Park Service Takes Over Charleston Light

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C. (AP) -- The Coast Guard is turning over the keys of the last government lighthouse built in the United States.

Charleston Light on Sullivan's Island is being transferred to the National Park Service in ceremonies today Sunday November 9, 2008.


Charleston Light Photo US National Park Service

The light, obsolete because of satellite technology, was commissioned in 1962. Its land and adjoining buildings were transferred to the Park Service two decades ago and the agency plans to keep the light shining.

When built, Charleston Light was the second brightest lighthouse in the Western Hemisphere and could be seen 70 miles at sea. But island residents famous for complaining about the light, from everything from it's shape, color, and location also thought the light was too bright, so the light was replaced by one that could be seen only 26 miles at sea.

The National Park Service will celebrate the transfer of ownership of the Charleston Light on Sullivan`s Island from the United States Coast Guard to Fort Sumter National Monument this afternoon.

The event takes place at 2:30 pm on the grounds of the US Coast Guard Historic District at 1815 I`On Avenue on Sullivan`s Island.

The Historic District represents the evolution of events important in United States maritime history from 1895 to 1962.

Commissioned on June 15, 1962 as the last lighthouse to be built in the United States, the Sullivan`s Island Lighthouse replaced the original Charleston harbor light (otherwise known as the Morris Island Lighthouse), which was built in 1876. Several unique features make this lighthouse stand out from others:

Instead of having the traditional circular shape, it is three-sided, a feature meant to make it more wind resistant. The result is that it can withstand gusts up to 125 mph as demonstrated by its ability to hold up against Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

It is the only lighthouse in the country to have both an elevator and siding.

The light was the second brightest in the Western hemisphere with 28 million candlepower reduced to the current 1.5 million to accommodate Sullivan’s Island residents.

It can still be seen 27 miles out to sea on clear nights.

Originally painted white and red-orange (like that seen on Coast Guard helicopters), local residents petitioned the government to change the color to the black and white seen today.

The Coast Guard chose the location because of its historic importance as being the site of the only U.S. life-saving station in South Carolina.

Plans are in the works to get the lighthouse specifically placed on the National Register as it was declared eligible for such nomination in 2007.

The grounds, quarters and boat house will be open today to the public from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The program begins at 2:30 pm with music by Ward & Joel of Sol Driven Train. South Carolina Poet Laureate Marjorie Wentworth and Msgr. Lawrence McInerny of Stella Maris Catholic Church join local officials at 3:00 pm for the symbolic key transfer.

Because of safety concerns, only the base of the lighthouse will be open to the public following the ceremony.

From 1:00 to 5:00 pm artists with Creative Sparks` Art on the Beach will display their work in the historic boat house.

From 2:00 to 4:00 pm authors Margie Willis Clary and Kim McDermott will sign copies of their recent book, South Carolina Lighthouses. The Arcadia book will be available for purchase.

All activities are free and open to the public. For more information, call the park at (843) 883-3123.

Idiots On The Water

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Three people are safe after their 17-foot recreational boat almost collided with the container ship Sealand Atlantic Friday November 7, 2008 at 10 a.m. on the Wando River.


Container Ship Sealand Atlantic

The three men were aboard their recreational boat when it lost power in the shipping channel near Hobcaw Creek on the Wando River. The men jumped over the side of their boat as the Sealand Atlantic, a 940-foot container vessel coming from Bremerhaven, Germany, came within 10 feet of their boat. Following the near miss, the men made it back aboard their vessel with the help of a Charleston City Police Department small boat.

The three men, Larry, Moe and Curly were escorted to Remley's Point Boat Landing by the Charleston City Police Boat and a Coast Guard small boat. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Charleston County Sheriff's Office also responded.

There were no injuries reported, and the Coast Guard is investigating the incident.

You can track Sealand Atlanic at Sailwx.

In response to the increasing number of idiots on the Charleston Harbor, the Charleston Harbor Pilots Association has developed a new method (shown in the video below) for dealing with boaters who get a little too close.



Or you can read the State Ports Guide to Safe Boating in the Charleston Harbor

USCG Cutter Rescues Water Bug Crew

The U.S. Coast Guard reported rescuing three occupants of a boat that hit the south jetties in Charleston Harbor and began taking on water Thursday evening. According to the Charleston Post and Courier the boat's owner suffered back injuries while two others aboard the 48-foot boat named "Water Bug" home ported at Baltimore Maryland were not injured in the 7:51 p.m. crash, said Lee Bower, search and rescue coordinator with the Coast Guard's Sector Charleston.

