Back To Lighthouse Hosting – Cape Disappointment, WA
Pre-Post Note/ Thank you for all the amazing, deep and heart-felt comments on my last post. I haven’t responded to each comment as I usually do, but I’ve read them all and they’ve touched me deeply. I have a feeling I’ll refer back to my last 3 posts (and all the many thoughtful comments therein) many times as part of my own healing process. Thank you again!
Before these last 3 weeks of life-unsettlement we were just starting our summer hosting job at North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park, WA. This is a place we know well and captivated us the very first time stayed here in 2013.
Cape Disappointment is a beautiful ~1,700 acre park of dramatic cliffs, forested trails and long, sandy beaches. It sits perched on the very SW tip of Washington, right across the mighty Columbia River from Oregon. This wild and and raw place boasts some of the foggiest and windiest weather of the west, and its cliff-backed waters are so dangerous they’ve claimed thousands of shipwrecks and earned the ominous nickname of “Graveyard of the Pacific”. In summer the weather thaws and the park becomes a popular family destination, but (like many PNW locations) it still retains lots of empty hidden corners for solitude and relaxation. In addition to the beautiful nature, it’s got not one but TWO lighthouses {{swoon}}, plus it’s only ~20 mins from the super-cool town of Astoria. It’s just the kind of place that’s speaks to my primitive soul.
We first hosted at Cape Disappointment last year and and enjoyed it so much we immediately signed up for 2 months this year. I wrote in detail about both the job and the place back then, and honestly we love it just as much (if not more) this time around.
This is our 4th summer volunteer hosting at lighthouses, and it’s something we both thoroughly enjoy, partly because I hate summer planning (the absolute busiest camping time and thus the absolute worst to plan), but also because we prefer to stay somewhere cool and comfortable for the entire summer season (we can’t stand heat & bugs) plus…well…we’re nuts for lighthouses.
Our 2-month time here allows us to rest and “nest”, settling down in a place for a period of time and becoming intimate with the local community. It’s very similar to what part-time RVers do, just on a smaller scale. Plus we get to dress up in official vests, tell stories (many of which are true), get geeky on lighthouse history (which is awesomely cool) and meet people from all over the world.
The other added bonus is that it allows us to catch up on stuff we want to do around the RV (I’ll have a post coming on some of the “hacks” we’ve completed over the past month), eat fresh local foods (the local produce and fish here is superb) and save some $$. The latter is a nice bonus that’s turned out to be bigger than we expected. On average hosting tends to lower our monthly expenses ~20% simply because we don’t travel (much lower gas expenses), shop more efficiently (lower grocery expenses) and don’t pay any RV park fees. And we get all this in return for a measly 12-16 hours/week of “work”.
Our schedule this year is very similar to last year, an average of 3-4 days of work per week (each shift is 3.5 hrs with a little extra time for opening/closing) followed by 3-4 days off, and our responsibilities are the same too; simply to collect the entry fee for the lighthouse and complete the tour. It’s a short 0.25 mile walk to “work” (a lovely trail along the cliff-side) and there are a few extra duties such as dusting off surfaces, emptying a dehumidifier and closing the register, but really most of what we do is just greet people and tell them stories. If you love lighthouses it really doesn’t get much better than this. The job, in my opinion, ROCKS!!
In addition, the support that the volunteer coordinator (Steve) showed us over these 3 weeks, giving me time to go home and working with Paul to cover my portion of all the hours while I was gone (way above and beyond what I expected) only cements how much I value this place. The bosses here rock too.
But more than all this, I find both this place (and the job) a soul-healing endeavor. When I returned from France and took my first walk on the beach with Paul and Polly, I immediately felt like a weight had lifted from my shoulders. That first breath of salt air in my lungs, that first meditative song of the shore waves, that first glimpse of sea birds skimming and screeching along the white-tipped crests….and the lighthouse….stoic and steadfast, standing guard as she’s done for over 117 years on her cliff above the ocean. Everything washed over me like a tidal wave crashing over a dam and I felt….relaxed, relieved, restored.
