"North Carolina Lighthouses

Reveal Maritime History"

Lighthouses are a fascinating feature of the North Carolina coast. Visitors can find a unique lighthouse about every 40 miles along the picturesque shore of North Carolina. In more than two centuries of history, North Carolina lighthouses have endured untold adventure. They have been moved, demolished and reincarnated. From the Civil War to high winds and relentless erosion, each of these beacons has its own unique story to tell.

 Currituck Beach Lighthouse

North Carolina's northernmost lighthouse lies about 30 miles south of Virginia's Cape Henry Light Station.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, located in the Corolla community, was built on the same basic model as the towers at Bodie Island, Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras, but Currituck sports a distinctive redbrick facade. Its approximately 1 million bricks were left unpainted to help the seafarers distinguish it from its neighbors.

Completed in 1875, the 158-foot Currituck Beach Lighthouse was the last of the brick lighthouses constructed on the North Carolina coast. It's one of the only eight lighthouses in the nation using its historic first-order Fresnel lens, which casts a beam that's visible for about 19 miles. From Easter to Thanksgiving, visitors can climb 241 steps to the top of the Currituck lighthouse, which has been lovingly restored.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bodie Island Lighthouse has had its troubles. Disagreements over the location delayed its initial construction for over 10 years. Construction finally began in 1847, but the structure was leaning toward the ocean even before it was completed, and within two years, one side had dropped one foot lower than the other. Attempts to prop it up failed, and a new, a 90-foot brick tower was built in 1859. More misfortune befell the Bodie Island Lighthouse in 1861 when Confederate troops slipped into the lighthouse and blew it up to keep it from Union ships. After the war, another tower was built, this one on the model of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Shortly after it 1872 opening, a flock of geese flew into the 150-foot-tall structure and damaged the beacon's lens.

The light's latest setback stemmed from structural problems discovered during a major restoration and a lack of funds to fix them. Work has resumed and by spring 2013 the lighthouse will be open to visitors who want to climb its 214 steps. The newly restored first order Fresnel lens will burn bright again on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

The 208-foot Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the American Coast. Located in Buxton, this tower is made of 1.2 million bricks that were hauled to the site by oxen. Its walls are 14 feet thick at the base. The lighthouse presides over the Diamond Shoals, projecting light 20 miles into the Atlantic and warning travelers away from this dangerous area known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."

There have been three different lighthouses at Cape Hatteras, the first was erected in 1803. Today's lighthouse was begun in 1869 and was once so threatened by erosion that in 1936 a steel skeleton tower in nearby Buxton Woods replaced it. The erosion was reversed in 1950 and the brick lighthouse was reactivated.

In the summer of 1999, the National Park Service moved the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 2,900 feet from its original location. It still rests there today on a new concrete foundation just 1,600 feet from the shoreline, the distance it stood from the sea when it was completed in 1870. From mid-April through mid-October, visitors can climb the 248 iron spiral stairs to the top.

Although the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is probably the most famous, the Carolina coast is dotted with these beacons from another era. Many are now under the care of the National Park Service and can be visited during the summer months until October. For more information on these and other Carolina attractions go to www.visitnc.com.

Apex Trips Carves Out Successful Niche

In today's ultra competitive travel market Apex Trips, of Turlock California, has carved out a successful niche in the community they serve by providing personalized customer service to their loyal customers. Mary Couto Lewis brings thirty two years of travel industry experience to the table, which is rare in a business where bookings are done more and more online. "Customers appreciate the personal touch only a seasoned travel agent can provide," Lewis said. "By speaking with and listening to my clients I can tailor a package to fit their schedule and budget," she added.

  Cruising has become one of the bright segments of the travel industry in a down economy according to experts. Apex Trips has steadily increased the number of cruise packages they offer their clients: These include cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe. Couto Lewis is excited about the upcoming five day Carnival Cruise to Ensenada aboard the Inspiration: with a capacity of over 4,000 passengers there are plenty of activities and entertainment planned by Carnival's excellent shipboard staff. In addition to Carnival's excellent onboard entertainment popular Portuguese artist Erminio Lemos will also participate in the musical portion of the festivities.

