CAPE HAT-R-US (mainly Nate)

Cape Hatteras lighthouse was 
authorized by Alexander Hamilton who was working under President George Washington.  Because of great sandbars that protrude southeasterly from the cape, and the cape marks convergence of warm Gulf Streams and cold Labrador Current this provides a turbulent collision of water.  Due to the vast amount of shipwrecks (graveyard of the Atlantic) Hamilton knew to protect shipping, a lighthouse must be built.  The brown sandstone lighthouse was completed in 1802.  Its beacon was only 90 feet tall and not very bright, drawing much criticism from many sea captains.  One captain called it “the most important lighthouse on our coast and without doubt the worst light in the world.”  After years of complaints, the lighthouse was refitted in 1854 with a new lens and lantern and was elevated to 150 feet.  Confederate soldiers, during the Civil War, destroyed the lens and lantern but they were restored in 1862.  A new lighthouse was rebuilt 600 feet northeast of the original location, due to needed repairs being more costly than buidling a new one.  The new lighthouse was 208 feet tall and was lit on December 16, 1870.  Its beacon was 192 feet above ground.  This lighthouse was eventually moved again.  But erosion continued to threaten the lighthouse. 

________________________________

The pictures below are of the old base of the original Cape Hatteras lighthouse.    

It was interesting trying to take these pictures.  As you can see at times the sea would completely cover the erroding base.  We would wait and snap just as she was pulling away. 

The following pictures are of the new lighthouse. 

 
Legend has it that during the design process of the new lighthouse, an engineer in charge of the lighthouse’s design had originally intended to give it a black diamond print, as an indication of the dangerous Diamond Shoals it bordered. Instead, the engineer accidentally mixed up the plans, and Cape Lookout’s lighthouse now sports the black diamond design. Hatteras Island’s lighthouse received the black and white candy cane stripes instead. Its current location is 2900 feet from the original location.  It is 1600 feet from the ocean. 
It is still the tallest masonry lighthouse in America.  It is known around the world for its signature black and white candy cane stripes and is often referred to as the Lighthouse of America.  

The pictures below are just a taste of the glory of the walk from the base of the original lighthouse to the new one. 
Beauty at its finest!

  

  

  




Little known fact on hats from a personal standpoint.  They talk.  Nathan's name at General Motors span over 25 years was Hat.  That's the name his co-workers knew him by and many didn't know his real name.  Many times I answered the phone to a caller saying, "May I speak to Hat?"  Nate began wearing hats when he was a young boy.  He wore caps to shield him from the sun while he was bailing hay from age 12 up, not sure before that.  At that time it was truly manual labor.  He was hired, didn't own the farm and by most people's standards was poor.  But he was rich in life and rich with a strong work ethic and principles, Godly principles.  A strong hand, but a soft touch.(Not a Pointer Sister's song).
To Nate your word is your word.  A handshake is a binding contract and a woman shouldn't lift anything over five pounds if a man is present, nor should a man sit by and watch a woman work.  He didn't and still doesn't suppress a woman with his gentlemanly notions but enables her.  He is the epitome of "chivalry that is not dead".   He is polite and still says ma'am & sir to coworkers, phone solicitors and waiters.  He still flags down police officers for directions.  He is a wonderful example to me.  I am thankful he is the father of my children and grandchildren, because of the example he exudes just by being who he is.  He continues to wear hats, just got used to them, I guess.  Donning a Yul Brenner-do now may lend some comfort to it.  The hats have changed over the years and the assortment in my home is plentiful there are caps (some with insignia/some not), fishing, cowboy, toboggans, sometimes floppy Crocodile Dundee styles I like, he calls safari hats.  My personal favorites are his toboggans and safari.  Because they denote to a whisper of "put on your timberlands and let's go".  Also, preacher's secretary likes to refer to his do-rag occasionally. This is the bandana he wears to keep sweat from his eyes while working in the heat.  Almost forgot about those.  
I love my Hat!!!