Dreaming of Some Place Warm

Last night, while watching a college basketball game, all snuggled on the couch under comfy blankets with a fire flickering in the fireplace, a commercial promoting to vacation in Jamaica caught my attention. Suddenly without holding back, I exclaimed out loud, “Yes, please. I’ll go to Jamaica.” Now distracted by Jamaica and traveling to an exotic location, I forgot about the basketball game and began daydreaming about going back to Jamaica. Picture this: warm, white sandy beach, gorgeous turquoise waters, lush green palm trees, hot sun tanning your skin, perfect lounge chair, and a frosty strawberry daiquiri in one hand. Sign me up! Ready to go right now!

After all this daydreaming about Jamaica and wishing I was on a plane headed to this tropical location, I reminisced about my trip to Jamaica and seeing the Negril Lighthouse. This lighthouse is located in Negril, Jamaica, which is on the westernmost tip of the island. Negril is known for its beautiful Seven Mile Beach along with its rugged cliffs and caves. While walking on Seven Mile Beach, you can see Negril Lighthouse off in the distance flashing its white light every couple seconds.

 Negril Lighthouse stands 65 feet tall on a cliff. It is a white, conical concrete structure with a silver framed lantern and gallery, built in 1894. According to some research, I learned that it is reinforced at the base by a 14-feet tank filled with water so it can withstand an earthquake.

To see the lighthouse close up rather than while sitting on the beach, I took a bus trip from the resort to the lighthouse grounds. However, when I got there the entrance was locked so I could not go onto the grounds. I was still able to snap some pictures from the road. While I was snapping away, a local islander approached me and said that for a couple of dollars he would take my camera and take some pictures for me. Feeling a slightly nervous but excited to get closer pictures, I handed over my camera, watched him disappear onto the grounds and hope he would return. After a nerve-racking five minutes, he returned with some gorgeous pictures. I was very pleased with his assistance. 

In addition to his assistance, I also was able to capture the Negril Lighthouse from the water by taking a catamaran cruise. The view from the catamaran was breath-taking because I could see all of the cliffs, caves, and curves of the point, along with the lighthouse standing tall and strong.

Viewing the Negril Lighthouse was one of my highlights from the trip to Jamaica. Other fun moments included walking to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, lounging on the beach, floating in the turquoise waters, snorkeling several times (I saw a sea turtle while snorkeling), and observing golden pink sunsets. Oh, how I look forward to going back there someday!

Until next time, dream warm thoughts, picture your happy place of beaches and sun, take care, and talk to you soon.

Lighthouse Hop #5: Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and Peninsula State Park

I do hope that your holiday season and start of the New Year have been good to you. My family Christmas parties were just what I needed to close out the year, and my New Year has been off to a quiet start. One project that I was able to complete over my Christmas break was printing pictures, including the ones I took during my family's Door County trip. As I looked at all of the Door County photos, I realized I should finish my last lighthouse hop entry. Aside from the images of the lighthouses and the water, one of my favorite aspects of my Door County photos are the rich blue skies that provide a calming backdrop...makes me long for warm spring and summer days.

On the Saturday of my family's Door County trip, we started the day enjoying breakfast at Al Johnson's in Sister Bay. While waiting for our name to be called, the four of us observed the goats basking in the sun on the grassy roof. It is quite the sight to watch the goats and watch all of the people who come to look at them. One goat in particular enjoyed resting his head on a wood railing while he watched the cars drive by on the street below. In addition to flocking to the restaurant to see goats on the roof, I highly recommend their Swedish pancakes with lingonberries or any one of their soups. YUMMY!

Following breakfast, we drove back through Ephraim and into Fish Creek to tour Peninsula State Park and the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. While driving from Ephraim to Fish Creek, I learned that you can access Peninsula State Park from both cities, and if you drive through the park, you can start in one city and end in the other one. After reading more about Peninsula State Park, one of Wisconsin's largest parks, I also learned that it is nearly 3,800 acres complete with forests, cliffs, wetlands, meadows, camping sites, and hiking trails. The four of us opted for a driving tour of the park in essence of time, but we all agreed we would hike or bike the park next time we would visit since there is so much to see and do in the park. As we drove through the park, we were able to stop at several lookout points to overlook the water, as well as the Strawberry, Horseshoe and Chambers Islands. I definitely enjoyed the beautiful, serene views.

Located at the northeast corner of the park, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse stands 43 feet tall, on the edge of a limestone bluff, lighting the area of the bay of Green Bay. Eagle Bluff lighthouse is a yellow-colored brick structure with a stunning red roof, green shutters, white trim, a square tour, and a decagonal lantern with a red roof. It was built in 1868, had three lighthouse keepers, and is currently a museum. As you tour the lighthouse, you walk through a family room, parlor, bedrooms, a music room, laundry rooms, and a beautiful ornamental iron spiral staircase connecting the basement to the lantern. Outside on the grounds of the lighthouse stands the outhouse and fuel storage building along with a 1,000 pound anchor from the schooner "Oak Leaf" that sank in Sturgeon Bay in 1926. Be sure to also enjoy the overlook of the bay of Green Bay at the edge of the cliff wall.

Continuing our tour of Peninsula State Park, we stopped at the Eagle Tower and Panorama. This area allows you gain perspective of the Door County islands and west coast of the peninsula. The Eagle Tour stands 75 feet high...250 feet about Green Bay. Of course, we had to climb the rickety structure...oh, what one will do for the perfect picture. (If you know me, I am not a fan of heights so this was a challenge for me.) As you reach the top, soak in the views of the islands, the village of Ephraim and the coast. Not mention, if you are daring, look over the side to see how high up you are and find your car parked down below.....eeeeeeck!

After accomplishing the climb to the top, it was time for a reward - ice cream at Not Licked Yet and a little shopping in downtown Fish Creek. Then it was time for dinner at Greenwood's Supper Club and haunted pub crawling.

This concludes my Door County Lighthouse Hopping Trip until I go back to tour the lighthouses on the islands sometime this spring/summer. Hope you enjoyed "touring" the lighthouses with me and are inspired to make your own trip to Door County. I cannot wait to return and see what other adventures I can come across.

Until next time, take care and talk to you soon!