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Saturday, August 9, 2025

LOOK CLOSER; Ocean Park-WA

August 8th: The sun showed strong today 🌞, so we escaped the 4 walls that echoed with oppressive news all week long.

Getting out of the house this afternoon - nothing in particular planned.

We knew we'd end up at the Ilwaco Marina eventually - and we did; but we made a slight detour along the way 😉

As we were driving along listening to tunes and glancing around … I spotted a van with a "Swamp Thing" banner sprawled across it's upper front end, so I asked Holland if we could backtrack and get a closer look at it:

The Pirate's Keep in Long Beach-WA, from Ocean Park-WA; 17 min (10.8 mi) via WA-103 S Pacific Way
This caught my eye, so Holland turned around so I could get a closer look.
The Pirate's Keep; #105 13th St SW, Long Beach, WA
The Bigfoot is a new thing out front - it wasn't there a week ago.

The tchotchke (pronounced: choch-key) business even has a Facebook Page, featuring it's strangely weird offerings 😂🤣

Leaving that roadside oddity, we continued forward. Coming into Ilwaco, the parking lot in front of the large wall-sized mural was pretty vacant and afforded a good photo op, so I collected a picture 😊👌

Then we crossed the street to the Marina … even behind windows, the sunshine felt wonderful: outside Betsy's cab it was very breezy despite the warm sunrays, so we kept the windows closed to keep hair from blowing under my sunglasses or into my mouth while we talked back and forth; and looked closer at things and people around us.

Building Mural; 1st Ave. N, Ilwaco-WA
Coastal WA Tsunami Alert Towers; Ilwaco-WA
Tsunami Alert Towers-Coastal WA
(https://pcema.info/be-informed/outdoor-warning-system/#:~:text=AHAB%20sirens,Siren%20Locations%20map%20(right).)
Holland explained to me that these huge concrete structures are for lifting hefty boats in-&-out of the water, and for lifting heavy, full, fish crates off fishing boats.

On our way back to Ocean Park, we were passing by Sid Snyder Drive, when our curiosity led us to the distillery alongside the Adrift Hotel. We were curious ✅ - neither of us had ever seen a distillery before; we decided to go inside for a closer look.

While there, we sampled a couple tastes; and weren't overly impressed with any of the tastings 😕

But, we want to experience (within reason) everything the peninsula offers that piques our interests. We did come home with a few purchases; for years I have been unable to find bitters anywhere, so when I saw these - I bought them. Long Beach-WA is known for it's cranberry bogs, & one branch of the Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice business operates in Long Beach-WA … so, I bought some of the Cranberry Liqueur (it's strong, but Holland says it will make a good mixer & I'll find some way to cook with it, too). The Coffee Liqueur appealed to both of us, and it will be a comforting additive to coffee or cocoa - to ease aching bones on cold winter days.

This was an experience; an experience we won't be repeating, but at least it's been checked off the Bucket List 🎯

Adrift Distillers; #409 Sid Snyder Dr BLDG #3, Long Beach, WA
Sid Snyder Dr, Long Beach, WA to Ocean Park WA; 16 min (10.3 mi) via WA-103 N Pacific Ave
Most of the samples were too strong! The Gin, & Moonshine, was like swallowing turpentine! $1 for a drop in each tiny cup.
This was awful! Nothing 'loving' about it.
Our purchases; the Bitters was the most expensive buy.
Interior of the Distillery.

Then, we nipped in at the Klipsan Beach road, and instantly caught sight of two water skiers skipping across the ocean waves before they frog-hopped out of sight - then with a closer look, we watched a high-flying kite for a while.

While we talked back and forth, Holland mused that we might not be coming back this way once we leave. I was surprised: the ocean is his thing - but having a wife now puts a while new spin on things; he says living so close to the water is "just too risky, Baby". He's feeling the pinch of responsibility that he hasn't had to think about those 35 years before the happenings of 2022 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 changed "me" to "we". Now, we both, have to think in terms of 2 instead of 1.

A localized earthquake could possibly cause a local tsunami … and wipe Hines, Oysterville, Nachotta, Ocean Park & Long Beach totally out, in a quick 30 minutes time: advisories to "go 2 miles inland & 100 feet in elevation" is worthless here. These low-laying peninsula elevations are below sea level, at sea level, or slightly above sea level; very flat terrain, and surrounded by water on all sides - the 28 mile Long Beach Peninsula is approximately 1.5 miles wide - short of the 2 mile safety estimations.

Symbolism in the Klipsan Beach sky.
Blue Oyster Cult - 'Don't Fear The Reaper'
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GAylAoRR2A&list=RD8GAylAoRR2A&start_radio=1)

Coming back into Ocean Park, we noticed that Tu-Tu's was open for business … so we backtracked around the block and placed a supper order: 

Tu-Tu's Lunch Wagon was open today, so we nipped in; #1505 259th Pl, Ocean Park, WA
Holland had the Pineapple Meatball; I had the Teriyaki chicken.
Holland doused his meal with black pepper, as usual; I took the pineapple pieces out of my coleslaw, & put it in the rice, with the sauce.

Supper was tasty.

Evening cocoa was comforting.

Life is good: enjoying the now, this Shabbat Eve 💕🕊️

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