Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: A Spiral Ascent out of the Ooze

Myself, I don't get it, but many people (my wife included) have a weird fascination with lighthouses. At least, with my wife, there is a rational component. For her, climbing the steps supplements her ongoing program of daily exercise. Besides, she sees reaching the top as a challenge and takes much pride in knowing she met that challenge successfully. For others and to a lesser extent for my wife it is much more, there is something about the physical reality of being in a remote location, of living there permanently, subject to storms at sea that batter the very foundation, the footing that is holding you safely aloft.Then there is the stunning isolation from society with all of it's maddening demands, neurotic relationships and commercial perversity.

I suppose one can see beauty too in the stubborn verticality, the courage of remaining upright when all else about you is horizontal and pushing powerfully and incessantly against your protective and encompassing concrete and steel conical skin. Then there is the simple fascination with the sea that has always drawn people to the shore. It is purported to have something to do with our original emergence from the primordial liqu id ooze. When you add to this imaginative magical mixture the underlying purpose of that brilliant beacon of light which saves lives, upon which so many have over so many years have been dependent, you are tapping into the Savior component of the human spirit that has such compelling pull over many who are drawn to "helping people".

We were traveling south along rte17 on the Barrier Islands when we came to Cape Hatteras and the signs directing us to the magnificent "Cape Hatteras Lighthouse". The tallest and most majestic along the Eastern Seaboard. For me and my less imaginative spirit, the white structure with a black spiral stripe from base to beacon window evoked other images from my boyhood, the most prominent of which was that of a barber pole.

We were informed at the entry that the cost of admission was $2.25 for seniors. When I asked how much that was per step the park worker paused and seemed troubled. He muttered to himself that there were 269 steps. After a few painful grimaces he blurted out "a penny a step". He was obviously not the type of fellow who should consider quitting his day job. He was also less than amused when I asked about refunds if we don't make it to the top. Taking you at your word i said, if we choose not to go up at all we should be refunded $2.69 apiece. He finally realized I was kidding and joined in the laughter.

About 2/3rd's of the way up we met a couple coming down. They were friendly and having made it all the way obviously felt in a position to shower us with the secret of their success. "Don't keep rushing up, take long pauses from time to time". We thanked them for the kindness and informed them we had been paused at that landing since last Monday and our supply of gum drops was running out.

We reached the top and stepped out onto the viewing parapet that ran all around just beneath the beacon area. There were a half dozen people and a park officer who was there to answer questions and fill us in about the history of this particular lighthouse. He did a fine job and was willing to answer any question that came up and did so with ease and charm. Lighthouses are no longer occupied by people, they have been replaced by computers he pointed out. It's no wonder I said, considering that the brochures make the point that the surrounding waters contain the remains of more than 600 shipwrecks.