The following is Scott Fais' weekly blog detailing discoveries made while traveling through Florida and along the road of life.
I love lighthouses. I never really realized my attraction to the lore of the light until a friend pointed out one of the bathrooms in my home is decked out in lighthouses. I didn’t plan it that way. It just happened over a few years.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a true gem. At first look, you may confuse this black and white stripped tower for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. They are similar in appearance. But the view at the top is all Florida.
I climbed the 219 steps to the top, twice. Take your time and it’s totally doable. Several landings along the way up and down allow climbers time to rest. I climbed in the afternoon when the windows were open and a cool ocean breeze blew into the tower. The cast from the sun created a warm glow, and at night another glow illuminated the tower.
During the “Dark of the Moon” tour, ALL the lights in the tower are turned off. Each climber is given a blue glow stick to wear around their neck. It was eerie climbing the same cast iron steps and seeing bouncing blue lights. Around and around we went in almost pitch blackness. In a day and age where we live in a litigate happy society, it’s neat to see one group isn’t scared to turn the lights out and get creative.
Like any historical structure built in 1874, this landmark has no elevator and no air conditioning. Plan on visiting in the morning hours during the summer before the tower can heat up. And if you visit during the evening’s “Dark of the Moon” tours, BRING BUG SPRAY. The daytime tour focuses on history and the native landscaped grounds. The evening tours are more expensive, but take on a different theme. What is that theme? I was asked not to say.
Several times (and do I mean several) in person and by phone, the evening tour organizer called me and requested I did not call the Dark of the Moon tour a “haunted tour.” Although there are plenty of ghost stories and dimly lit basement rooms to explore in the caretaker’s house, the word “haunted” is a no-no in the media. When asked why she banned the “h word,” the organizer could not explain. She was simply speechless, just like the ghosts who are not part present at this non-haunted tour (wink, wink).
Going back to the bathroom reference above, yeah, I now realize I have a lighthouse passion. After a year on the travel beat, this is the first location where I made a purchase in a gift shop. Although I have yet to frame it, I scored a nice watercolor print of the lighthouse… artwork that someday may end up in the loo.
Until next week, safe travels,
-SCOTT
Know of a place Scott needs to visit On A Tankful? Drop him a line at sfais@cfnews13.com.