Around the Campground

 There are about 50 sites in Cape Blanco State Park.  Two host sites, four lighthouse host sites ( next year it will be three LH sites and one site for a maintenance volunteer).  My walks with the boys is sometimes in the woods, sometimes the beach, and many times around the campground road.  I did the same at KC.

   I enjoy checking out the various camping apparatus at each site.  Some huge and expensive.  Some very basic and often almost non-existent. 

  Then there is neat sites and there are the not quite as neat ones.

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An Interesting Day Yesterday

   Sunday was the last day of July.  Our first month is over.  One month to go. We enjoy what we do here and the other places we have volunteered.  We really like meeting the talking with our visitors, customers, guests, fellow volunteers.  We have a very large pool of memories and friends because of our adventures.

    However,  yesterday had some interesting challenges.  There were three guys with fishing gear heading down over the edge of the peninsula that is normally off limits.  Then the flying of the drone from the area near the tower.  ( Also not ok)  Both not a big deal.  The third incident was more challenging.  

   As I was in the tower telling a young couple about the Funk lantern, I was interrupted by a fellow who burst into the tower.  When I asked for his Ticket ( the tour ticket is required to get to come in and learn about the life of a lighthouse keeper and his family.)  He nearly exploded with profanity in stating his unhappiness with the total system.  Having to pay money to come inside the lighthouse. Not being able to go up into the tower. Having to walk over from the parking lot.  Not happy that there was a truck, (my truck) here and he had to walk.  " If I had a knife, I would puncture those tires"  Then he took my picture with his phone and walked out.

  He proceeded to walk down the greeter, Dennis, and fill his ears with his diatribe before heading back to the parking lot and his vehicle.  I continued my tour with the couple, but Randa and I were stunned.  What should we have done?  We have been told not to push the issue.  Not to antagonize of inflate the event.   We didn't.   But what should we do now?  Who should we now call to let them know what happened?  It was an awakening for all of us volunteers.  We need to be aware of "emergency" procedures.  We need to "Be Prepared".

  

    

Hunter's Progress

This is a photo of the big guy showing part of his shaved area.  Tomorrow he gets the drain removed.  That has to be a welcome time as it probably is not comfortable right now.

His stitches come out on the 11th.

 

Hunter's Accident

 The woods around Cape Blanco consist of thickets, new growth, areas of downed branches among ferns.  All are make the forest fun and interesting to walk through and explore.  The Boys (Hunter and Nigel) really like walking on the trails.  The smells of all the critters that inhabit the woods must be incredible. I take them into the woods every day.  Wednesday we were on our morning hike and Hunter bolted and headed at a right angle to the path and straight into the part of the woods that has a lot of brush and downed branches.  While trying to figure out where he went I heard a yelp.  Not a good yelp so Nigel and I headed into the area to find Hunter.  

  I whistled, called his name.  Nothing.  Then he was by my side.  I checked him and saw no blood.  I hooked him up and we picked our way back to the trail.  As we walked back to the trailer, I looked for Hunter's stride and saw that there was a limp or at least a weakness in his hind legs.  We were thinking that he had aggravated a hip injury from earlier this year.  So we went to work.

When we go home in the afternoon, I took the both for a walk.  Afterwards, when Hunter did not lie down for 3 hours we knew that something wasn't right, so I tried to find an emergency vet.  The closest was in Springfield, Or about 5 hours away.  No good.  So we decided to wait until Thursday morning.

I called Bandon Veterinary at 9am and was told to being him right in.  Got there at 10.  The doctor found a puncture wound near his penis, so he needed to be put under for further examined.  Picked him up at 3:30.  puncture was probably from a stick the size of my finger and about 6-7 inches deep.  Yuck!

So stitches out in 2 weeks, a drain (down there). out next Tuesday.   Meanwhile, the cone of shame when we are not with him.   He doesn't like it and I don't blame him, but it's necessary, so we grimace and put in on him 

  

Wed. July 27. No Wind for Two Days

 The second morning without wind.  Very unusual.  Saturday and Sunday out on the cape the winds were 20+ & 30+ mph.  Add thick fog to that and it makes for interesting working conditions.  There were times that the tower was only wavy form in the mist.  When it gets warm in the valley, the fog comes to the coast and it's HOT inland.  100 in Canby for a the last couple of days and more to come.  so more fog for us.  Yesterday our high was 59 or 60.  We have not used the A/C since we arrived the last day of June.

Tours are going ok.  Its not the same this year.  Two reasons:  The "powers that be" have determined that it is no longer safe for the public to go up into the tower.  That was the absolute highlight of the tour.  The view from up there was spectacular.  Having the Fresnel Lens rotating in front of you was even better.  I miss being up there showing to visitors

    In addition, the road from the headlands to the cape is deteriorating enough that the public is not allowed to drive out there any more.  Visitors now must park and the headlands and walk the 1/2 mile out This may be an adventure for most but there are a percentage of folks that are not physically able to make the journey.  I hate that.  

To the right is a photo of our new family member, Nigel

Part Yorkie, part Cairn Terrier, part Dust Mop, Mostly Trouble

A poem

 

A FLY

 

A fly just flew up Randa’s nostril

It thinks it is a cozy hostel

But it’s snot

Yes, I'm still alive

 Good Morning,

  I'm writing this sitting at the table in our trailer at Cape Blanco State Park at the Oregon Coast .  We've been here since July 1st volunteering as lighthouse hosts.  It's onw of our favorite spots in the world.  The quietness, the beauty, the ocean (which we hadn't been close to in a very long time and missed terribly) and reliving old memories.  We will be here until the end of August.

  That being said, as with most memories, it is not the same here.  Yes, the campground is as we remember. ( the RV dump station is still not repaired).  But all the campsites are now on a reserve basis.  No more "First come , first served"  which means that you cannot just drive in from the road and get a spot.  It's the way things are done now, but I don't have to like it.

Secondly, the road out to the light itself is closed to the public.  There has been some movement of the ground and parts of the road are "sluffing off" in a few spots.  Cars now park at the headlands and folks have to walk the 1/2 mile out the site.  I feel empathy for those who cannot make the distance.

Third, the steps up to the tower are now closed.  The state park management has made the decision that it's too dangerous to walk up the 61 steps to the top.   It no doubt is fueled by the worry for lawsuits if someone has an accident.  Oh how are lives have changed because of the litigious society we live in. I loved showing visitors the tower.  The view of the ocean from up there.  The unbelievable Fresnel lens.  It's movement and the resulting prism effects were mesmerizing.

So we do our best to tell a bigger story, the story of the light, the story of the lighthouse keepers , their lives, their duties, the building of the tower and the house.  We try to present a bigger picture to make up for not being up in the light itself.  I hope we are suceeding.