I've been sharing vicariously in the vacations of fellow stitchers for more than 10 years now, beginning with a lady in Michigan who sent me her summer vacation photos of some wonderful lighthouses that she asked me to adapt to needlepoint. My most recent request came from Sally in Florida, who shared photos of a journey of a lifetime!
Last December, Sally traveled to Ushuaia, the capital city of Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina, to board the National Geographic "Explorer" for a 10-day cruise to Antarctica. It was in Ushuaia that she first saw penguins up-close-and-personal and snapped some wonderful photos of a very distinctive lighthouse. Would I adapt it to needlepoint, she asked. After some research, I agreed, and here it is!
Les Eclaireurs lighthouse sits on an islet off Ushuaia, with the Martial mountain range to the north and the Beagle Channel to the south. Its name, appropriately, translates from the French as "the enlighteners." But because Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world, the people of Argentina refer to this structure as El Faro Del Fin Del Mundo, or The Lighthouse at the End of the World.
The conical brick tower, 33 feet high and 10 feet wide at the base, was first put into service in December, 1920. Its white flashing beacon is now automated, operated by remote control and powered by solar panels. The islet upon which it sits is uninhabited and the lighthouse itself is not open to the public. There are no windows in the structure, and its only access is by a single door to the right of the tower's base.
The orange splotches nestled among the rocks at its base are actually dried vegetation. Rising behind the lighthouse is the snow-capped mountain range, making this my second lighthouse with snow in its scene. So do come back and cool off as I stitch what probably is my most exotic lighthouse to date!
2 comments:
Interesting history on this one! It's going to be a terrific addition to your lighthouse series! How many lighthouses from foreign counties have you done so far?
Jan--Four from Canada and one from Australia! But there's one in Bermuda I'd love to do if I can find the right photos. We were there a couple of times BK (Before Kids).
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