We’ll be here for another month, hosting at the lighthouse, bumming around the beach and (for me) finding my way back into the swing of our regular RV life.
Lighthouses and soul-restoring nature. I think this is exactly what I need.
Related Posts -> Cape D & Long Beach, WA:
- The Foulest Place In The West? Cape Disappointment, WA
- Cape Disappointment, WA – It Most Definitely Does Not…
- Nature’s Abstract Art – Sea Foam Rainbows
- Fishing, History and Alligator-Men – Long Beach Peninsula, WA
Related Posts -> Lighthouse Hosting:
- On the “Job” At North Head Lighthouse – Cape Disappointment, WA
- Top 10 FAQ -> Lighthouse Volunteering/Hosting
Nina…
Well, another great post. Vicki and I owe you a debt of gratitude. We are serving as lighthouse hosts at Cape Blanco for the month of October and it’s all your fault! Hope we end up at the same lighthouse at the same time one of these days.
Cheers,
John
Oh me, oh my. The ONE thing we regret this year is not being able to go back to Cape Blanco (we’re hitting the ABQ Balloon Festival in NM instead) so you’ll definitely get a bit of jealousy from me on that one. Hope you end up loving it as much as we do!
Nina
Hi Nina,
Your love of RVing and love of being pretty much wherever you are (especially the PNW and lighthouses) is so inspirational. Your posts and pictures are a gift that keep on giving.
Also I am thrilled that you are going to the AIBF this year. I can’t wait to see your posts and photos of that more-than-fabulous event.
Have you thought about heading through Colorado and taking in Durango and the San Juan Mountains on your way? Ouray in September is glorious. You two would love it. You probably wouldn’t want to drive the Beast on the Million Dollar Highway, but there is a way around it.
You will have the time of your life! Or close to it!
Take care, Kathie
Thanks so much for the lovely compliment Kathy! We’re very excited about the balloon festival, but our route will probably be going through SD (so we can renew our drivers licenses). Not sure exactly which way we’ll be heading down from there, but I think we may be pressed for time and have to skip the CO mountains (maybe skirt them on the east?). Still lots of planning to do. I’ll post about it as we get closer to a firm route.
Nina
What an awesome place to spend a summer!
Yup, we love summers on the PNW coast. Best place to be in the country this time of year IMHO.
Nina
What a great post, Nina. Your pictures remind me of the Presidents Day weekend trip I had there earlier this year. It was awesome.
And I almost went there this weekend too, but my steering wheel turned itself the other way and I ended up in the higher elevations of the Washington Cascades instead. I do intend to get to Long Beach again this year, tho.
I know the coast and the lighthouse help you get on track again. Continued happiness and health. 🙂
If you end up coming down here while we’re here please do check in. You’ve been a long time commenter and it would be great to meet up.
Nina
I’m studying my work schedule and calendar. 🙂
And keepin some crossed digits. 😉
Lovely place…… We leave here (Modesto Ca) Aug 17th heading up your way. Perhaps this time we will actually be able to say “Hi”. We tried to meet up a couple years ago in Brookings Or, but Paul had back problems and we missed each other…..
Lee and Shelia…….
Yes please do check in when you get here. I remember that summer well. We almost missed all of our hosting when Paul’s back went out. It was quite a dramatic few months.
Nina
May that Washington coast, Paul and Polly bring you healing Nina.
Thanks Janna. I think it will, I really do.
Nina
What a lovely healing spot.
I second your opinion about Astoria.
Being near Astoria is a big part of the draw here for us. We just love that town!
Nina
Glad your return to work after saying good-bye to your mom is here, versus returning to your old, high-stress job.
Yo ho, yo ho, the RV life’s for you!
Arrr, matey,
@MoHobyDick
So very true. Coming back to this place (and my RV life) is a healing thing more then anything else. Going back to my old job would’ve been tougher.
