Point Lookout State Park Maryland Ap 28-May 5 '08

SPRING VACATION, PART 2, 2008

We left Patapsco Valley State Park on Tuesday, April 28, and headed southeast to Point Lookout State Park on the confluence of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. It is a great park for biking but the mosquitoes are bad being surrounded by water on 3 sides of the park. They spray 3 times a week and that does help some.
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"What are we going to do today?" "Whoa, I thought we were doing it!" Bill relaxing.

Notice the close proximity of the trees. At either side of the rear of the RV were trees with only about 12" to spare before the slides opened. At the front was another tree with just a few inches to spare in order to open the awning. Nice job parking, Bill!!

Beth and Emma joined us on Friday and stayed the weekend. Beth was able to leave Donavin with daddy and have a bit of vacation herself! Emma loves to camp and was excited to be with us again.

On the way down, Emma, having stayed in the RV last weekend, felt the need to tell her mother the "Rules of the RV". 1. You can't let the water run when you brush your teeth. (We had to use holding tanks last weekend). 2. You don't put paper in the toilet.

3. When you flush the toilet, don't let the water run too long. This week we had full hookup, so the water conservation "rules" were off! From now on, whenever we don't have full hookup we will revert to "Emma's Rules of the RV!!"

Emma on the beach. It was here that she was poking something with her finger and said "What's this? It's like jello." What else but a jelly fish! And this is the child that freaks out at the sight of a bug!




Playing on the beach of the Potomac River. The water was a little too cold for swimming.

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Emma at the entrance to Fort Lincoln, an earthen wall Civil War Fort with reconstructed barracks, located along the shoreline of the Potomac River

Beth, Emma, and Bill at Fort Lincoln.



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The Point Lookout Lighthouse is located at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay at land's end now situated within Point Lookout State Park. The first lighthouse at this location was constructed in 1830. During the Civil War there was a Union hospital located outside the lighthouse. A Union prisoner of war camp was also located just north of the lighthouse. See www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/pointlookout.html for more information about the park.


One of the more controversial issues surrounding the lighthouse is the question "Is it haunted?" Visit http://www.ptlookoutlighthouse.com/ and decide for yourself. We were fortunate that the lighthouse was open for visitors this weekend and we were able tour it and also talk to the last woman that lived in the house from 1979 to 1981. She had pictures of "spirits" and many tales to tell of her experiences while living in the lighthouse. I'm a believer!! Another site to view pictures is http://www.pllps.org/

Barb, Emma, and Bill at the top of the light.







Sunset on the Potomac.

Bill and I took a ride to the Piney Point Lighthouse (Can you tell I LIKE lighthouses?) This lighthouse was known as the "Lighthouse of the Presidents" and is only a half century younger than the United States, being built in 1836. Presidents and other notables spent their summers at Piney Point beginning with President James Monroe.

It is located on the Potomac River 14 miles upstream from it's mouth at the Chesapeake Bay.

View from the top of the light


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Built in 1836 for a cost of $3,888, this unique brick tower was in operation until 1964 when it was retired by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Bill sitting on the dock at Piney Point. Notice the oil tanker in the background unloading oil. There is a large storage area near here.

At the right of the lighthouse is the lightkeepers dwelling that was built along with the tower in 1836. Originally a one story building, a second story was added in 1884 along with a porch and new windows.