The New Dungeness Lighthouse
stands at the end of a spit of land eight miles long near Sequim, Washington.
It's history is colorful and compelling and it's adventures continue to
this day. Most recently the (notorious) western Washington rains
caused so much water to fill the Strait of Juan de Fuca that the Dungeness
Spit was totally inundated, marooning for several days, the hearty volunteer
"keeps" that regularly spend time there, maintaining the grounds and quarters.
One woman tells of her lonely life as a coastguardsman's
wife who went into labor and had to be bundled into a small boat and ferried
to dry land and on to the hospital--- in the nick of time!
"New Dungeness Lighthouse was on
my list of places to experience"
New Dungeness Lighthouse was on my list of places to experience, to
research for an oil painting. Being avid kite-flyers (as well as
adventurous hikers), my husband and I set out, carrying our
bags of kites and of course the cameras, etc. needed to research the lighthouse.
My intent was to do a painting of the TRLBY® kites in flight, with
the lighthouse in the background.
Eight miles is a long hike when the tide is in and the only footing
you can find is over softball sized |
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rocks that roll under foot, and deep soft sand
that drags at your ankles. Over half way there, we noticed that the
wind had died. Kite flying was out of the question! I did not
want to give up and turn back, neither would I "wait here" for Ed
while he went on to the lighthouse. So, I trudged on. What
a good decision!
"The area is a wildlife preserve"
The buildings gleamed in the bright sunshine. The area is a wildlife
preserve. As we approached the lighthouse, the spit widened out into
a rock-strewn grassy field. We saw a skunk amble across the expanse,
while above a bald eagle and his mate soared high on rising air currents,
then settled down before us on the high wire pole by the lighthouse.
The quiet, tranquil setting seemed to belie the tales of multitudes of
shipwrecks in these dangerous waters. It was with a twinge of sadness
we started back to the park entrance. With the tide receding, the
going was easier, and we made the eight mile return trip before the park
closed at dusk.
All the memories of that day came back when the painting of the New
Dungeness Lighthouse was executed. What a grand adventure!
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