to go to the top of a lighthouse.  great views

Great views and a great experience.  Every time I go in one I think about the keepers and their families.

What an interesting lighthouse tour, Renda. I especially loved the gargoyles. 177 steps is nothing compared to some of the steps in the church towers in Europe,  but I tell you, it made me dizzy looking down even just through your photogrph.

I think someone would have to photograph that shadow for me.

Rose, I have been in several lighthouses...some more and some less steps.  Regardless, it is a workout going to the top.  Thankfully, coming down is easier :)

real awesome there,,  I think this is the one my dad went to a few yrs ago,,  he siad he made it up the staris,  yet wondered if jumping down would be easier,,  LOL 

hehehe.....Coming down is easy.  The going up is a work out and know what he means!

That is very cool - thanks for the tour!

Thanks for coming along.  I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Love those lenses and that staircase shot - very cool!

That lens is a first order...which is spectacular.  They keep the light rotating to prevent the sun from starting a fire from the magnification.  I always like taking photos of the staircase when I go in the lighthouses too.  They are awesome.  These were especially so because they are wrought iron.

Renda ,this was a very interesting photo essay ! Great photos all ,but I particularly liked the stairwell and lens shots. Cool place.

Me too, Phil.  Aren't they great?

I enjoyed this. I have never seen the inside of one, but always wanted to. I remember seeing a few in my travels when I lived in Jersey, but don't recall any of them being open to the public. Their pretty darn nice inside.

Dee, if you ever get the opportunity to go inside one....do it.  It is a fantastic experience and you will look at them in a different way once you go inside.  They are fantastic.

The climbing could deter me from the beautiful end result.  But if I could make it to the top (and back down again...) I think the views would be well worth it. 

I am amazed at how normal it looks inside.  It looks like an ordinary home (the walls and floors and trim and all).  I always thought they would look kind of like a dungeon for some reason. 

My favorite is the view of the ocean.  I love your lighthouse shadow...but I have to ask.  Am I the only one with a little bit of a dirty mind? 

They are, indeed, Alex.  It is a workout to get to the top, but once there it is breathtaking!  No dungeons here :)

The ocean view is great.  I doubt you are the only one that had that thought run through your mind when seeing the shadow pic...hehehe.

neat pictures thanks for sharing..

Thanks, Larry.

I love your lighthouse photo essays!  Many thanks!

And many thanks to you, Linda.  I probably will republish them, although I don't think I will put all the "technical" info that I did before....but definitely will include the photos.

What a great Photo Essay I have a friend i will send to see this

Thanks, Jule.  I hope your friend enjoys it as well.

Fascinating, Renda....but no paranormal experiences....darn....I was hopin' for a ghost inviting you for tea.  Loved looking inside the keeper's house...and the image of the staircase was awesome. Nice tour.

Bob, I was a little disappointed about the lack of paranormal activity too.  Tea with a Ghost would have been nice.  Maybe Magi will send a tea toting ghost here :)

The keeper's house was interesting.  Whenever I go inside the keepers homes, I think of all those people who lived there.

Thanks for coming on the tour.

how cool! i love lighthouses! my entire kitchen is lighthouse decor!

I bet you have a great collection too.  I have several (several, several) lighthouses too.  Thanks for dropping by.

What a wonderfull photo essay.  I so love light houses,.  I coloect them and dolphins.

Sheryl, I do too!  I have more lighthouses than dolphins...but still the collections are always growing.

You know I have found some of the cutest lighthouses and dolphins at the $ stores. They keep coming out with cute little wood and ceramic ones.

I have several from there :)  I also have lots of lighthouse stuff from flea markets (my dad and stepmom seem to find the greatest lighthouse items during their fleamarket runs).

Beautiful shots!!

Thanks Donna!

Wow this one is really high up.  I loved the photos but thought the one showing the stairs was particularly appealing.  That is an awesome shot.

Thanks, Linda.  Yes, I like the stairways too.

Beautiful photos of a very interesting place.  It has been about 6 years since I went to the lighthouse. I even climbed the stairs to the top.  I love the beaded board walls in the "home".  Great photo essay!

Thank you for posting your photo essay at Pretty Pictures. 

Thank you, Kat.  I'm glad you got to go and went to the top.  Isn't it wonderful?

