10/16/2026
FROM GUIDING SHIPS TO GUIDING SPACESHIPS — A ST. SIMONS LIGHTHOUSE MOMENT!
October 14, 2026 | Saint Simons Island On My Mind
Yesterday, I shared some spectacular photographs of the SpaceX launch taken right here on St. Simons Island by two wonderful local photographers, Carolyn Freeman Ivey and Malcolm Gorie.
Carolyn captured the remarkable sight over the Atlantic Ocean, while Malcolm photographed the glowing rocket trail above the sailboats at our marina.
The response was incredible, with thousands of people enjoying those photographs and sharing their excitement about what they had witnessed in our early morning sky.
But something happened afterward that reminded me of exactly why I started Saint Simons Island On My Mind.
One of our readers, Robert Gentile, sent me another photograph of the same SpaceX launch. And when I opened it, I knew immediately that this one was something special.
There, against the early morning sky, was the brilliant trail of the SpaceX rocket, seemingly suspended directly above our beloved St. Simons Lighthouse.
The lighthouse stood illuminated beneath the enormous glowing plume, with the first colors of sunrise appearing along the horizon and the waters of St. Simons Sound reflecting the lights along the waterfront.
It was a beautiful photograph. But as it turned out, there was an even better story behind it.
I contacted Robert to thank him and asked where he had been standing when he took the picture.
He told me he was on the St. Simons Pier.
But then he explained something that made the photograph even more remarkable.
Robert had deliberately timed the rotation of the lighthouse beam so that it appeared to point directly toward the rocket!
And he shared a thought that I believe perfectly captures the meaning of this photograph.
For generations, the St. Simons Lighthouse has helped guide ships and travelers safely through our coastal waters.
Now, more than 150 years after the present lighthouse was built in 1872, Robert had captured an image that made it appear as though that same historic beacon was guiding travelers into space.
From guiding ships across the sea to seemingly lighting the way toward the stars.
What a wonderful connection between the history of our little barrier island and the extraordinary achievements of modern space exploration!
Of course, the rocket was far away, and the alignment of the lighthouse beam and rocket was a matter of perspective and Robert’s careful timing. But that doesn’t make the photograph any less remarkable.
In fact, knowing how he captured it makes me appreciate it even more.
And that brings me to something else I want to share.
When I started Saint Simons Island On My Mind, my hope was to create a place where we could remember the island’s history, revisit familiar landmarks, share old photographs, and enjoy the stories that make St. Simons and the surrounding Golden Isles so special.
What I didn’t fully anticipate was how many wonderful people would become part of that effort.
Every week, readers send photographs, share memories, help identify people and places, and contribute little pieces of island history that might otherwise be forgotten.
Sometimes those contributions take us back a hundred years. Sometimes they remind us of a favorite restaurant, an old grocery store, or a place that no longer exists.
And sometimes, as Robert’s photograph reminds us, history is being made right before our eyes.
Yesterday, Carolyn and Malcolm shared their remarkable views of the SpaceX launch. Today, Robert has given us another perspective, along with a thoughtful connection to our island’s past.
That’s what makes this page so meaningful to me.
Saint Simons Island On My Mind isn’t just about the stories I tell. It’s about the stories all of you help tell.
And I couldn’t do it nearly as well without the generosity, knowledge, photographs, and memories of the people who follow along.
A very special thank-you to Robert Gentile for sharing this extraordinary photograph and allowing me to enhance it and share it with our readers.
And another thank-you to Carolyn Freeman Ivey and Malcolm Gorie for helping us experience yesterday’s spectacular launch through their cameras.
Three photographers. Three different perspectives. One extraordinary morning over St. Simons Island.
And one more wonderful memory for all of us who love this place.
Sometimes the best stories aren’t found in history books.
Sometimes they come from a neighbor with a camera, standing on the St. Simons Pier, waiting for just the right moment.
And sometimes, all you have to do is look up!
