And to end with, we go back to where it all began. On our final day, we visited Plymouth, where a pretty momentous event took place nearly 400 years ago. Walking along the front, I spotted far out what appeared to be a lighthouse.
A very familiar lighthouse, the most famous of the five on the island. Named Gay Head by early British sailors after the brightly coloured cliffs, the light here dates from 1856, though the history of the station here goes back to the previous century. Its proximity to the cliffs may eventually spell its doom, though they may do a Highland Light and move it back from the cliff top.
Expertly taken - ho hum - from the window of the coach as we enjoyed a rapidfire 500 words a minute tour of the island. Chappaquiddick lies behind the stretch of water where Ted Kennedy swam to safety in 1967.
Of course, I was looking on the wrong promontory for East Chop Lighthouse and only saw it on the way back from Oak Bluffs. Built in 1877, this light started off white but was subsequently painted brown, earning itself the monicker The Chocolate Lighthouse. It was restored to its former colour in 1988.
Again, not very sharp photographs, taken from the ferry going to Oak Bluffs. Some of the ferries go to Vineyard Haven, which is protected by the twin headlands of West Chop and East Chop, both of which sport lighthouses. The light at West Chop dates back to 1817, though this particular tower was built in 1897.
A very flukey hole-in-one at the third hole by a certain person other than myself meant that this was one trip to lighthouses that I ended up regretting.