Wonderful photos Renda.  That is beautiful inside.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of this theme.

Thank you, Nancy.  Some of the ones I have are just towers and you can't go inside (like the one in Carrabelle ~ Crooked River Lighthouse), however I do enjoy seeing any lighthouse (whether you can go up to the top or not)....they amaze me.

Great photo essays , cost a lot to maintain old lighthouses , maybe it is not safe to on the other floors .

Thanks, Wendy.  It sure does take a lot.  I don't know why we couldn't go to the second floor.

Beautiful photo essay, Renda.  For someone who is afraid of heights, I love lighthouses and have even made it to the top of a couple on the Oregon coast.  This is a very interesting lighthouse with the keepers living quarters open to the public.  I like the shadow shot.

Hey, hey!  It's awesome that you overcame your fear of heights to trek to the top of the lighthouses.  I have never seen any of the lighthouses in the northern or western states.  It would be great to see all of them, wouldn't it?

Yes, I think I've seen all of them in Oregon and have pictures of most if not all, but they are BD (before digital).  I would like to do a tour of the lighthouses in the New England states.  Of course, that's the one area of the country where I haven't been and have always wanted to do the fall colors there too.

I went as far up as Mass, but that was years ago and I didn't go see any lighthouses along the way.  You're right, it would be nice to head up there and do some lighthouses and the fall colors.  Most of my lighthouse photos (that had previously posted) where 35mm and I scanned them onto the computer in order to post them.  Maybe you could do the same, as I would love to see your lighthouse photos.

Wonderful tour. I really enjoy lighthouses.

Thanks

Thank you, George.  I like them too.

Excellent photos and essay of your visit. I love lighthouses. I am hoping to check out those in North Carolina some time in the future.

I know I can count on you to share some photos when you check them out, Marianne.  I haven't seen any of those in North Carolina...so I will await your photo essays :)

Thanks for dropping by.

Great photo essay, I enjoyed the virtual visit.

Chris ~ Thank you for taking the virtual tour.  I'm glad you enjoyed it...come by anytime.

You did a wonderful job on this photo essay!  This lighthouse is pretty and I like the way that you take a pic of the shadow.   Keep up the good work :)

When I retire maybe I can tour the States and visit them all.  Wouldn't that be fun?

Great photo essay, Renda.

Thanks, Bob.

Wonderful photo essay!

Thanks, Jo.

Like you, I enjoy visiting lighthouses, too.   Although, I've never been to Pensacola before.  The interior of this lighthouse is lovely!

If you get to Pensacola, be sure and check it out K D.  Thanks for dropping by.

I'll do that!

Excellent photo essay!

Matthew, thanks for dropping in.

So interesting and informative, I hope you bring the series back!

Thank you, Nana.  I don't know when I will repost them, but I do intend to.  I may have to do one every month or so.

How did I miss this?  No difference....what a great lighthouse...you know,...I would of liked living in one and being the keeper...they are really about the safest place to be in a storm...so solidly built...Really enjoyed this essay

Katherine ~ you found it :)  I have always wanted to live in one too.  One of the stories I started was about a young woman who lived in one...Wouldn't it make a fantastic home?

You know...you can buy lighthouses...I saw some for sale on the net somewhere...and yes...super fantastic...imagine the stars you could see..

Your story has been laid to the side?  I didn't know you wrote...Cooool

Wouldn't buying one be awesome?!  I periodically check for ones for sale, but you don't see them often.  There are also some (I think on the west coast) where you can volunteer and stay in the lighthouse for a certain amount of time.  That would also be awesome.

Most of the things I've written, Katherine, are in notebooks and in the bottom of my bookcases.  I really need to pull the various things out and begin editing and completing them.  I have a lot of poetry from over the years and a couple of stories.  I have to be in "the mood" to write and just haven't been that way in a while.  I think my muse has departed for an extended vacation :)

What is it with muse's, they come heather then run for cover, hide and seeking won't find them...and when you least expect it.. it jumps on your back and won't let you sleep : - )

I will, make me a book of my writing/photos...you can put it all together on your computer and it's printed up and sent to you...Gary made me a book a couple of years ago of The Boys...That is my next big project once I get in the mood...I would love to read some of you poems and writing...

