Day 31, 1 July 2015

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Cynthia Repairing the Flag

Our last morning dawned too early with the fog thick as usual. I raised the flag for the last time and admired her straight, perfectly trim edge with no tears as she unfurled in the breeze. Fred called Karen about bringing in the income from sales and donations. Karen was at the museum and we had time before the tide rolled in to go over to the museum. I picked up few more items including a coveted denim shirt with the lighthouse embroidered on it. We then went a few blocks over to the downtown area where I went to pick up a unique jacket I saw at a neat ladies store. I found the jacket but decided to get a dress instead that was very unique in black with red, gold, black patterned ribbon stripes that made it very figure flattering with a black ribbon tied for a belt. We went on back to the parking lot and had a little time to look for the elusive agates before the water started to cover the dragon’s back. We found a few precious gems and got over in time and climbed the hill. It was our final time to have the island to us till the tide went out in the afternoon. I made some bacon, cheese, egg English muffin sandwiches for breakfast and got to use up some final foods. After breakfast we continued to finish packing up stuff and gathering belongings. We did some final laundry and vacuumed and cleaned up the house. Mike called us to check on our departure time, since he would be taking over for 3 days with his mother till Dottie could come over for the 4^th of July. The new keepers wouldn’t arrive till July 6. I worked on yesterday’s blog and Fred worked on our month’s summary that was requested by Dottie. I did manage to go up in the tower for a last visit with the lens and to take in the spectacular views. I wiped down the windows and lens and relished seeing the waves sparkling in the ocean in the bright sun.

Battery Point Lighthouse From the Oceanside Motel Beach

I could see people gathering to come over across the isthmus since the dragon’s back was emerging from the tide. There goes our blissful solitude and serenity. At around 4 pm we took our first load out to the car by using the quad. It was fun to sit behind Fred as he drove the quad down the hill and over the ocean floor with everyone staring at us. Mike showed up with his mom and made a delivery of their stuff with the quad. While in the parking lot putting our stuff in the car, I noticed a local man sitting at the picnic table with his painted rocks and visors. I had noticed him before during the month and wanted to get a rock with the Battery Point Lighthouse on it. I did not see the rock I wanted and asked the man about it. He said he would have some for the weekend. I told him wistfully that I would not be here and that I was the keeper of the lighthouse and would be leaving very soon. He said he had some visors with the black outline of the lighthouse on it. He then just gave me one! I asked how much they were and he said $3 but mine was free. What a sweet gesture. My purse was still in the house and on my last run out I planned to give the man $5 for the visor. I said goodbye to Mike’s mom and we had one last run with the quad with the rest of our things. I went over to the man at the picnic table and gave him $5 and thanked him for the visor. I told him that I was an artist also and appreciated his work. He shyly looked at me and smiled.

One of our Last Views of the Lighthouse

After stuffing the car with all our things, we went back to the museum to hand over two envelopes and our keys back to Karen. We said our goodbyes and drove off to do a few more errands. We drove back to the Oceanside Hotel near the lighthouse where we parked the car during our month duty. We heard they had good food and we had a very nice dinner in a sunny dining room with a beautiful view of the lighthouse. After dinner we took a walk on the beach looking for more agates and enjoyed the different views of the lighthouse from a different angle. We finally drove off and left Crescent City in the late evening sun. As we climbed the hill south of town, I got one last glimpse far in the distance of a tiny island with it’s tiny lighthouse and trees just a faint silhouette in the deepening evening mist.

So ends our month of duty at Battery Point, which went by so fast and has left us with so many good memories. We also got to know the local areas and people a little more even though we have been visiting them for many years. It is a little different when you live in an area for a time, even if it is just a month. We got to check out more towns, restaurants, businesses, beaches, forests, trails and attractions and in the process learned about the local attitudes, culture and life. We got to meet people from all over the world and continued learned how to deal with people in a hosting capacity, dealing with retail and the care of another unique lighthouse and grounds. All our lighthouse adventures have built upon each other and helped us deal with anything that comes along. We look forward to our next new lighthouse adventures with fond memories and thoughts of our beloved sentinels who we will also return to as keepers of the lights.