The Coast Guard launched two small boats, the Cutter Yellowfin and a helicopter. A Coast Guard small rescue boat took the Water Bug's occupants from the stern and ferried them to the Charleston City Marina.

Charleston County EMS took the boat's owner to a local hospital for treatment. The damaged vessel was towed by Tow Boat US.

Apparently the Water Bug was en route from the south when they took a wrong turn heading directly for the Charleston Harbor entrance.

Talk about taking a wrong turn the ship ended up high and dry during a storm off the coast of France this past weekend. The crew is safe and the ship undamaged but now what? Even at high tide the water is only four feet deep along this beach.

Coastal Pollution

A story in today’s Post and Courier "Pollution from Ships Big Worry" discusses the effects of ships that burn cheap heavy bunker oil on the environment.

Politicians and South Carolina Port Authority Officials have an amazing talent for trivializing the momentous and complicating the obvious.

A quote from Byron D. Miller, director of public relations for the S.C. State Ports Authority is a case in point:

"Unlike port cities in California, Charleston meets EPA goals for particulates, the small particles in diesel emissions that are blamed for lung disease and asthma. We are an attainment area, so we don't have some of the issues they have on the West Coast

In other words the ocean wind blows the diesel exhaust to Columbia so Charleston doesn’t have a problem.

Anyone who has traveled to Bermuda or the Bahamas has certainly noticed how clean and fresh the ocean breeze. While neither country has strict pollution regulations, many island streets are clogged with oil spitting smoking two and four cycle scooters and small cars and trucks that would make most state side tree huggers scream and the EPA to produce mounds of reports. Of course the reason the air is clear and clean is Mother Nature supplies plenty wind to give the islands a daily breath of “fresh air” but it doesn’t mean they don’t have a problem.

On days when the wind fails to blow it doesn’t take long and the air might as well be from Mexico City or Tokyo.



Green Turtle Cay in the Abaco Islands had a local trash dump that was becoming a problem. Weekly burning was used to keep the amount of trash in check and a debate raged on for nearly two years as what to do with the expanding mound of trash.

Recycling is not unheard of, as island people reuse just about everything but the trash mountain continued to expand. That was until Mother Nature settled the “what to do” arguments and brought a Hurricane to the islands that swept the 3 acre town dump out to sea, along with many homes and the beer cooler from Niper’s Bar. Twenty years of trash gone at about 130 miles per hour and spread over a million square miles of ocean.

Today rather than build a suitable recycling center and garbage processing facility they just went back to business as usual. Such is the way of the Islands, but I doubt we have that luxury here in Charleston.

Dockside Conversations

In this age of internet blogs, cell phones with global access, text and on line instant messages there’s a nice casualness about a one on one dockside conversation.

At the Charleston City Marina dockside conversations come in many forms. Often it’s about an approaching storm, boating mishap, or the price of fuel. But just as often it’s a position report.

Years ago, word of sailing ships and loved ones at sea circled the docks with each new ship’s arrival in Charleston Harbor. Along the docks of the peninsula scuttlebutt would travel like wildfire, from ship to ship and into local pubs, late into the night. Tall tales and greetings from afar were of equal interest.

Even today among sailors the reports come in like the tide. Though with the internet I talk to my parents nearly every day, the joy of hearing; “I saw your parent’s boat in Green Turtle last week” is always pleasing and just another way we are reminded how small the world really is.

My parent’s boat is in the Abaco Out Islands of the Bahamas this month. Green Turtle Cay (pronounced key) is their favorite place to winter. If you’ve never heard of Green Turtle, well that’s the way Mom and Dad would like to keep it. In fact posting on this blog about “their island” will have me in a lot of hot water.



But I can’t think of a place closer to being true paradise than Green Turtle Cay.

When Southern Comfort makes the trip during the cold months of January and February often it’s tough coming home to a South Carolina that is covered with drizzle and temps that hover around forty.

Green Turtle is pretty much 80 degrees year around. The island is a real life Corona Beer commercial, with cobalt blue sky, pristine sandy beaches that stretch for miles and water so clear you can see a starfish 30 feet down and believe you can reach out and touch it just below the surface of the turquoise blue waters.

And so I’ll pass some time this morning listening to news I already know. That my parents are doing well, their ship though small is in fine shape, and that they send greeting from paradise with a quote from Jimmy Buffet:

“The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful”.