alainaflute
Greg
Jody
E.G.D.
Cabrillo National Monument
“Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”
~ John Howard Payne
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge topic is “Inside.”
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Related Link: Hermit Crab: A Different Kind of Beachcomber
Posts Tagged ‘postaday’
A Friendly Reminder
Posted by Jody on March 14, 2014
Posted in Southern California Beaches, Tide Pools, Today's Special | Tagged: beach sign, Cabrillo National Monument, hermit crab, inside, postaday, San Diego tide pools, Weekly Photo Challenge | 14 Comments »
Heaven on Earth
Posted by Jody on February 7, 2014
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”
~Henry David Thoreau
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This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge topic is “Selfie.”
Posted in Today's Special | Tagged: beach, heaven, Henry David Thoreau, postaday, Selfie, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie | 13 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Horizon
Posted by Jody on October 29, 2013
Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast
“A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed…
It feels an impulsion… this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds,
and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.”
~Richard Bach
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme is “Horizon.”
~~~
Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, beach photography, Horizon, Mississippi Gulf Coast, postaday, Richard Bach, Weekly Photo Challenge | 22 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Good Morning!
Posted by Jody on October 5, 2013
Carefree Morning on Alabama’s Gulf Coast
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme is “Good Morning!”
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Posted in Today's Special | Tagged: Alabama Gulf Coast beach, beach, beach photography, Good Morning!, Orange Beach Alabama, postaday, Weekly Photo Challenge | 14 Comments »
It’s the First Day of Summer ~ Playtime!
Posted by Jody on June 21, 2013
Playtime at Surfside Beach
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
~~~
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge topic is “The World Through Your Eyes.”
Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, beach photography, postaday, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Summer, Texas Gulf Coast beach, The World Through Your Eyes, Weekly Photo Challenge | 17 Comments »
Beachless in Pittsburgh: The Water Steps
Posted by Jody on May 31, 2013
Pittsburgh’s convenient TPlus light rail service stops very near the Water Steps at Riverfront Park on the city’s North Shore. That little gem of knowledge clinched my decision to tote a 6 & a 4 year old to the Northside last week for a break from the ennui of our Downtown hotel. The “Water Steps” is actually an impressive fountain consisting of 500 blocks of Pennsylvania’s Butler County sandstone along with shallow pools formed by the cascading water. The water first spills over a 4-foot waterfall before tumbling down, around, over, and through the staggered, multilevel steps. The expansive sloping lawn next to the Water Steps serves as a make-believe beach scene, with scantily clad folks stretching out on towels and blankets to relax and soak up the sunshine.
Tour Boats Pass by the Water Steps on the Allegheny River
I found out about the Water Steps from the Pittsburgh Official Visitor’s Guide, which urged the out-of-towner to “play in the water steps near Heinz Field.” From that (and the very inviting full-page photo) I knew it was a family friendly oasis. Once we arrived, it was pretty easy to see that many other families were regular day visitors to this lovely flowing fountain fronting the Allegheny River. The two little ones had an absolute blast playing and splashing in the water, hopping from level to level with their new found friends. As the morning progressed, older kids and adults came to laze around and cool off, too.
Duck Tours Pass by the Water Steps on the Riverwalk
I didn’t know this before our visit, but there are no nearby washroom facilities or changing areas at the Water Steps. That certainly began to concern me as the fountain filled up with people of all ages, some accompanied by their furry four footed family members! It also made for some pretty fancy maneuvering to get the kids changed out of their wet clothes!
The Water Steps
As we prepared to pack up and head back Downtown for lunch, I was pretty surprised to find a sign way high up near the top outside corner of the Water Steps warning people NOT to swim or wade in the water because of the slipperiness of the steps.
WHAT?
Is this eye-catching fountain just an attractive riverside water feature or is it an an interactive urban splash and play pond? It really doesn’t seem to matter!
Show and Tell: Where do you head for some waterside fun in your favorite beachless town?
~~~
Helpful links for other beach-starved visitors to Pittsburgh:
Notable fountains outside Downtown Pittsburgh
Posted in Friday Finds, Inland Shores | Tagged: beach, beach sign, North Shore Riverside Park, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, postaday, The Sign Says, The Water Steps, Weekly Photo Challenge | 20 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape “The Grip of the Rip”
Posted by Jody on May 21, 2013
Rip Currents – Break the Grip of the Rip!
Rip Current Safety Sign Posted on Lifeguard Tower
If Caught in a Rip Current
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Don’t fight the current
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Swim out of the current, then to shore
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If you can’t escape, float or tread water
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If you need help, call or wave for assistance
~~~
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents are the #1 safety threat at beaches.
Rip currents can be really hard to spot, so exercise caution if you see the following:
- a channel of churning, choppy water;
- an area with a noticeable difference in color;
- a line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily out to sea;
- and/or a break in the incoming wave pattern.
If you get caught in one:
- Stay calm, don’t fight the current.
- Swim sideways out of the current and parellel to the shore, then at an angle back to the shore.
If you can’t escape it:
- Float or calmly tread water. The rip current will eventually fade.
- Try to face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.
