Yellowstone Lake

Scene at Yellowstone Lake, captured in May 2009

Yellowstone Lake

is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet (2,376 m) above sea level and covers 136 square miles (352 km²) with 110 miles (177 km) of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet (42 m) its deepest spot is at least 390 feet (118 m). Yellowstone Lake is the largest freshwater lake above 7,000 feet (2,133 m) in North America.

In winter, ice nearly 3 feet (1 m) thick covers much of the lake, except where shallow water covers hot springs. The lake freezes over by early December and can remain frozen until late May or early June.

Read more about the Lake here




Hi my friends,

Thanks for your comments on my post a day before.

Dave and I, we had not such a great day yesterday. We spent again some hours in the emergency room. Dave felt VERY bad again. Now, we got new pills, new inhalers and I know, it will be better for the next some days - if there would be no nights. In the night his terrible cough came back again and he could not breath well. And, I ask myself if this will be good ever one day at all? I cannot see my husband suffering so much and it seems no one of the doctors are able to help him!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Susanne



Buy my art at Imagekind

Folly Beach and the story about a Light House

Morris Island Lighthouse

Morris Island lighthouse stands all alone about 300 yards off shore from the island of Folly Beach. It can be viewed from the northeast end of Folly Island and from the bridge coming to Folly Beach. The Morris Island lighthouse is now completely surrounded by water but was once sitting on a good sized island with numerous buildings around it.

The lighthouse was completed in 1876 and was the second lighthouse to be built on the island. In the 1700s there were three islands that stretched for four miles between Folly Island and Sullivan’s Island. They were named Middle Bay Island, Morrison Island, and Cummings Point.

The first Charleston lighthouse was built on Middle Bay Island in 1767. The lighthouse was designed by Samuel Cardy and built by Adam Miller and Thomas Young. The tower was cylindrical and stood 102 feet tall. The lantern room had a revolving lamp that had a range of about 12 miles. In 1858 a Fresnel lens was installed.

In the early 1800s the channel leading to Charleston began to shift causing a change in the tidal currents. Sand began to build up between the islands and this resulted in the three islands merging into a single island. Since Morrison Island was the central of the three earlier islands, the now single island was called Morrison Island. Later the name was shortened to Morris Island.

The first Charleston lighthouse continued to provide service up to the Civil War. In 1861 the fleeing Confederate soldiers blew up the lighthouse so northern troops could not use it. Following the civil war, in 1873, Congress appropriated money for the rebuilding of the Morris Island Lighthouse (then referred to as the Charleston Main Light). The lighthouse was completed in 1876 approximately 400 yards from the earlier tower. It stood 161 feet tall and was patterned after the Bodie Light of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It even used the same paint scheme as a day mark – black and white horizontal stripes. There were a total of 15 buildings on the island besides the lighthouse tower. Included in these were the keeper’s quarters, various outbuildings, and a one-room schoolhouse (the school teacher came over from the mainland on Monday, taught the children during the week and returned to the mainland on Friday).

Toward the end of the 1800s the channel had again shifted, but this time the change threatened the Charleston Harbor. In order to keep the channel open several jetties had to be built. These were completed in 1889. Although the channel into Charleston was saved, the changing tidal currents resulting from the jetties caused severe erosion on Morris Island. The island began to shrink. By 1938 many of the buildings were destroyed and others moved. The light was automated in 1938 and the Fresnel lens was removed.

Since 1938 over 1600 feet of land surrounding the tower has been lost. Today it stands alone, completely surrounded by water. In 1962 the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse was built to replace the Morris Island Light, which was decommissioned. The U.S. Coast Guard had plans to demolish the tower but petitions from local residents saved the structure. The Coast Guard built an underground steel wall around the tower to protect it from further erosion damage. The lighthouse is now privately owned and efforts are underway to preserve the Morris Island Light.

The Morris Island Coalition - www.morrisisland.org - is working hard to protect Morris Island. The Morris Island Lighthouse Project - www.savethelight.org - is working to preserve and restore the lighthouse. Please visit their sites and learn much more about the rich history of Morris Island.


Read more about here

First Strolling in DownTown Charleston

This is another reason why they call Charleston "The Holy City".
There are beautiful old churches everywhere.

The Gibbes Museum of Art

One of the so many characteristic buildings in Charleston.

The "Old Slave Mart" Museum

The Charleston Market Hall
and Sheds mark the location of the old Market, now a National Historic Landmark. The land was donated by the Pinckney family in 1788, to be used as a market. The first market burned in 1838; the present structure dates to 1841. Fresh meat and produce were sold here. Today, Market has all manner of goods. This is an excellent place to browse, even if you have no intention of buying anything. On the second floor is a small local museum, courtesy of the Daughters of the American Revolution.