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The Coast Guard took us from Neah Bay, Washington to Cape Flattery in an inflatable boat. It was a pleasant journey out to Tatoosh Island, although we had to wear “Mustang” suits (orange float suits). The Pacific Ocean water is very cold, and a person overboard doesn’t last a long time without protection.

The two young Coasties had never been out there, and they set us ashore on a rock that they thought would get us to shore. Well, it did, but not easily. They gave us a two-way radio to keep in touch. After they pulled away, we realized that when we went to the other side of the large rock, it just led to another rock sticking out of the water, covered with moss. We were wearing those suits, feeling like little kids in snowsuits, carrying our camera gear in plastic garbage bags to keep them dry. Somehow, we held on to each other, going from rock to rock and finally got to a big rock, where we slid down the side of it onto a beach. There, we had to walk through what was almost a cave, a big indenture in the rocky cliff. Then our path turned into an obstacle course of large rocks, boulders and driftwood. We had to get through all this to get across the sandy beach that led to the steep hillside steps leading to the lighthouse. At this point, we took off the Mustang suits that were getting very warm. (And left them to the squawking seagulls, who were the only inhabitants of Tatoosh.) This part of the beach smelled of decaying kelp and seagull guano. We were hoping the suits would not smell likewise when we reclaimed them.

We climbed up the rickety old steps that led up the hill to the lighthouse. The wind was blowing up there, with an eerie sound, blowing through the tall grasses that covered the top of the island. There were clumps of yellow flowers blooming everywhere, giving a splash of color to the drab landscape on that overcast day. It was hard to believe that at one time so many buildings were up there on that island and so many people stationed there over time. Although you can actually see the Washington coast, the island is very isolated. We had just started taking our photos when the Coasties called us on the radio they had loaned us. “Have to get off! A storm is coming in!” We had just had enough time to start photographing with no time to explore. We got in a few more shots, hurried down the steps to the beach, put on the Mustang suits, threaded through the boulders and driftwood, went through the cave, and there it was, the stone wall we had slid down. OH NO! It was 5 to 6 feet tall, and we are not young or strong. We didn’t think we’d ever get up the wall. Bob wanted to call the Coast Guard to come and get us.

I said if they came and rescued us, they would never take us anywhere again. So we struggled and worked. Finally, Bob got his foot in a crack in the rock and I boosted him up the wall. Then he pulled me up. What a relief! At that point the Coasties were able to see us and came to take us aboard. With the storm coming in, the ride back to Neah Bay was rather rough. It was a very short visit to Cape Flattery Lighthouse and Tatoosh Island, and we wish it could have been longer, but we sure are glad we went.

This story appeared in the November 2001 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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