June 29, 2013

Cape Blanco State Park

Today was our last day as lighthouse hosts.  We were scheduled for the AM shift starting at 9:45.  There was a knock on our door at 9:15.  It was our co-host Jim informing us that a group had scheduled a special tour at 9 and were waiting at the lighthouse gate.  We hadn’t been told about the special tour.

Jim told us he would go ahead and begin the tours and asked us to warn visitors that it was going to be at least an hour until the next tour.  The special tour turned out to be a Boy Scout Troop and chaperones.  There were over 40 in the group.  We can only have five up in the lantern room at a time. 

Monte and I were working the Greeting Center.  I suggested that Monte go up to the Watch Room to help Jim.  What this accomplished was that 5 visitors could be sent up to wait on the Watch level with Monte while Jim had 5 up in the Lantern Room.  It really helped move things along.

Monte stayed in the Watch Room helping Jim even after the scouts had departed because as a result of the delay with the big group we had a large crowd waiting for tours.

The morning sped by and before we knew it we were saying goodbye to our co-hosts and had officially ended our final shift as lighthouse hosts at Cape Blanco.  

 Before we left, Monte took one last picture of the nest in the roof eave at the entrance of the Greeting Center.

We needed a few groceries and had planned on going into Port Orford after our shift.   It was such a beautiful day I made the suggestion we drive to Bandon for lunch and tour around because the last time we were there we only made a short stop on our way to Coos Bay.

There are a lot of restaurants in Bandon.

  We checked out a couple that had menus displayed in the window. 

They were way out of our budget.  We ended up at a small place that, like most places in Bandon, specializes in seafood. 

I don’t eat seafood.  So I ordered a hamburger.  It was, to be kind, not the best hamburger I have eaten.  BUT Monte really enjoyed his clam chowder.

We walked along the waterfront

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

and then stopped in to take pictures at the Washed Ashore workshop. 

 

 

 

 

 

Washed Ashore is a non-profit organization that collects marine debris, washes it and then creates amazing sculptures. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitors are invited to participate at different stations

 set up for particular projects. 

We introduced ourselves to Angela, the executive director and lead artist.  When we told her we were going to be involved with the JR Ranger program at Humbug State Park, she gave us a tote full of postcards that we could distribute to visitors at the park. 

           

 Our next destination was the Coquille River Lighthouse, built in 1896. 

 

 

 

  

 It was in service until it was replaced by an automatic light in 1939.   

            We stopped in at the supermarket on our way out of town and were back home by 6pm.