"LOOKIN IN": The 31st of the 7th

It's 2:30 AM as I pull out of a warm bed, make a coffee for the road and leave the island of Chincoteague, Virginia. I have been photographing beach life and wildlife on Assateague Island and today is a short road trip south to Virginia Beach. No not for the "Girls of Ginny Beach", but rather for the lighthouses at Fort Story. Yeah, I know I need a life.

At that time of the morning there is nothing on the road except the early morning delivery guys, cops lying in wait, and road kill either fresh or waiting in the bushes to make the fatal dash. Reminds me of the commercial of the two squirrels hi-fiving after crossing the road in front of traffic and making a driver execute a careening stop. But I digress. The eastern shore of Virginia has been semi "Found" but most of the development is well off Route 13. The only stop to be had of consequence is just before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnels at a place called "StingRays". This is a mandatory stop, people! A truck stop, convenience store, tourist trap, down home cookin restaurant and gas station. The only place in the world to be seen when one is travelling on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Local attendees range from the farmers, farm hands, tourists, truck drivers and fishermen. And waitresses that are quick of deed and mouth. The omelets are the size of cow flops and the coffee is rich and black. Want a replacement for your apple or a cheap knock off of a lady's pocketbook or a confederate flag...they got it. I don't know their address specifically, but "Stingray's" is somewhere between Cape Charles and the bay bridge on the north side of the highway.

I get to Fort Story just in time to see the sunrise. This is called good planning on my part. The sky is colorful with only a smattering of clouds and this is called good planning on God's part. Or maybe just plain my own dumb luck.

Old Cape Henry lighthouse was the first light built on the Chesapeake bay and marks the southern end of the entrance to the Bay. The construction contract was signed in 1791 and the tower was built in 1792 for a cost of $15,000. That had to be a huge sum back then but they built the thing not far from where the English first set foot in Virginia.

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse

In 1872 inspections of the old tower suggested repairs would be too extensive and the thing had become unstable. Congress appropriated $75,000 and a new tower was constructed and the light lit in 1881 at a cost of $125,000. You can see cost over runs didn't bother congress any more then than now. That's their job....to spend our money.