Battery Point Light

Everything is covered with dew and the sun makes everything look silvery as we meander up Rte 101 to Oregon listening to the music of Yanni. As we roll down a steep grade we see the Siskiyou and Klamath Mountains to our right. The stands of Aspen trees are budding now and give a reddish hue amongst the green forest. We crossed the Klamath River on the Gold Bear Bridge with it's gold bear statues glimmering in the sunlight. Coming outof Klamath we came around a turn to see a fantastic ocean view with huge sea stacks in the mist along the coastline. We arrived in Crescent City and stopped for breakfast at Fishermans Cafe. This is definitely a fishing town... omelets filled with crab or shrimp..not sure this is a breakfast thing...

Next to the cafe we found a car wash so we gave the vehicles a bath. They've needed it since the Salton Sea! The place also did oil changes so we left the vehicles and went for a walk around the harbor. We watched a crew unload a giant refridgerator unit that would go onto a ship. Looking over the wharf rail we saw our first harbor seals swimming and sunning themselves. We stopped for lunch on the wharf at the Chart Room and had "ok" NE Clam Chowder and crab sandwiches (good).

Crescent City has a great little lighthouse called Battery Point which has an intersting history. San Francisco was rapidly growing in the 1850's and lumber was being harvested in Northern California to supply the construction. Many ships were being loaded with precious lumber in Crescent City and the dangerous rocky coast was a great concern. Theophilus Magruder, first official keeper, arrived at Battery Point on December 25, 1856. Today the lighthouse's local name is "the Christmas light".

In 1874 Captain John Jeffrey and his wife Nellie movedinto the station. They stayed for 39 years. This was a trial for the Jeffreys family. Sometimes Captain John had to take the boat and row the children to shore so they could go to school. You can only walk to the light during low tide. However, the family's difficulties didn't end there. In 1879, a hug wave knocked downt he kitchen wall, knocked over a lighted stove and the house would have burned down if a second wave hadn't put the fire out.

More troubles in 1964 when the Alaskan earthquake sent a tidal wave toward the Battery Point Light and threatend to destroy it, but the light and its keepers were spared when the wave struck at such an extreme angle that protected the structure. Unfortunately all 29 city blocks of Crescent City was destroyed.
The locals tell us there is a resident ghost, seen by at least six different people, who have heard its sea-booted feet slowly climbing the tower steps during storms.

Leaving the ghost behind (I hope) we got the car back and continued up Rte 101 into Oregon. The coast drive is beautiful and we're told by everyone that it gets better as you go north. Portside RV in Brookings-Harbor was our stop for the next 4 nights. We have a fair view of the ocean from our site. Tonight we'll plan the activities for the next few days.

We enjoyed California but we're excited about seeing Oregon! Hope the weather holds - today was beautiful.

Pictures: Rte 101 coastline to Oregon (2), Battery Point Light across the harbor, Battery Point Light