  Heritage tours to Portugal, Spain,Italy,France,Greece and Brazil are a specialty of Apex Trips. Heritage tours are organized especially for second and third generation non native speakers that wish to explore their ancestral homeland. These tours are normally all inclusive and are accompanied by a native speaker. Religious tours to Fatima and Lourdes are also popular throughout the year. These customized packages are often much more economical and convenient for the first time visitor who can relax without having to worry about finding a hotel or getting to and from the various attractions. Having an experienced agent and an expert guide makes for a much more enjoyable trip for all.

   Apex Trips is currently planning a tour of Brazil scheduled for early spring of next year: to include Rio de Janeiro, Iguacu Falls, Belo Horizonte and Manaus. Rio de Janeiro has something for everyone: from beautiful beaches to the exciting nightlife no wonder they call Rio "A Cidade Maravilhosa" (The Marvelous City). Belo Horizonte is located in the State of Minas Gerais and has a population of just over 5 million. In spite of barely being one hundred years old, this modern city has all the comforts of home. Manaus is the Amazon's largest city and serves as a major departure point for tours of the Amazon Rainforest. Iguacu Falls is one of the Seven Wonders of Nature and is located on the border between Brazil and Argentina. Some say that it takes several trips to Brazil to fully appreciate this natural wonder of the world. This tour will be guided by agent Angela Pereira, formerly of the Portuguese Tourism Office in San Francisco.

  Mary Couto Lewis has no plans to retire anytime soon, which is good news for the traveling public. For further information on Apex Trips and their various travel packages visit their website at www.apextrips.com. They may also be reached by phone at (209) 632-3935.

 

Carolina Attractions: The Reasons Why You Must Move To The Carolinas Immediately
by: Robert Bencivenga

 Charlotte North Carolina Sky

In case you are perusing this, you most likely know by now why you should move to the Carolinas. Well, it’s our opportunity to inform you some of the reasons we like the Carolinas. A few of our finest Carolina attractions are given below.

The abundance of nature, history and diverse lifestyles is one of our principal reasons for loving South and North Carolina. In the span of four hours you can go from the Smoky Mountains in Asheville, to the limpid waters of the Atlantic Ocean beyond Charleston.

 From the avenues of Charleston to the historic sand dunes of the Outer Banks, the past tends to envelop you in the Carolinas. One of the most excellent ways to come into contact with the legacy of both states is to discover the Heritage Trails.

 These two states make the most of the mild weather conditions and crowd their schedules full of activities throughout the year. Some of the more famous Carolina attractions comprise the Beaufort Water Festival, in Beaufort, SC, the Bele Chere music festival in Asheville, and the performing arts festival of Spoleto, in Charleston.

North Carolina (NC) is famous for the Research Triangle Park in the vicinity of Raleigh and Durham (the most extensive research park in the world), the Piedmont Triad Research Park, close to Winston-Salem, and University City, near Charlotte (the 2nd biggest banking center in U.S.) Numerous other Carolina attractions comprise cities like Columbia and Charleston, which include thriving business centers. The Carolinas are woven together via 6 main interstates and in excess of hundred thousand miles of state highways. The maximum amount of progress is occurring along the I-85 corridor and should you need to travel a long distance, the Carolinas possess half a dozen important airports in suitable locations.

Hot jobs in the Carolinas cover medical, technology, banking, education, and manufacturing industries. Once known as a textiles center, in the last two decades a number of manufacturers have shifted abroad. Many corporations have noted the qualified workers and tax benefits and shifted in.

Carolina attractions in cuisine rank high on our reasons why you have to relocate to the Carolinas. The attractions concern comfort, family and food. North Carolina is particularly noted for its barbecue. There are 2 types of barbecue: Eastern, with its red pepper and vinegar based sauce, and Western, which uses tomatoes and brown sugar in addition to the red pepper and vinegar.

The Carolinas are noted for their great seafood as well (particularly in South Carolina). South Carolina’s individual way of cooking seafood is described as “Calabash.” Originating in the town with a similar name, Calabash style cooking dips the seafood in evaporated milk, after that a breading mixture and then it’s deep-fried. Western North Carolina’s mountains focus on river trout.

Irrespective of whether you choose to shift to North Carolina or South Carolina, both states have top notch medical services. North Carolina houses four medical universities and South Carolina contains a medical college in Charleston, and large hospitals in Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg.

Everyone has their own reasons why they ought to move to the Carolinas. What are yours?

To get a FREE REPORT on “Affordable Best Places In The Carolinas”, and find the best place for you visit: http://www.PlacesOfValue.com/page/best_places.php