Ponce Inlet, Ponce Inlet,Fla.

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse has been a constant sight all my life. It is located slightly south of Daytona Beach, Fla. on the peninsular at the very point where the river runs out into the Atlantic Ocean. As a child and through my years of growing up in the area, and growing old the lighthouse has stood tall in all its shining glory beaming lights to ships at sea. Everywhere people are fishing, and the seagulls are anxiously waiting for a piece of bait or a piece of bread. What a wonderful sight to see the big pelicans taking a nose dive into the water and coming up with a fish in its bill. All up and down the shoreline little sandpiper birds run and their little legs look like blurs. People are sunbathing, picnicking, fishing or playing beach volleyball. Surfers are catching the waves in an area zoned for surfing. It is a place to walk and explore picking up unusual sea shells and pieces of driftwood. You can see the architects of the sandcastles running away from the incoming tide only to watch their

labor washed away.

The area has grown and been updated with more picnic areas, and restrooms. The large park has been kept intact. The Marine Rescue Center and Museum has been added for sightseers . The Rescue Center Marine Biologists nurse injured sea turtles and dolphins back to health and release them back into their natural habitat.

This picture is a print of my original done in watercolor, pen and ink.

Even though you can see modern condominiums in the distance it is the same magical as it was in my youth where you can walk and see the ocean meet the sky. The lighthouse is still standing tall in its shining glory.