Ponce Inlet Lighthouse for #BrickSaturday #SevenDaysOutside Challenge!

I visited Ponce Inlet Lighthouse today with family while we were here in Florida. It is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and is made completely of brick. I find lighthouses to be very noble structures, steadfast in their duty to warn sailors night after night. I suppose that’s why so many lighthouses have nonprofit groups with enthusiasts who have banded together to restore and preserve them.

As we arrived, the sun was at a good place in the sky to get the shot below with the sun directly behind the top of the lighthouse. All photos were taken by me with my iPhone X.

This one had better historical displays and information about the families of the Lighthouse Service who manned and operated the lighthouses and what life was like for the wives and kids in these remote locations. They were a hardy bunch of people. It was only around WWII that the Coast Guard took over the Lighthouse Service and the families were no longer a part of the operation.

At 175 feet tall, it is equivalent to a 17 story building if you decide to walk to the top. The iron staircase winds its way around the inside of the structure, with landings periodically where you can take a rest. The last leg of the staircase seemed more like a ladder than a staircase. I was walking up with my 81 year old father and he didn’t take many rest breaks. Something to aspire to if I reach his age.

Once you reach the top, you’ll appreciate that the view was worth the climb.

One interesting factoid that explains why this structure has withstood the test of time is at the base the brick walls are 8 feet thick and taper to 2 1/2 feet wide at the top. That’s a lot of bricks.

I stumbled upon a new photochallenge yesterday by @erikah called Seven Days Outside. Its themes focus on architectural elements seen outside. I think this structure certainly qualifies for today’s theme of #bricksaturday in this photo challenge.

#SevenDaysOutside Challenge by @erikah
These are the days and the categories:
• #WindowMonday – Windows
• #DoorTuesday – Doors
• #RustArtWednesday – Rust
• #IronGateThursday – Iron Gates
• #StatueFriday – Statues
• #BrickSaturday – Bricks (bricks only, no pavement elements please)
• #StreetlampSunday – Street Lamps
Use the #sevendaysoutside tag along with the daily tag.
You can only use your own photos. There is no prize here, this is just for fun