An image of the Milky Way rising above Oregon Inlet Life Saving Station on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the late 1800s and early 1900s this station and dozens more like it, scattered up and down the Carolina coast, were home to the some of the bravest individuals who ever lived. They patrolled lonely stretches of dark and stormy beaches in search of vessels driven ashore or in distress. Then risked life and limb to save the lives of strangers in mortal danger. As I sat quietly among the dunes and watched the clouds slowly obscure the stars, I could almost imagine what it must have been like to walk out of one of the few safe structures on this part of the shore and begin a lonely hike. The night I captured this image was actually one of the few nights that I had a companion. My youngest son made his first trip out with me to shoot nightscapes. This was the longest single night trip I have made so far. 10 hours out and back with about 2 hours of photography.