Keepers Log Thursday, September 27

We were so thankful that the day dawned clear.  We were up and made coffee, breakfast, and prepared for our morning hike.  Rob fed the gulls and helped raise the flag.  We took advantage of the morning tide and drove Tess to the Stout Grove of the Jedediah Smith State Redwood Forest.  We walked the loop and ventured down to the Smith River.  Visiting the redwoods seems like a new experience each time we go there.  We are blessed that this beautiful grove is just across town.

Our album cover shot at the Stout Grove

                                                      Rob and Chris at the Stout Grove


We completed the loop by driving down 199 and 101 to return to town.  Instead of heading back to the lighthouse, we tempted fate by driving out to Vista Point Overlook.  Here you can see the crescent beach which bends for miles and the lighthouse in the distance. 

  
Once again, we pushed it to the limit by stopping to see the sea lions near the marina before heading back to the lighthouse.   In the top left you can see Battery Point Lighthouse 2 miles away. 

We returned to the Oceanfront Hotel where they are letting Rob plug in the Tesla, then walked to the tidal basin.  We found a narrow creek across the basin, but we could still cross by walking on top of a barnicle-covered pipe.  We flirted with wetness, but we stayed dry!  Moments later, others were not so fortunate.

As I was playing "sheep dog" warning people about the impending high tide, a lady from Beijing, China approached and asked if I could help with her son's school project.  The assignment was to have a video-taped conversation with an American.   We introduced ourselves, and I asked him a few questions which he answered well.  He taught me a few words in Chinese and we had a nice chat.  I commented that his English was much better than my Chinese!  

Rob settled into a recliner and read his assigned chapter out of the 1882 American President's book.  He made good use of the easy chair in our bedroom.   Rob and Chris did some advance planning for the next phase of their trip, then we had lunch.  We climbed down the rocks at high tide to where the waves crash against the rock, then returned to the lighthouse.  Here is a photo Teare captured from her perch on the rock.

                                                           You put your right foot in...

Rob read from the President Book, I read from the WW II Spy Book, and the Wilders completed some more advance travel planning.  The entire time, Fred, the sea gull was keeping me company outside the radio room window. 

Teare made two separate delicious meals of gnocchi noodles.  One was made with tomato sauce and the second with garlic and soy sauce.  We followed that up with ice cream for dessert. 

Chris had the high honor of feeding the pet gulls this evening.  They seem to have warmed up to Chris.  

Rob was determined to watch the sunset.  While it was still totally fogged in, and there was nothing to see, Rob sat out on the old water tower planks, alone, watching....fog.

Again, he was set on going to the tower to experience the tower light in the dark.  So, knowing it was a total fog-out, we climbed the tower steps and braved the bright light of an evening tower and looked out on the ....gray.  Again, mission accomplished, visibility or not!

Afterwards, we all returned to the warm radio room to review our photos and for Chris and I to work on our daily accounts of the day. 

Soon, we will be calling it a day.  Our highest hope is that Chris and Rob had a good day in Crescent City and Battery Point Lighthouse.  This is Keeper Reedy reporting from another fogged-in Battery Point.  Good Night to all.