Threading the film…
Threading the film…
A uniquely awe-inspiring location, Cape Blanco on Oregon’s southern coast can be one of the most beautiful places in the world or one of the stormiest, depending on the season and which way the wind blows. As the narrow isthmus of slumping, landslide-prone ground that forms the connection between the cape and the main terrace continues to erode, Cape Blanco may eventually become simply another "sea stack" separated by saltwater from the continent's landmass. During winter storms, wind speeds can reach 70 to 100 miles per hour (113 to 161 km/h) at the cape. Extreme winds at the cape and over the Blanco Reef make this part of the coast especially dangerous for ships. Cape Blanco has very mild temperatures year round, with an all-time record high of only 85 °F (29.4 °C). Annual precipitation is high, but there is a distinct drying trend in summer, which gives Cape Blanco a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) according to the Köppen climate classification system. During winter storms, wind speeds can reach 70 to 100 miles per hour (113 to 161 km/h) at the cape. Extreme winds at the cape and over the Blanco Reef make this part of the coast especially dangerous for ships. A 2-mile (3 km) walk along the Oregon Coast Trail leads south from the park to the mouth of the Elk River. Blanco Reef is a group of irregular rocks and ledges that are from 2 to 5 miles (3 to 8 km) offshore and are up to 149 feet (45 m) high. The Sixes River empties into the Pacific Ocean along the north side of the cape. A 2-mile (3 km) walk along the Oregon Coast Trail leads south from the park to the mouth of the Elk River. Cape Blanco in Oregon is a prominent, 200-foot-high headland named for its striking, white, "chalky" cliffs of uplifted marine sediment, first noted by Spanish explorer Martin d’Aguilar in 1603. The cape is the farthest western point on the mainland of Oregon. It is also the second-most westerly point of the contiguous United States Windswept Cape Blanco—situated at N 42˚50'08.12", W 124˚33'51.16"— (Cape Alava, Washington, exceeds Cape Blanco by some nine minutes of longitude). Life was different back in 1870 when the lighthouse was constructed. Picture yourself back in time, as a keeper of the lighthouse you have other work besides your lighthouse duties. You tend your horses, cattle and sheep. With no supermarket nearby, you must grow and raise your own food. Imagine growing vegetables in this wind! There is no electricity, you pump water by hand and cooking is done on a wood burning stove. Keepers and buildings have come and gone: Only the wind and light remains On my way to Castle Rock beach, I encountered a fisherman who explained a lack of rain had led to the formation of a sandbar at the mouth of the Sixes River. It caused the river to back up and flood the surrounding area but also acts a footbridge allowing people to cross the river and access the Floras Lake State Natural area’s network of trails. He noticed that my clothes were dry and surmised that I must have come from over the ridge, as he had parked near the boat launch and had to wade through the flooded grasslands to access the beach. He explained that in November when the rain comes, that the river would wash away the sandbar and allow salmon to enter the ocean, making it an area bursting with activity as predators and fisherman flock to the scene. Credit for Photo of Cape Blanco from Space: By NASA and EncMstr - EncMstr reprocessed File:Cape_blanco_us.jpg with Photoshop by rotating 180°, balancing contrast & brightness, and overlaying the orientation indicator by referring to maps.google.com and converting to PNG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1778446