The New Point-Comfort Lighthouse. It was a favorite sneaky getaway. Whenever we could hijack someone with a motorboat to ride us, we kids loved this place. The lighthouse was abandoned at the time, just sitting atop a rock island in sad and sorry state, but still a magical retreat!
One time, my brother and I sneaked away to it. We climbed the steep stairs with no railing. We'd put a hand on the wall to guide us as we climbed up, our eyes turned skyward in wonder of the more narrow passage as we got near the top. I remember as a kid, sitting there at the top, my brother playing lookout for pirate ships, when I would hear the heavy steady footfalls up the stairway. It almost reminded me of the footsteps at Aspen Grove, but the boots were different, not hard on the bottom, perhaps rubber soled and the steps were taken in a steady cadence, without missing a step. It took some time for the sounds to come up the winding stairway, but they would always end before coming to my perch at the top steps. Many times, I raced down to see who it was. There was no one. The tiny rock pile of an island was all ours.
More than a few times, I heard a man chuckling in the entryway, a slow faintly amused sound. The smell of pipe smoke would waft by in that area, but not anywhere else in the lighthouse.
I never felt threatened. He seemed to be a caretaker of sorts. I later asked my brother if he thought the lighthouse was unusual and he snorted with laughter. "What? You mean the footsteps and the man laughing? Oh, and the pipe smoke and the shadows?" I remember shivering when he mentioned that. I hadn't seen any strange shadows. He told me that when we climbed the stairs, he could see a shadow up above as if someone were pacing in the light's turret.
Well, one more ghostly story of the summer home for tomorrow's post and my unusual and charming childhood has been told.
**Get ready, every Friday I'm posting "Candlelight Tales," videos done by candlelight with wine in which I tell you in under 5 minutes a spooky story from my life.**
imagine falling down all those stairs! lol.
ReplyDeleteHey Sis, we need to visit the lighthouse as well. I would love to see this place. It would also make a great place to ghost hunt.
ReplyDeleteAdsila
Zombie;
ReplyDeleteI remember as a kid, putting my hand on that wall and climbing cautiously. The steps were fairly tall too.
Sis;
It's on my list! I simply must do an all-nighter there! Hope you don't get claustrophobic.
Funny how your brother and you were probably thinking the same thing; I wonder if he/she knows it too?
ReplyDeleteThere's a spooky thought. I fully intend to get back there some time and do a nighttime study at the place. When we were kids, it was abandoned and left to the elements. They apparently fixed it up and it just sits there. Anyone who lands on the island can inspect. I've been in other lighthouses, but this one had a very "Ghost and Mrs. Muir" feel to it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a creepy little story. It seems to happen a lot that people don't want to face the supernatural until it's over and then they compare notes and realize what was happening was really happening.
ReplyDeleteThat place looks tremendous.
ReplyDeleteAwesome investigation, and awesome Friday concept!
ReplyDeleteThe 'with wine' is, of course, the best part.
Or with "whine." I had to pack a story into under 5 minutes so I'm rather quick talking. Enjoy the view. It's my chest.
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