tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post2485161606129859062..comments2024-01-30T13:57:40.271+11:00Comments on LoveCats DownUnder: What is it about lighthouses?Ally Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17352564320902831489noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-39355300278945907872011-02-06T09:55:54.058+11:002011-02-06T09:55:54.058+11:00Helen, you've been to the Byron lighthouse? Ho...Helen, you've been to the Byron lighthouse? How cool! I must plan another trip there.<br /><br />Oh, yes, the solitude of living in a lighthouse would be great for a story (though, my hero and heroine are living next door in a luxury hotel :)). And the poignancy of spending your days looking out for a ship or boat in distress - just begging to the be setting for a story!Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-82744365829466963432011-02-06T07:37:39.205+11:002011-02-06T07:37:39.205+11:00Rachel
I too love the thought of a lighthouse and...Rachel<br /><br />I too love the thought of a lighthouse and over the years have read a few books that include a lighthouse and a great hero and heroine. I think for me the solitude of living in a lighthouse and looking out for ships and boats that may get into trouble on the seas I don't know but yes I agree that there is something wonderful about them.<br />I too have been to the lighthouse at Byron Bay so lovely to look at<br /><br />Have Fun<br />HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03984438742736003285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-12402925278721144912011-02-05T23:12:35.874+11:002011-02-05T23:12:35.874+11:00Fiona, I think you are the very first person I'...Fiona, I think you are the very first person I've ever met with a lighthouse jigsaw fetish! And you traveled to WA just to see one? You are a true lighthouse devotee. Ever thought about writing something in the Lighthouse Gothic style? ;)Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-55518052569831459702011-02-05T23:09:27.683+11:002011-02-05T23:09:27.683+11:00Nas, just had a quick squiz at your photos - they&...Nas, just had a quick squiz at your photos - they're great. Am off to bed now but will pop over again tomorrow and say hi to Sharon and have a better look at the photos. Thanks for indulging me by including them! :o)Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-25097994713805217322011-02-05T23:07:10.917+11:002011-02-05T23:07:10.917+11:00Gabrielle, I just went and looked at that photo yo...Gabrielle, I just went and looked at that photo you gave the link for and it's stunning! Almost surreal. Thanks for sharing - I've bookmarked it. :)Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-66452090095960187102011-02-05T20:54:23.003+11:002011-02-05T20:54:23.003+11:00Rachel, I'm a lighthouse lover as well. Went t...Rachel, I'm a lighthouse lover as well. Went to WA specifically to see the one where the two oceans meet. And I also have a lighthouse jigsaw puzzle fetish - if I see one, I have to buy it.Fiona Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00122893263776382752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-5220990047375683752011-02-05T18:51:48.693+11:002011-02-05T18:51:48.693+11:00Sorry, I meant to say that I'm hosting LoveCat...Sorry, I meant to say that I'm hosting LoveCat Sharon Archer from LoveCat DownUnder and there are some lighthouse photos as well!Nashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-58035706153462844442011-02-05T18:48:35.236+11:002011-02-05T18:48:35.236+11:00Hi Rachel, I've just put up some lighthouse ph...Hi Rachel, I've just put up some lighthouse photos here:<br /><br />www.nas-dean.blogspot.comNashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-22991952488111176962011-02-05T17:52:22.156+11:002011-02-05T17:52:22.156+11:00Ooooh, now that I can see, Mel. Strange paranormal...Ooooh, now that I can see, Mel. Strange paranormal happenings in an old lighthouse. Would fit straight in with our new genre: Lighthouse Gothic! :)Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-12421226861985059472011-02-05T15:59:32.574+11:002011-02-05T15:59:32.574+11:00I think you're right about the symbolism--just...I think you're right about the symbolism--just so striking. Here's where you can get the Montara desktop:<br /><br />http://www.webshots.com/pro/photo/3158303?navtype=search<br /><br />You can see people relaxing in the Adirondack chairs outside--Emily, was that you? It's such a magical shot, with the moon and the flowers.