Morning at the Inlet

February 18, 2026

Lighthouse life

The sun’s just coming up over the Atlantic, and I’m already on my balcony with my coffee. From here, I can see the Hillsboro Lighthouse standing tall against the pink sky. Been doing this for 50 years, and it never gets old.

The Early Crowd

Around 6:30 AM, the regulars start showing up:

• Captain Mike - heads out for snapper
• The pelican patrol - squawking for their breakfast
• That one guy with the loud outboard who never learned about mufflers

Lighthouse Report

Light was still flashing at dawn. Good. Some mornings when it’s foggy, you can barely see it, but the beam still cuts through.

Today’s Grumpy Observation

Jet skiers. Already. At 7 AM. Who needs to go that fast this early? The manatees aren’t even awake yet.

More tomorrow from the balcony.