Amazing story of a boy with Cerebral Palsy getting to climb the lighthouse! Todd H. Puckett Jr. March 13, 2014 3rd Block Personal Narrative Just when I thought my vacation last summer could not get any better, my Uncle Ben announced that my family was invited to see the lighting of the Hopetown Lighthouse in the Bahamas. Everyone was excited but we had one dilemma, I have Cerebral Palsy and cannot walk. How was I going to get to the top of the lighthouse? Lighthouses are very unique in their structure; they are usually very narrow and have steep winding stairs leading to the top. Climbing the 101 stairs to the lantern is difficult for most people and almost impossible for me. My Uncle Ben arranged for two young Bahamian men to carry me to the top in a straight back stretcher that was narrow enough to fit the circular staircase. We traveled across the harbor in Uncle Bens boat and met Sam the lighthouse keeper who tends the lighthouse every night with his cousin. Sam’s family has been maintaining the lighthouse for more than 3 generations and his family lives in a home at its base. The Hopetown Lighthouse, which was built in 1864, is 120 feet tall and is officially known as the Elbow Reef Lighthouse. This lighthouse is one of the last kerosene fueled lighthouses remaining in the world. The light can be seen from 17 miles away. The view of the sunset from the top of the lighthouse was amazing, but assisting Sam in preparing the lantern for lighting was more fun. The lantern is lit every night at sunset and must be hand cranked every two hours to keep the lantern spinning. The lantern must be covered during daylight to prevent it from shattering. We helped Sam remove the covers from the lantern and several of us tried to crank the light to make it spin. I was amazed at how much strength it took to crank the lantern. Of all the many things we did on our vacation, my trip to the top of the lighthouse was my favorite. I look forward to returning to the Bahamas and seeing the sunset from the lighthouse again. Our trip to The Bahamas changed my life forever. I appreciate the simplicity of the Bahamian lifestyle and aspire to live in the Bahamas. (My reply to Todd): Thank you so much for forwarding your essay and the photos. I loved your story and the smile on your face in the photos tell how much you enjoyed it. You have an amazing family and Uncle Ben to make going to the top of the lighthouse a reality for you. Awesome view, isn’t? But like you say, watching a light up is a highlight for sure. I have been to a couple and it renews my faith that we can “Keep The Light On,” each time I do! It is so cool to think when you see a light up, that you are doing something that no one else in the world is doing at that very moment! We have a special treasure in our little island town of Hope Town and we aim to do all we can to keep the flame burning as it has for the last 150 years. Thank you, Lory Kenyon Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 00:38:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015