Nina
Looks like an awesome gig. We got the idea to come to the PNW after seeing your posts last year. We camp hosted on the Oregon coast for two months and are heading to Whidbey island to host inn August. Just missed you at Cape Disappointment last week.
So sorry we missed you. Sounds like you guys are doing the grand PNW tour. No place better to spend summer IMHO and hosting is an awesome way to do it. Enjoy your time up in north!
Nina
I love your posts. So beautifully written. So sorry to hear about your mom. I lost my mom over 15 years ago and it can still be so fresh at times. As strange as it sounds, I just embrace this as another part of my life’s journey with my mom. My thoughts are with you in that awesomely beautiful place…the lighthouse!
Elizabeth
Embracing it is actually the right way to handle it I think. There were many thoughtful comments in my previous posts about this, and they definitely struck a cord. Life shifts and moves on, but you carry all its history with you. It never leaves you, it just becomes part of you and part of life’s journey.
Nina
Very sorry to hear about your loss and hope that things are settling down for you. There is something serene and calming about the ocean, which both your writing and photographs capture. I wonder if you know the poem Sea Fever by John Masefield? Like a lot of poetry, it seems to capture something about the sea that is bigger than the printed words. It’s a popular choice for eulogies in the UK, in remembrance of loved ones who loved the oceans and the natural world.
I didn’t actually know that poem…what a beautiful way to describe it. The sea is definitely a healer for me. Something about the way the waves crash into the shoreline. I find it deeply meditative.
Nina
Welcome back, Nina! 🙂
That shot of Paul running with the dog and footprints… it’s as if the beach sand is glass, so reflective. And with the next wave those footprints will disappear… There’s a metaphor in there somewhere.
Box Canyon Mark
Beautifully said! At low tide here the sky and sand reflect each other perfectly. It’s one of my favorite times of day to be on the beach. I just love that sense of infinity.
Nina
Dear Nina – welcome home. Sending you healing thoughts during this journey for you. Love your post and your beautiful photos.
Thank you! I treasure all these thoughts that folks have sent me over the past few weeks.
Nina
Another wonderful post! Take time to rest, relax, contemplate and relive all the wonderful moments of the past. We met Paul’s parents at Carrabelle Beach a few weeks ago and spent some time together. As new fulltimers, we picked their brains, and learned a lot. We love your posts and look forward to catching up with you somewhere down the road.
Oh how fun!! I’m so glad you guys met them! We’re excited that they’re on the road and will meet up with us in Albuquerque. Love how intimate the RV community is!
Nina
You cannot beat coming “home” to a place and a job like that! I could very much hear your deep sigh as I read this!
Totally. A deep sigh is exactly what I did that first day back in the beach.
Nina
You know, you do have me thinking now:) We don’t enjoy the summer crowds and having to plan so far in advance (which is difficult for us). This is the reason we figured it was a good time to come east and visit family. And you know how I feel about bugs and heat:) This sounds like a perfect summer place and workkamping experience.
Exactly Pam! I got tired of summer planning our very first year, and given how picky we are about where we stay, hosting just made the most sense. This way we get to be in a place we love, with weather we love for the entire summer season without even having to think about planning or booking ahead. Maybe summer hosting in CO (up by the high mountains) would be the perfect match for you?
Nina
Great post… Great photos….looking forward to seeing all of you in Albuquerque…
Me too! Nina
Hi Nina,
Welcome back! So happy to hear from you again! Thank you again for sharing so beautifully. You have a way of capturing not only the small, but also the big things that happen in life with words and pictures that are exactly on the mark. I can see how that is a healing thing for you to do – and at the same time it is healing for me and many other readers too. Your sharing resonates with me and I love being part of your digital family. I lost both my parents three years ago and they are still with me almost every day. The loss and the longing wear off, become less poignant; the love stays. And of course we all have our things – it is the imperfection that makes a relationship perfect.
I love the PNW! In fact I am planning to be there in the summer of 2016. Maybe we can meet up.
