The Lady of Light (“Farol da Senhora da Luz,” in Portuguese,) was the first lighthouse on the coast of Portugal, constructed in 1758. It is a two story hexagonal building, on the grounds of the Chapel of the Lady of Light.
Built on a granite outcrop on the “Mount of Light,” where its green lantern was protected from storms and waves, the Lady of Light guided ships to port for hundreds of years. In 1945, the lighthouse was retired, replaced by the modernized Felgueiras Lighthouse.
The Felgueiras Lighthouse is situated where the Douro River finds the Atlantic. Although no longer in operation, the mariners’ beacon continues to command respect more than 200 years after its construction.
Giant ocean waves are known to slam the lighthouse’s jetty, making it a (careful!) must-see for photographers.
The lighthouse’s historic neighborhood, Foz do Douro, one of Portugal’s most affluent enclaves, is well worth exploring: wave-washed granite at Ourigo Beach and the weathered walls of the Fort São João de Foz contextualize the lighthouse’s genesis.
I really felt far out there when I visited the Leelanau State Park.
On the very tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, the historic Grand Traverse Lighthouse a beacon for many years to those entering the bay…
…this is about as far from Chicago and the civilized world, about as far back in time, as its possible to journey on Lake Michigan.
The light, mid transition summer to fall, was so dramatic…
…Etta and I stayed out along the shore for over an hour taking photographs…
of the seagrass and stones as they slowly turned colors.
Old Mission and Leelanau are two of the most beautiful peninsulas in the United States. Together, they make up as much coastline as Cape Cod or Door County, and yet they fly much lower under the radar than either of those two destinations.
When I first stopped in Traverse City, on our circle tour around Lake Michigan, we drove out to the Old Mission State Park to watch the sunset. This year, we spent a weekend just exploring both peninsulas. Again, we found ourselves out on the tip.
It was a chilly September Sunday evening. The lake was at it highest level in several years. With the wind blowing, and green leaves turning yellow, and summer retreating, the historic Old Mission Lighthouse was oddly reassuring.
On the drive out of the state park to dinner, we pulled over and watched two swans. They were feeding in rough water, their white bodies bobbing up and down in the swells, with waves breaking over their backs. The water was warmer than the air.
I found it to be worth the money to visit the Cana Island Lighthouse and pay for the walk up to the top. The thing is, I did not think I would be so terrified at the top.
I was unable to move away from the wall or look straight down. There were small children who were skipping around up there while the look of terror was frozen on my face.
What really makes it worth a visit is a walk around the island the lighthouse sits on. The natural beauty of Door County is unreal, with boulders of limestone scattered along the shore, and out amidst the bluegreen waters.
Etta did a small photoshoot in the July light. Her metal enclosure necklace was stunning: rust colored metal and gleeming glass stood in stark contrast to the bold turquoises of the day.