<br /><br />And Margaret, my grandfather's family comes from the Orkneys--know any Drevers?Gabriellehttp://www.gabrielleluthy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-4931095175821918742011-02-05T14:45:11.918+11:002011-02-05T14:45:11.918+11:00Lighthouses immediately made me think of that show...Lighthouses immediately made me think of that show 'Round the Rwist" where the famly whg live there had odd, paranormal happenings frequently occur.<br />I too love lighthouses, there's something strong and indestructable about them.<br />Oh, and what a cool place to write, at the very top of a lighthouse!Mel Teshcohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12945507690555119380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-90377261433361235172011-02-05T13:04:57.076+11:002011-02-05T13:04:57.076+11:00Margaret, thanks for the info! You know, when I sa...Margaret, thanks for the info! You know, when I saw that the Bell Rock Lighthouse was built by Robert Stevenson, I wondered if there was a connection to Robert Louis Stevenson. Maybe writers and lighthouses are more connected than I realised. :)<br /><br />Very cool that I blogged about this around the 200th anniversary of the Bell Rock being lit. Almost makes it look like I know what I'm talking about! ;)Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-21162815136754449132011-02-05T13:00:58.461+11:002011-02-05T13:00:58.461+11:00Okay, so after googling Gabrielle's lighthouse...Okay, so after googling Gabrielle's lighthouse, I had to google the one Charlene mentioned: http://www.assateagueisland.com/lighthouse/lighthouse_info.htm For some reason I visualised the stripes going vertically - not sure why, since horizontally makes more sense, lol.<br /><br />For those interested, the Montara lighthouse that Gabrielle mentioned: http://norcalhostels.org/montara/history/Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-76164883819591256032011-02-05T12:57:49.308+11:002011-02-05T12:57:49.308+11:00Gabrielle, how interesting that they have extra sy...Gabrielle, how interesting that they have extra symbolism for you, with one near your tram stop plus the JK Jr's plane. <br /><br />Maybe because lighthouses are so striking, when we see them in an image, they're the thing we remember most strongly?<br /><br />Since you mentioned a specific lighthouse, I had to google it :), and found that Montara Lighthouse is a youth hostel - I wonder if it's one that Emily May visited on her trip? It's very distinctive with its black top and white body - it must make a fabulous desktop!Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-62173695583574740732011-02-05T12:51:13.032+11:002011-02-05T12:51:13.032+11:00Charlene, that story of your local lighthouse is a...Charlene, that story of your local lighthouse is amazing - not only pretty red and white stripes, but all those legends too. Fun!<br /><br />And, I know what you mean about the lighthouse keeper having to climb all those stairs with the lamp oil - what a hard life! When I was reading about the Cape Regina Lighthouse that Nas mentioned, I saw that the keeper and his family often had to go over from the mainland by flying fox. Not sure I'm that brave!Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-27116508474201351542011-02-05T11:27:27.650+11:002011-02-05T11:27:27.650+11:00What a coincidence. We've had quite a bit of n...What a coincidence. We've had quite a bit of news about Bell Rock in the UK this week because it's 200 years since the lighthouse was first lit. It was built by Robert Stevenson, the first of the great Stevenson family of lighthouse builders who built lots in the UK, many of which still operate today. Of course, they did have one black sheep in the family, Robert Louis Stevenson, who gave up his early career of lighthouse builder and decided to become a writer (and we all know there's no future in that!).<br />I lived in the Orkney Islands for six years, where lighthouses are still a vital part of life to keep folk safe. I'm still fascinated by them.Margaret Carrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-64676313942939487422011-02-05T11:01:18.150+11:002011-02-05T11:01:18.150+11:00Love lighthouses! I have a gorgeous shot of Montar...Love lighthouses! I have a gorgeous shot of Montara lighthouse in California as one of my desktops, and loved taking a trip from Massachusetts to Maine and stopping at any we came across.