Isn't that the truth?  They have a mind of their own for sure.  I have found that my muse really gets into the groove when I'm away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  I need to find a way to be more disciplined when it comes to writing, but so far I haven't been able to do it.  I get sidetracked :)

Where do you have the books done or what program do you use.  I may be interested in something like that because a lot (most) of my writings are handwritten.  I need to get them all typed out.  Although I can type pretty quickly (60-65 wpm), it would still be a daunting task.  However, I suppose that would be a good way to go through and "edit" them.

I love lighthouses, this is a great photo essay, Renda, when I was a teenager, spent a summer in East Portland , Maine, there was a great light house there, and they let you go inside it and climb up it , it was an adventure in itself, nothing as grand as the one you show here, but etched in my memories.

I have not seen the ones in the northern states, or on the western coast and I would love to visit each and every one of them.  No matter how big they are, Elsie....it is a grand experience to just be in one.  I'm glad you have that beautiful memory of the lighthouse in Maine.  I think everyone should experience it just once and if they reflect on how much WORK it was before the lights were automated...well, it's just more than words can express.  Not only that, but to sit back and ponder how many lives have been saved by these structures....mind boggling.

I loved your piece on this light house. They really are interesting because they give you a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the people who lived in them over the years.  I climbed to the top of the Cape Hatteras, NC lighthouse a few years ago.  The climb was hot, a bit claustrophobic and dizzying, but worth it at the top.  The view was incredible.

The views are amazing.  I have not had the chance to go in the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and bet it is fantastic.  They really do give you the glimpse of the life in the lighthouse years ago.  I can not imagine lugging the oil and such up those stairs to light the lights.  Just going up with my camera wore me out.

You know, I have driven through Pensacola umpteen times, but have never made it to the coast.

Thank you for taking me away from I-10 and out to the coast.

That's what I usually do, Nancy....fly through on the interstate.  However, I finally decided to slow it down and stop a little while.  I am glad I did too :)

That is reall cool!  I would love to see it one day but I don't know about that spiraling staircase.  It looks kind of scary to me.

Even if you don't want to brave the stairs, you can go through the keepers house and see other things there :)

I really enjoyed this, I would love to go to it.  I have never seen an actual lighthouse before. 

They are amazing and if you get the chance to see one, I highly recommend it.  I'm glad you enjoyed this.  Hope your weekend is going well.

How cool is that? I love lighthouses; the only ones I've been in were in Virginia and North Carolina, but I've always found them so intriguing...

Julie, I haven't been to those.  I have only been to ones in Florida (and not all of them) and Georgia.  I would like to see all the lighthouses around the world....that would be awesome.

Thanks Renda!!!  Loved your essay.  YOu got some beautiful shots!!!  I need to go somewhere like that!!!  I never go anywhere!!

Hi Deb!  You're very welcome.  I'm glad you enjoyed this.  We have been going to places that aren't far away (like day or weekend trips).  This happened to be a day trip and we came back that evening.  Our cost was gas and to go out to eat, but we have (in the past) packed lunches and such so we didn't have to spend money for that.  Maybe you have areas nearby to you that you could explore :)

Love this article,,, Thank you,,,  God Bless you,,,

Marie, thank you.  Hope your weekend is going well.

Wonderful shots. A very interesting place to visit.

Thank you, Kay.  I'm glad you stopped by for a look.  Hope your Sunday is going well.

great article.  i live in pensacola yet have never made it to the lighthouse.  thanks for showing me around.

You're welcome.  If you get a chance to go, you should check it out.  The lighthouse is located on the NAS and not only can you see the lighthouse, but there are some forts there and Barrancas National Cemetery you can check out.

Since you are from Pensacola, maybe you can answer some of the questions in the comment field on Hawkshaw Lagoon National Memorial for Missing Children post I did.  By the way, that is an awesome Memorial.

i've been on base several times.  i used to work as a banquet waitress out there and have been in the museum a number of times, but never got to check out the lighthouse and the cemetary or the Hawkshaw Lagoon.

The Hawkshaw Lagoon is located in town across from the Veterans Memorial.  Both of which are truly awesome.  I want to go back to the base and check out all the forts.  Plus just see what else I can find that we may have missed during our visit there.  I think we really need to plan to spend more than a day seeing everything.

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