Nov 6-8

Wednesday was travel day with about 150 miles (240 km’s to go), but it proved to be a slow drive for a few reasons. We went to Gig Harbour to take a short walk and get a few pic’s, but that was short lived when after about 10 minutes it began to rain and hard. We were a bit damp getting back to the RV, so about noon we left town heading toward the seaside.

After the heavy rains, traffic volume increased as we headed south towards Tacoma and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. This suspension bridge that spans over 1 mile was constructed back in 1940 and 4 months later with high winds it began to “gallop” and after 3 hours it collapsed. Now it is known as Galloping Girdie. As we approached the bridge the rain picked up and we ended up missing the toll plaza. The electronic sign read “Very high side winds” as we approached and they weren’t kidding. Kathy was driving and she very scared even though we were only going 15-20 km/hr. Winds lessened once we were off the bridge, then we encountered a couple of army convoys on the main freeway, keeping traffic slow again. Finally as we got around 30 miles from the sea, roads became very windy, (not hilly though) as we had to snake our way through bogs and sloughs. We finally arrived in Seaview around 4 pm at the visitor information office and learned that this area is all about tourism, oysters and cranberries. The whole peninsula is definitely a summer mecca. She informed me that one in four oysters eaten in the world are from Willapa Bay and there are many cranberry operations in the area as well. Something additionally was happening right now in the area – clam digging. The season is open until Tuesday Nov 11^th. She asked if I wanted to borrow a “clam gun”. A what, I said? A white plastic plumbing tube with a handle you stick in the ground to dig out clams. I declined but said we would check it out later with the locals as it was done near low tide and the evening tide – so basically “fishing in the dark”.

We finally arrived at the Sou’Wester Lodge in Seaview. Some of the pictures you will see only partially explain the “park” we are staying in for 5 nights. It’s not an RV’er’s haven by any means, but the whole arrangement is quite quirky. The place rents out vintage RV’s from the 40-60’s, has 4-5 cabins (old shacks) dating back 100 years and this gigantic old house that probably dates that far back as well. The resort is run by a lady and there seems to be a following of people likely staying here that help out around the house and yards. Possibly a hippy compound or today’s term might be “free spirited souls”! It is very nice in a unique way. They run a store in the old house with quite a little selection on the honour system! Most Saturday nights they have local artists perform in the great room in the big house which holds about 25 people. On Thursday night, when we arrived they were actually having a performance that night as well which was a couple in their 30’s playing acoustic guitars and singing songs from Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Ernest Tub and a number of other artists….for 1 ½ hours. They were very good! Kathy and I had front row seats as at the beginning the audience was us and 3 other people. It filled up a little later on to around 25-30 people. No charge. Hardly wait to see what Saturday brings! One of the other items of note is in the great room, there is a record player and probably 3-400 albums you can go in and play. http://www.souwesterlodge.com/vintage-travel-trailers/

 

Seaview is on the Long Beach peninsula which claims to be the World Longest “driveable” beach at 28 miles or close to 45 km’s. It does get challenged for this on the internet, but just the same it’s is one massively wide and long beach. The biggest we have ever seen. Besides the beach, they have a paved bike and walking trail that winds its way through the beach grass for a 15 km stretch which is excellent.

Friday morning brought an abundance of sunshine and I kept saying to Kathy, I don’t care what we do today, but I just want to stay outside. On Friday morning we headed out with Jazz for a long walk into Long Beach which is only about ¾ mile away. After a coffee, a trip to the Long Beach bakery called “Cottage bakery and deli”, we walked the ½ mile board walk getting back home around 2. OK, Jazz has had her exercise, but we’re not done. On to the bikes we go to explore part of this paved bike trail and biking on the beach as well. After another hour we were back home then decided to check out the nearest happy hour spot – The Lamplighter. We spent an hour or so there speaking to a couple of the locals and one was giving us some “tourist” tips for the area and also for S. California around Palm Springs were we will be in about 5 weeks. Later in the evening, in the dark, we headed down to the beach to check out the clam digging, but there wasn’t much going on as we watched some locals for 10 minutes, then it was getting much colder out, so back home we went. It’s about a 5 minute walk to the beach. Needless to say, we didn’t see anyone find a clam (each person has a 15 razor clam limit and they must buy a license). Maybe in warmer weather this might be fun, but I don’t even like fishing in warmer weather!

Saturday, we woke feeling a few sore muscles from the exercise from the day before. Bright sunshine met us again. After a slower lazy start, we hoped on the bikes again just after 11 am to head to the other side of Long Beach about 2-3 miles north to the Cranberry museum. It was interesting, but how excited can you get about a berry. On the way back we checked out a few shops (full of tacky tourist crap), had lunch (fish burger for Kathy and I had an oyster burger – deep fried Willapa oysters). We toured back on the paved beach trail described earlier (The Discovery Trail) getting home around 3. Have to rest up for tonight’s performance in the great room. Tonight it’s Old Light & Strawberry Fog.

We’ll let you know tomorrow how it went!