Today, or at least this morning, was all about laundry. I'm lucky I guess to own enough clothing that laundry isn't a once a day or even once a week thing for me, but closer too a once a month thing. It's easy enough to do if what you normally wear are shorts, polo shirts and sockless sandals. It just means having enough underwear for a month and enough other clothing to change into as needed. Yes I do wear my shirts and shorts more than one day, unless I've been dancing in them or playing in the mud. With that all being said though, I still hate having to go out and find a coin operated laundry and spend an hour or two sitting around the place. It does mean having some extra time to read a magazine or book of course, and there are always interesting people around to watch or even chat to, but it would be better if it only had to be done bi-monthly or even semi annually.

   But enough of my complaining, as it has actually been a pretty good day over all. It all started out by spending an hour or so walking on a local beach before then driving along a coastal road and stopping at every pull out along the way. One rest area in particular was extra scenic because of all the rocks and sea stacks just below the cliffs. There were also the hundreds of  Harbor, California and Stellar Seals and Sea Lions that were pulled out on every available spot. The only thing missing were Elephant Seals; just not the right time of year for them I guess.

    The whole laundry chore happened after that pleasant interlude, but it didn't take that long to do 3 loads of laundry and besides I then went and found a really nice little café afterwards for some much needed lunch. The Sea Grotto restaurant is perched on the wharf over looking the fishing boat docks out in Charleston Harbor and it was the perfect place to find a melted cheese and Dungeness crab sandwich with piping hot fries and ice cold tea.

    As it is now growing colder outside, and looking like it will soon start to rain, I'm holed up in the local library finishing up some work on some photos, as well as dealing with a few last minute paperwork issues that have cropped up. In the morning I'll be packing up the trailer and moving down the coast to the redwood forests of northern California. The plan is to spend a couple of days there and then gradually work my way further south before turning a bit east and heading for Sacramento. But that is still pretty far off in time, so I'll worry about doing some last minute shopping this evening then picking up the trailer tonight and hoping it isn't raining to much in the morning when I have to hitch everything up.

 Coquille River (Bandon) Lighthouse - Nov 8, 2014

Congress appropriated $50,000 for the building of this lighthouse, and then began construction of it on March 3, 1891.

The workers first leveled the top of what is known as Rackliff Rock, an outcrop along side the river to provide a base for the lighthouse and oil house. Local stone was cut to form the structure’s foundation, while the lighthouse itself was built of brick, covered with a layer of stucco. The design was unique with a cylindrical tower attached to the east side of an elongated, octagonal room, which housed the fog signal equipment. 

 The fourth-order Fresnel lens was first shown from the tower on February 29, 1896. The lens produced a fixed white light, but an occulting apparatus raised and lowered a brass cylinder around the lamp's chimney to show light for twenty-eight seconds followed by a two-second eclipse. The first-class fog trumpet emitted a five-second blast every thirty seconds as needed. In 1907, oil engines powering a compressed-air plant replaced the steam plant originally used to power the fog signal.

In 1939, the Coast Guard assumed responsibility for Coquille River Lighthouse and decided it was no longer needed. An automated light was placed at the end of the south jetty, the dwelling was disassembled, and the lighthouse was abandoned. Bandon Lighthouse stood neglected for twenty-four years, until Bullards Beach State Park was created on the north side of the river. The grounds of the original eleven-acre light station were included in the park, and the park assumed responsibility for the lighthouse.

The lighthouse still looks pretty good at this point in time, but it will take a lot of money and effort to keep it in good shape for the future.

I rather like this view.

This one too.

This one isn't bad either.

A view from the rocks out in front of the lighthouse. I'm glad it was a calm day when I was there.

 Another view from the rocks along the river.

The last major restoration project was back in 2007. As you can see salt water and iron don't really mix very well.

brk*