On a recent July morning I was able to visit this historic lighthouse on Cape Cod and share my love of lighthouse photography with my granddaughters.
Brief History of Nobska Lighthouse
When we arrived at this historic lighthouse on the southern point of Cape Cod in Falmouth we took a few minutes to read the signs and learn a bit about the history of the lighthouse.
The lighthouse is nestled between Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay with Martha's Vineyard spread right out in front of it.
From the early colonial days until the twentieth century the route from Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds provided the shortest route to bring passengers and goods from Cape Cod to all points south and west. In the 1800's vessel traffic through this area was second only to that of the English Channel. Because of this a need for a lighthouse to keep vessels safe was imperative.
Nobska light was first opened in 1826 as just a tower above a keepers house. It was replaced in 1878 by the present 42 feet cast iron tower. This tower sits 87 feet above sea level. It flashes every 6 seconds and is visible for 17 miles.
Photographing the Lighthouse
The above is a photograph of my granddaughters, Kate and Emily in front of the lighthouse. They both brought along their new cameras to learn about photographing the lighthouse with me.
The next two photos are ones that were taken by the girls. The first, a close up shot of the lighthouse, was taken by Kate. The second one was taken from across the street by Emily.
I too enjoyed the view from across the street from the lighthouse. Here are two photos that I took looking back at the lighthouse.
Across from the Lighthouse
After looking at the lighthouse closeup we crossed the street and took a path that led down to the beach. It was a fantastic view of the islands that lay just off the coast. Here is a map that tells about what we saw.
It was very interesting to see the map and then look at the scene ahead of us. We watched ferries leave from Cape Cod heading over toward Martha's Vineyard. It was early morning when we arrived and the fog was rather heavy, but as the morning progressed the fog started to lift and we could see more of the islands.
Photographing with my Granddaughters
It was a wonderful experience sharing my love of photography and lighthouses with Kate and Emily. They listened carefully as I showed them how to look for interesting photos. After they took a few of the lighthouse from different angles, their interest was more toward photographing the bees in the flowers.
Zazzle Products from our Photos
This keychain design was made from one of Emily's photos and the mug is from my photo.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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Mary Beth, there is no greater joy than sharing something you love with your children and grandchildren. Especially if they express an interest in your passion. So wonderful that you had this opportunity to share your knowledgeable photography skills with Kate & Emily in such a beautiful locale. And with the added pleasure of just spending time with family. Lovely article.
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous that you were able to share you love of photography, as well as your love for lighthouses, with your granddaughters. I know you all have a wonderful day! I admit, I completely understand why Kate and Emily would be interested in taking pictures of the bees in the flowers. The camera allows all of us to focus on things we might otherwise totally ignore and bypass. The information on the Nobska Lighthouse was also very interesting! Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to share your love for the girls as well as your love for photography. It's always hopeful that one or the other will take a keener interest! Maybe even both of them. They have a great teacher in you Mary Beth!
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious that all three of you had a marvelous day! Spending time with the people we love is a gift. Being able to spend that time sharing our interests and passions with the people we love is precious. And watching them embrace those interests and passions is priceless! I hope this is just the beginning of many photography expeditions with Kate and Emily. Those photos will be wonderful reminders of a very special day together.
ReplyDeleteSo incredibly beautiful. I would absolutely love to visit that area. I've never been to the east coast in Canada either, which is crazy considering I've been everywhere else in this country, the usa and Europe! Your pictures are gorgeous. Calming really.
ReplyDeleteThe memories you made are priceless. You are doing so much more than teaching the girls photography. They are learning how to see with new eyes and how to beautifully express themselves. I greatly admire you for being so present in Emily and Kate's lives.
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