SCENES FROM THE BEACH | by George Thatcher / JUNE 19, 2016

A large, seaworthy shrimp boat heads south in the channel today; its destination may be the fertile waters near Campeche, Mexico. In the 1800s, lighthouses were built on Ship Island, as well as on Cat Island and Chandeleur, to aid navigation. Now the need for those lighthouses has been replaced by sophisticated electronic devices that depend upon space satellites. Prior to the 13th century, even the compass was unknown, requiring early mariners to sail by dead reckoning only. -- Diary, spring 2016

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 9:34 AM with the headline "SCENES FROM THE BEACH | by George Thatcher / JUNE 19, 2016 ."