<br /><br />To me, they're about coming home (symbolically because of the light, and also because I can see one from my tram stop) and loss--I remember waking up one morning in 1999 and turning on the TV to see the shot of a helicopter flying over Gay Head lighthouse, headed out to sea to search for John Kennedy Jr's lost plane. Such a powerful image that I always associate with that terrible day.Gabriellehttp://www.gabrielleluthy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-68431256392463861422011-02-05T10:51:49.674+11:002011-02-05T10:51:49.674+11:00I love lighthouses. I live on the Eastern Shore o...I love lighthouses. I live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, a small little peninsula surrounded by water. Five minutes in one direction and you are at the Chesapeake Bay, five minutes in the other and you are at the Atlantic Ocean. My favorite beach around here is Assateague where they have a beautiful red and white striped lighthouse that I have climbed. It was awesome. Thinking of the keeper who had to haul the huge barrels of lamp oil up all those steps and keeping the light shining just made it all the more magical. There are two lighthouses on the Eastern Shore but Assateague's is my favorite. There are many legends of pirates, sunken ships, and of course treasure. After a big storm, you never know what you can find on the beach.Charlenenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-12283459601772080342011-02-04T20:04:48.508+11:002011-02-04T20:04:48.508+11:00Nas, I just searched for the Cape Regina Lighthous...Nas, I just searched for the Cape Regina Lighthouse and found a site on the Maritime NZ site: http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Commercial/Shipping-safety/Aids-to-navigation/Lighthouses-of-NZ/Cape-reinga-lighthouse.asp<br /><br />It's such a pretty one with the sloped sides! I must put that one on my list to visit.Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-33371485151811822352011-02-04T20:00:43.351+11:002011-02-04T20:00:43.351+11:00Emily, I'm turning green hearing about those y...Emily, I'm turning green hearing about those youth hostels. What a great idea, and that little beach sounds divine. Makes me want to visit. Maybe one day when I get to the US.Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-55184174699782194962011-02-04T19:54:25.456+11:002011-02-04T19:54:25.456+11:00Hi Rachel,
I visited Cape Reinga Lighthouse on th...Hi Rachel,<br /><br />I visited Cape Reinga Lighthouse on the very tip of the North Island in New Zealand. It's very beautiful. I wish I could post photos here but it comes up in google.Nashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-15155829521158096902011-02-04T19:27:48.274+11:002011-02-04T19:27:48.274+11:00I love lighthouses too, Rachel! There are a couple...I love lighthouses too, Rachel! There are a couple of lighthouses on the Californian coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz that have been turned into Youth Hostels -- and I stayed at one! It was wonderfully exposed on its headland, with a little private beach where we could sit and watch the sun go down, and at night we heard the constant roar of the waves. Magic!Emily Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16958085922194448672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-54304049422328242562011-02-04T18:29:56.606+11:002011-02-04T18:29:56.606+11:00Spurred on by Sharon's excellent research skil...Spurred on by Sharon's excellent research skills, I found a website with the photos I mentioned above that I have on my walls. It even has an animation sequence with the photos together.<br /><br />http://www.jean-guichard.com/index.php?main_page=index<br /><br />It seems that the man at the lighthouse door had come out because he thought the photographer's helicopter was the rescue helicopter. He had to rush back in when he realised and close the door against the monster waves.Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-13226037275644513012011-02-04T18:23:16.358+11:002011-02-04T18:23:16.358+11:00Sharon, that's fascinating. I see on its wikip...Sharon, that's fascinating. I see on its wikipedia page that Bell Rock Lighthouse was classed as one of the seven wonders of the Industrial Age, but I'd never heard of it. Thanks for the great info!Rachel Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200504088343160284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2489168146200487747.post-79586762653302042822011-02-04T17:58:57.941+11:002011-02-04T17:58:57.941+11:00ooooo, I found a Wikipaedia link about it...
http...ooooo, I found a Wikipaedia link about it...<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Rock_Lighthouse<br /><br />and it has it's own website - how about that!<br />http://www.bellrock.org.uk/<br /><br />:)<br />SharonSharon Archerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06836969154744451542noreply@blogger.com