If you see someone caught in one, DO NOT try to rescue them yourself, instead:
- Get a lifeguard or call 911.
- Yell instructions.
- And if possible, throw a life preserver or floatation device.
These things may help you save a life.
The ocean can be a source of fun and excitement, but you should always be careful of hazards that exist. Only swim at lifeguard protected beaches. Before your next trip to the beach, know how to spot a rip current and how to break the grip of the rip.
Source: Ocean Today (NOAA)
Lifeguard Tower with Posted Rip Current Safety Signs
Please take a look at these very helpful links:
“Don’t get sucked in by the rip…” Rip Current Science and Safety Video: Australia
The Grip of the Rip – NOAA Video
United States Lifesaving Association Rip Current Survival Guide
Have a safe day at the beach!
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge topic is Escape.
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Posted in Beach Safety Tips, Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beach safety sign, escape, NOAA, postaday, rip current safety, Weekly Photo Challenge | 6 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern
Posted by Jody on May 14, 2013
~Patterns in the Sand~
Art on the Beach
~ Making Patterns in the Sand ~
On Manhattan Beach, Southern California
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme is Pattern.
~~~
Posted in Sand and Shoreline, Southern California Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, Manhattan Beach California, pattern, postaday, Weekly Photo Challenge | 4 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
Posted by Jody on April 22, 2013
Looking up at the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast:
Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon
Gazing up 92 feet:
Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon
Peering up inside the Yaquina Head Lighthouse tower – 114 stairs to the watch room:
Inside Yaquina Head Lighthouse Tower
When the lighthouse was constructed in 1872, the children of lighthouse keepers and lighthouse visitors were not permitted to climb the 114 stairs in the tower to the watch room because the US Lighthouse Service feared they would trip and fall on the steep stairs or squeeze between the posts of the handrails. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse retains its historic stairs and handrails and thus the safety of children climbing the stairs is still a concern. Today, children must be at least 42 inches tall to climb the stairs of the tower. Additionally, adults must accompany and assist children ascending the lighthouse tower.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
I will vouch for that justifiable feeling of fear on the part of the US Lighthouse Service! On our last visit to this splendid lighthouse and the surrounding Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, our 5 year old grandson was “tall enough” to climb the 114 stairs to the top of the tower. I confess to being the big sissy of the group. The little guy waited patiently with my understanding hubby and quizzical son-in-law as I whizzed by them to climb to the top and back by myself. My very prudent and proper “respect” for heights seems to quickly blossom into a full blown scardey-cattedness when I’m with little ones (I know I’m not alone in this*)!
Come on up!
Glancing up at the first order Fresnel lens, manufactured in Paris in 1868 by Barbier & Fenestres:
Yaquina Head Lighthouse Lens
About the light:
The light has been active since Head Keeper Fayette Crosby walked up the 114 steps, to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873. At that time the oil burning fixed white light was displayed from sunset to sunrise. Today, the fully automated first order Fresnel lens runs on commercial power and flashes its unique pattern of 2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, 2 seconds on, 14 seconds off, 24 hours a day. The oil burning wicks have been replaced with a 1000 watt globe.
Source: Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
Looking north from the top of Yaquina Head Lighthouse toward the beautiful beaches of the Oregon Coast
It was a “Great Day for UP!”
*My case in point: The Coastal Path, 36c – Kingsdown to St Margarets at Cliffe
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WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
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Posted in Lighthouses, Monday Miscellaneous, Pacific Coast Beaches | Tagged: beach, Newport Oregon, Oregon Coast lighthouse, postaday, up, Weekly Photo Challenge, Yaquina Head Lighthouse Newport Oregon | 20 Comments »
Weekly Photo Challenge: Color
Posted by Jody on April 5, 2013
Color ~ The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Lens
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse – Illuminating the Past
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse stood watch over the entrance to San Diego Bay for 36 years. At dusk on November 15, 1855, the light keeper climbed the winding stairs and lit the light for the first time. What seemed to be a good location 422 feet above sea level, however, had a serious flaw. Fog and low clouds often obscured the light. On March 23, 1891, the light was extinguished and the keeper moved to a new lighthouse location closer to the water at the tip of the Point.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, California
Today, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse still stands watch over San Diego, sentinel to a vanished past. The National Park Service has refurbished the interior to its historic 1880s appearance – a reminder of a bygone era. Ranger-led talks, displays, and brochures are available to explain the lighthouse’s interesting past.
Source: National Park Service
About the light: The original Old Point Loma lighthouse lens was hand crafted by Frenchman Henry-Lepaute. His beautiful master work was constructed with polished brass and several hundred hand-ground crystal prisms. Classified as a 3rd Order Fresnel lens, and weighing in at 1985 pounds, the light measures 5’2″ in height. When in operation, the beacon could be seen from more than 20 miles out to sea.
The beautifully maintained Old Point Loma Lighthouse is still quite a lovely sight to see!
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Related link: A Visit to the Tide Pools at Cabrillo National Monument
Posted in Lighthouses | Tagged: beach, beach photography, Cabrillo National Monument, color, Point Loma Lighthouse, postaday, San Diego coast, Weekly Photo Challenge | 9 Comments »
