Today was an interesting day, from start to finish ;-)
It started out with Holland telling me as we drank our morning coffee, that when we get to Yuma, he wants to attend a Messianic Fellowship there - we know where it is, and he's game to give it a "Go": this is a major breakthrough, & a true miracle :-)
After coffee hour, we drove into Long Beach; and decided to drive back down the Klipsan Beach Access on our return trip … by memory of the other day's adventure, I was guiding Holland to the side road, when he spotted the sign (a little dinky sign, for Pete's sake!).
We drove out the Klipsan Beach Access, this afternoon.
The Beach Sign is only visible as you drive towards Ocean Park, from Long Beach - that's why we always missed it; but today, we had our eyes peeled for it ;-)
What a grand adventure that split decision turned out to be!
I was glad we chose this beach to watch waves, at.
Freshly torn and beached seaweed … still right green & sparkly.
The waves were rocking & rolling - and the breeze was briny.
I could see the kites flying at Ocean Park's Access; Holland says that's a mile+ away.
Every portion of the beach has it's own appeal; rocks & seaweed, here ;-)
Seaweed & wave tossed rocks; these are not pumice rocks - they are solid. Probably basalt.
Basalt Rock: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basalt#:~:text=Basalt%20is%20used%20in%20construction,be%20an%20excellent%20thermal%20insulator.)
Brave souls; the water here is ice cold!
Metallica - 'Nothing Else Matters' song:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34EHhM_HS64)
Pelicans; I love watching these weird prehistoric looking birds …
Pelicans are not dinosaurs, but they do have a prehistoric appearance and have existed for a long time … though their appearance screams "Jurassic Park species!", they actually appeared in Earth's timeline after the dinosaurs became extinct: they look ancient in form because their form has not evolved as some birds, have; their appearance is as ancient as their existence. So, technically, they can be correctly classified as prehistoric.
I find them fascinating, and I always get excited when I see them ;-)
We watched them - and we watched other birds swooping and diving, on the far horizon; the gulls were being lazy.
We watched … and listened to the furious rolling waves crash on the sand directly before Betsy's tires.
We listened to Holland's choice of music; and talked about our plans for Yuma-AZ, in our prospective future.
Kelsey Hart - 'Life With You' song:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URePUcWfFGU)
And we quickly skedaddled out of the way, when greedy waves made sudden surges & anxiously reached for us: Betsy's heavy & we don't need to be forking out towing fees ;-)
The waves were coming in, fast & furious. Holland says a 9 ft. tide tonight.
Tonight's high water will reach where those gulls sit, by suppertime, tonight; seaweed line shows this morning's last high water mark.
Tonight's high tide surge reached 10+ ft.!
Tomorrow's high tide will be a bit lower - not much, just a tad.
Waaaay off - on the horizon, we could see a HUGE swarm of birds trolling back & forth, scouting for fish to snag.
That's what you get when you don't pay attention ;-)
The swarm flew closer; hundreds of birds.
Lynard Skynard - 'Freebird' song:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWsE5lEnd0I)
And the greedy waves reached for us a second time …
.JPG)
With each retreating back up, Betsy's back end is getting closer to the seaweed 'line in the sand' ;-)
Ooohh - a bright orange-billed gull! The other gulls looked very drab in comparison; I later learned that the flamboyant bird I thought was a fancy seagull, is actually a Tern: these slim, fancy looking birds are quite different than sea gulls. Terns are described as “sea swallows” or “flying scissors,” as these birds are built for maneuverability; the bulky sea gulls are referred to as "sea chickens", and ancient sailors would actually eat them as they would a regular chicken.
Common Tern:
(https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Tern/overview)
On our way home - to where Independence waited for us in Ocean Park, we passed a fenced compound that was posted as being on the Historical Registry: so, I researched it, after Supper:
This {house} is actually a historic Boat House.
'This Nest of Dangers': Frightening start: Ilwaco Beach Life-Saving Station in 1891: (https://www.chinookobserver.com/life/history/this-nest-of-dangers-frightening-start-ilwaco-beach-life-saving-station-in-1891/article_79374bec-932d-11eb-a542-839291a3ec0d.html)
This building is part of the Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station Compound, first known as the Ilwaco Beach station … and was established in 1889, to help confront a mounting toll of maritime disasters on our coast. The station is on the National Register of Historic Places. The station's name was originally Ilwaco Beach, and only later became known as Klipsan Station. The station was one of several assigned to provide protection in the area known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
During World War I, the U.S. Navy built a radio tower so that signals could be passed to and from passing ships. By the end of World War II, the station was deemed to no longer serve a purpose, and was closed in 1947.
Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station, established 1889.
'Surfmen' rowed out to rescue shipwreck victims; before & after the Station was built; 1909. Surfmen were men who worked at life-saving stations during the time of the U.S. Life Saving Service, which later became the U.S. Coast Guard. They were often seasonal workers who were sailors, fishermen, or lobstermen during the summer. Surfmen used a variety of tools and methods to rescue people in distress, including life-saving boats and the Lyle Gun. Lyle Gun: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_gun & Rescue Men filming of the Breaches Buoy Drill: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RENMwYoI_Zw) Surfmen was the terminology used to describe members of the United States Lifesaving Service. It is also currently the highest qualification in the United States Coast Guard.
Wagon on North Beach circa 1892; before the Railroad came to Klipsan Beach . Before the construction of the railroad a wagon like this one was the only way of access to the Long Beach Peninsula.
The "Clamshell Railroad," also known at the "Railroad that Ran by the Tide," and the "Rambling Never Get There Railroad" made frequent stops at the Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station so passenger's could view shipwrecks and rescue drills.
Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilwaco_Railway_and_Navigation_Company)
When the U.S. Life Saving Service joined with the Cutter Service to become the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, this station became known as Coast Guard Station No. 309.
#309 Historic Coast Guard Station:
(https://historicstation.com/station-history/)
Klipsan Historic Coast Guard Station is a private-owned Airhub B & B, now.
The dunes we see today, that keep the ocean waters from main street - weren't originally in place, as they are today: the unruly ocean waves literally lapped at the back end of the Life Saving Station.
W.O.W.
I can't even imagine how frightening that would have been to experience …
The Coast Guard called the Klipsan Station #309 was registered as a Historical Landmark on April 11th, 1979: https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c84f7e47-807e-4591-86c1-1e74fe6c5d4b
I'm really glad we visited this beach, today :-)
I experienced an exciting high water rush.
I saw a pretty sea bird.
I learned a lot about the importance of the side spur beach access at Klipsan Beach - really important stuff!
And Holland wants to attend a Messianic Fellowship with me.
What an enjoyable Shabbat :-)
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