Keeper’s Log Battery Point Lighthouse Saturday, June 11

Today’s Log is dedicated to Levi Fausnight.  Levi, Teare’s dad, would be 88 years old today.

This was a day off!  By “day”, we mean we can leave the point while the other volunteers are here at the lighthouse and return before the tide…  Still, we were able to get out for breakfast and a few hours of exploring, so we are grateful for that!  

We encountered a guy from Eugene, Oregon who was painting a watercolor of Battery Point and Lighthouse.  It was excellent.  Turns out, David is riding his bike to the Grand Canyon and painting scenes that strike him as especially beautiful or inspirational.  Battery Point qualified.

After breakfast, we drove out to Walker Road within the Simpson-Reed Grove of the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park - just a few miles outside of Crescent City.  We took the road to the end at Smith River and looked around a bit.  Next, we took another fork of the potholed dirt road to another hill which led down to the river again.  This time, the rocky sand riverbed was very loose and deep.  One car was already stuck in the sand.  We offered to help but they declined our offer as they had help on the way.  We were able to back up and out of the narrow road and parked at a trail head that looked especially inviting. 

We ended up hiking a mile on the Leiffer Loop Trail.  Due to the terrain and amazing scenery at every turn, it seemed like two miles.  It was fantastic.  We enjoyed it because for 98% of the time we had the trail to ourselves.  Once again, we were struck with the sheer majesty of the redwoods.  Equally notable is how still and quiet it is in the midst of these giants.  It is something I wish everyone could experience at least once in their lives.  

We hiked a while, hid in hollowed out trees, gazed at the up-turned roots, and saw faces in the bark.  We admired the ground cover of fern and three leaf clover.  We stopped under moss-draped branches.  It was a beautiful day.  Every so often we would reach a sunny spot and just soak it in.  Once, we found a bench perfectly situated in the sun and surrounded by the quiet giants.  Unspoiled and in it’s original perfection, I imagine it to be the forest version of the Garden of Eden…

After the hike we drove back to Crescent City and explored a bit.  I wanted to scout a potential bike ride we might take.  The ride takes you along a bluff overlooking the coast and winds along on the California Coastal Trail.  The day became very windy on the coast as we parked the car and walked back out to the lighthouse.  

Once back, we thanked our tour volunteers and closed up after them.  Teare balanced the drawer and I started making my rounds to advise visitors to either reconsider crossing or to return across the shallow water before the wind-blown tide made it too dangerous to do so.

We had dinner and Teare worked in the gift shop while I shimmed a window shutter that was rattling in the wind.  We played some cards and now you are caught up on the day!  We hope everyone is having a great weekend and we will touch base again tomorrow.  

B&T