Teenage Engineering Marvel

While staying at the Lighthouse, A and B first gathered driftwood on the beach and built a fort. It was very sturdy, and they could stand on the roof. Once that project was completed, A started building a tipi. Everything she used in the construction of said tipi was found on the beach. She started with a center pole, anchored deep in the sand and surrounded by battered and broken tree rounds that had washed ashore on some high tide. She then leaned tall driftwood poles into the center and tied them together with sea battered rope. She then added cross piece supports between the poles and tied them on with wet kelp. The seaweed dried and tightened. She left an entrance. The only potential covering she found on the beach was one dead seal but, not surprisingly, wasn’t willing to take the obvious next step to use that windfall! The following night we were treated with increasingly howling winds from the southeast and the morning brought dramatic whitecaps. The winds held steady most of the day between 40-45 miles per hour, with gusts into the 50’s. A’s solitary tipi stood firm against those and the high gusts of 58 mph without even a shudder. It was a grand engineering achievement and we were all impressed. Alas, the tipi and fort had to be gone by the time we left the Lighthouse since Fish and Wildlife don’t approve of structures. But nothing was used in this that wasn’t already a part of the beach.

Not a trace remains, just like none remains of all the S’Klallam and other native members who would rest at the Spit on their long hauls around and across the Straits. The Lighthouse has stood since 1857 and throughout that 149 years many keepers have stood on the tower, polished brass, cleaned windows and watched for ships in distress. Many keepers have washed dishes at the kitchen sink and looked across the Straits toward the lights of Victoria. Many a sailor, ship large or small, has been oriented by the sight of the light or comforted by the boom of the foghorn through the damp and starless darkness. Many of them have disappeared into history and we short term keepers will follow. But their work remains and their laughter, struggles, tears, and joy linger. They touch us in the breeze on a sunny day and in the warmth and peace found in the keeper’s house while the storms and winds rage outside and the light stands as always, shining 17 miles out to sea.