Koos
I’m so sorry for your loss, Your comments about the love staying are very poignant. I think that’s exactly what happens. The loss never goes away, it simply morphs into something different over time. We’ll very likely be back here in 2016 (we love the PNW) so maybe we’ll get a chance to meet.
Nina
Peaceful walks along the beach with Paul and Polly sounds like the perfect place for healing. I am sure they are as pleased to have you back as you are pleased to be back with them on the WA coast. Enjoy this next month. We are looking forward to our volunteer gig on Lopez.
I can’t wait for you guys to start your Lopez gig. I’m certain you’re going to love it.
Nina
Dearest Nina, Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. We are so sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace and renewal.
Sorry for you loss, it is hard to come to terms with such a loss but hopefully the lighthouse volunteering will help you to heal..We live in Washington state and wonder how much it costs to go to this area, we know it is not Free and it costs a lot so we are told from people who camp in all the national places and lighthouse places in the pacific northwest..in Vancouver it will be another week of high 90’s hottest year in 100 years of weather records, record drought, lots of wildfires in our county and it is not even august grrrr…we love to go to the shore in Long Beach where child hood friends own a tiny cabin and we stay in it most have homes nicer than the one we own in Vancouver and we love the sea..Please let us know the entrance fees for this lighthouse area as we would love to go up there and see it..Praying for some comfort from your sorrow..
Entrance fees are cheap if you are not camping! The lighthouse is within the WA State Park area so you need a Discover Pass to park your car (either $10 for the day or $30 for the year. The pass allows entry/parking at any WA state park), and then it only costs $2.50 per adult to do the tour.
If you are camping there are several RV park options in the area, as well as the State Park itself. RV parks here cost between $25 to $45/night depending on where you stay. For WA State Parks you can access the fees list here: http://www.parks.wa.gov/166/Camping-Fees
Nina
Beautiful pictures Nina; it is kind of relaxing just to look at this beach. My husband and I found a field of sunflowers to photograph (a rare treat in eastern Washington, most farmers don’t grow them) and I thought of you & the lovely sunflower fields you photographed in France. I’m glad to see you are back at the beach and I hope you are well.
Sunflowers are some of my absolute favorite flowers to photograph. I think I spent at least an hour in that field in France the morning I shot them. Lovely that you got to see a field in Eastern WA. I had no idea anyone even grew them over here.
Nina
I was so sorry to hear of the loss of your mom. I have experienced too. The circle of life sucks but you are in a wonderful place to heal and have good thoughts. I am so glad to see you posting again. I look forward to each and every post living the dream through the lens of your camera. Enjoy the PNW.
Totally agree. The circle of life sucks. We all know how it works, but unfortunately the knowing doesn’t make the experiencing any easier. Thanks for following along on our journey.
Nina
If your looking for more lighthouses, Michigan has more than any other state. Many need hosts such as you and Paul. Glad your back and restored.
We’re dying to go to MI and see the lighthouses there, but unfortunately I only know of ONE lighthouse there which takes hosts traveling in RV’s and that’s 40-Mile Lighthouse. All of the others either don’t accept RV-based hosts (i.e. they don’t offer any RV parking), or require the volunteers to pay (i.e. you pay for the privilege of volunteering), both of which are no-go’s for us. You can also stay/live-in at certain lighthouses (e.g. Au Sable Point), but these kind of volunteer jobs do not allow pets which also rules them out for us.
If you know of ANY lighthouse other than 40-Mile that offers RV-based volunteering in MI I would love to know!
Nina
I always love the way you capture the emotion of a place in both words and photos! We absolutely love the area and those lighthouses. Every time we are there it feels like we’re in a story book. When the sun is shining its a fairy tale, when the fog rolls in its a drama! Such a magical place.
