Park Interpretive Ranger Discusses The Ecology & History Inherent Within This Jewel Of The Washington Coast
Clear, clean water splashing against moss-covered rocks on the lush, green shore. Fields of flowers. Breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean at sunrise, beyond the silhouette of a classic, white and black striped lighthouse, clouds rolling in the sky above. Cape Disappointment State Park in Ilwaco, Washington offers 1,882 scenic and historical acres. It's hard to imagine that the Columbia River is actually known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
Interpretive Ranger Steve Wood explains that the Columbia River is actually one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. In written history, there have been over 2,000 shipwrecks in and around the mouth of the Columbia River and over 700 lives have been lost, “and counting,” continues Wood. “It's still a dangerous waterway to this day. There are still fatalities out there. Bad things still happen even in the 21st century.”
In 1976, the Bettie M tuna boat crashed directly below the Cape Disappointment lighthouse with 900 tons of tuna in its hold. The wreck remains viewable near the junction of Cape Disappointment during extreme low tides.
There are other visible shipwrecks during low tide, including the French square-rigged ship The Alice, which sunk in 1909 near Ocean Park. The Alice was overloaded with cement, which hardened when the ship sunk in the shallow water, keeping the ship upright for decades. Over time, the ship deteriorated, leaving a wooden skeleton when there is low tide.
“Columbia River is one of the most dangerous waterways in the world for three reasons,” said Wood. “The recipe for disaster involves three ingredients: weather, water and sand.”
While a hike through Cape Disappointment offers serene, relaxing views of rivers and the ocean in the summer, the weather during the wintertime can be intense, with wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour throughout the season. The storms can drive wave heights higher than 40 feet, explains Wood.
In regards to water, the Columbia River is the largest river on the west coast. The tidal changes can vary anywhere from as little as one foot to 12 feet. But it's the sand that is the primary factor for the wrecks the park has experienced: The coastline is very, very shallow from all of the sand that comes in from down river.
Because of these trecherous conditions, the mouth of the Columbia River needed two lighthouses on the north side, making it the only spot on the west coast with two lighthouses so close together (they're separated by only two miles). The two lighthouses – Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and North Head Lighthouse – have become iconic in the area and one of the reasons travelers make the trek to this area. Built in the mid and late 1800s, the lighthouses are located under a mile from the main park area and can be accessed by a rough trail or by vehicle.
Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is the oldest in the northwest, built in 1856. The area itself has a long history of exploration and travel. In fact, Cape Disappointment gained its name from British explorer John Meares, who came by sea in 1788, looking for a mythical waterway that crosses the North American continent. The large bay was unknown to Euro-Americans at the time and appeared to possibly be the sought-after fantasy river. Of course, it wasn't.
Cape Disappointment also is home to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, a museum that focuses on their expedition and their exploration of the lower Columbia River in 1805. “We try to give a perspective of the experience they had on our local waters,” clarifies Wood. “We also provide military maritime and ecological exhibits on Cape Disappointment itself. So many important aspects of history have occurred right here. If it weren't for Lewis & Clark, would anyone else have come west? They opened the western US to American expansion and laid claim on the northwest in competition with the British. The struggle for control basically occurred right here in Cape Disappointment.”
Lewis and Clark spent a significant amount of time in the area, hiking around the cliffs and headlands. When they came to Cape Disappointment looking for a fur trading vessel, they were hoping to re-outfit their supplies before heading back east. They spent a few days in the area, documenting the condors (which now don't exist in Cape Disappointment) and documenting the existence of the Chinook Indian Nation.
The lighthouse, still a consistent staple in the area, have active beacons in them and are monitored by the US Coast Guard routinely. The North Head lighthouse also has all of the original buildings from the late 1800s.
“Lighthouses speak to a historical past in the United States when – what we now consider iconic structures –were just utilitarian,” concludes Wood. “Without them, commerce, trade, settlement, exploration would have been very difficult. They are a reminder to that distant past in the American culture.”
With a campground with 200 campsites and 60 full hookup sites within walking distance of the beach, located right in the middle of the two lighthouses, it's hard for visitors not to imagine themselves as another explorer, searching and experiencing the unique qualities of Cape Disappointment.
Olivia Richman
A graduate of East Connecticut State University in Journalism, Olivia has written for Stonebridge Press & Antiques Marketplace among others. She enjoys writing, running and video games.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Eagle's Nest Resort, located on the southern tip of the Long Beach Peninsula in the city of Ilwaco. The area boasts the Northwest’s finest fishing, clamming, crabbing, and kite-flying.