Totally agree. Couldn’t have said it better myself 🙂
Nina
At the risk of sounding like a stalker we have spent much of the summer following your campground/area reviews up the Pacific Coast 🙂 Bullards, South Beach, Astoria – and now we’re at Dungeness Recreation Area. After that is Quilette Oceanside in La Push. Fell in love with every place we’ve been – thanks so much for all the great ideas and information! Totally get the whole lighthouse nutter thing – although we won’t be doing the 12 mile spit walk here in Sequim :-))) So glad you’re back home and doing what you love.
Sooooo glad you’ve enjoyed all those areas, but can’t quite believe you’re going to pass on that 12-mile hike to Dungeness 🙂 just kidding of course. Not everyone can be as lighthouse nutty as us.
Nina
Been following along on Paul’s “Investing for a Living” blog for some time now. I enjoy seeing where your travels take you and am impressed by your (or Paul’s) photography skills. Beautiful pictures. What kind of camera do you use?
Keep Wheeling it!
Mark
Most of the my pics are actually shot with an old pocket point-and-shoot camera, my trusty Canon S100, but a few of the fancier shots are taken with my “big” camera, a Nikon D7000. I’m actually in dire need (or want, to be more accurate) of upgrading my equipment since it’s all many years old now. Still, it does the job for now.
Nina
Nature is the best cure for healing any soul. You are fortunate to be where you want. I know that feeling of “working” and sharing stories with visitors in a beautiful place.
Exactly, and yes we feel very fortunate to be here.
Nina
I’ve read this post 3 times over the past days and now it’s finally time to stop enjoying it and write to thank you. This really does seem like the perfect spot for you to return to. You have my dream job. I’ve said this so often before “if I could just get out there”. Your pictures are gorgeous and your words perfect. These are the ones I kept coming back to, the ones that spoke to me and made my longing even greater than every other time you’ve posted about your fabulous lighthouse “jobs”,,,,,,,,,,,”dramatic cliffs, forested trails and long, sandy beaches – wild and raw place – empty hidden corners for solitude – TWO lighthouses {{swoon}} –
speaks to my primitive soul – I hate summer planning – Can’t stand heat and bugs – eat fresh local foods –
Relaxed, relieved and restored”. Wishing you every blessing such a magnificent place can bestow and my deep appreciation for bringing this dream into my life.
Thanks Sherry. Your words definitely touch me. I do hope you both get out here at some point, although I know it’s incredibly tough with all David’s medical appointments and worries. Although I don’t comment much I read your blog and think of you both often.
Nina
Hi Nina,
First, I would just like to say welcome back to your happy place in the PNW! I’m so sorry for what you have been through over the past several weeks, I hope you are finding peace and healing.
As future full-timers, (planning on spring 2017!) Mike and I have been following your blog for a while now. It seems we have quite a bit in common – we love lighthouses, beer (Mike is an award winning home brewer) :), photography, hiking, ocean, etc., so I very much enjoy following your travels through your writing and photos, as well as all of the helpful RV info!
We too, love Astoria and have been twice now and visited the Cape D lighthouse in September 2011. We will be spending next weekend (Wed 8/5 – Sun 8/9) in Astoria and would love to take your tour and hear your “stories”. 🙂 Maybe we could even “tip your beer fund” in person and buy you and Paul a beer at Rogue or Fort George (or both – haha!).
Thanks again and hope to cross paths next weekend!
Lisa & Mike
Oooooo….an beer offer. Don’t think we can resist that. I will send you an e-mail.
Nina
Great! Looking forward to it! We don’t do much social media but we do have a Flickr page if you’re interested. Lots of brewery, winery (yikes – a lot of those!!! haha!) and lighthouse photos from our travels. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mlw1133 .
Sent you a few e-mails (to the e-mail address on your blog comment), but didn’t hear back yet. If you’re here, send me a note.
Nina
So glad you have returned to familiar surroundings. I dread the day when I receive similar phone calls.
As I promised we have just arrived today at our Lighthouse here in Michigan. I promised pics but need a email to send them to. Can I send them to http://www.wheelingit.com? There’s no rush. Take care, 336muffin
GOT your pics. Thank you so much! The job & location looks awesome.
Nina
Duh…just found it sorry