Since this is a relatively new concept for the State, they are finding a few bugs that need to be cleaned up. The pass is tied to your vehicle and marked with your license plate number. It is not transferable to another vehicle. So if relatives show up, you have to take your car to the beach, not theirs.

Recent legislation would allow an additional vehicle to be added to the pass, but as of this writing, it had not yet been signed into law by the Governor. This would be a handy feature, since my family tends to visit the parks in the family car but to cut firewood using the pickup truck (firewood permits are issued for use on state lands, so the pass is required there, too!). Check the Discover Pass website to see when this feature is actually enabled.

Another problem arose when I went to renew the registration on my car. Washington issues new license plates periodically, and I was given new plates with a new number. The result? My month-old Discover Pass was suddenly no good. After some phone calls, I found the solution. I needed to send a copy of my old registration (with the old plate number), a copy of my new registration (with the new plate number) and the Discover Pass itself to Olympia and they would issue a replacement pass showing my new license plate number. In the meantime, I was without a pass. However, they were quick to respond. I mailed my information to them on a Monday and had my new pass delivered to my mail box on Thursday.

Another quirk has to do with enforcement. On a recent trip to a State Park, I was told I needed to hang the pass from my rear view mirror at all times while I was in the park, even while driving. When I protested that the pass blocked my view of the road (particularly of pedestrians on the right shoulder), I was told I faced a $99 fine if I did not comply.

However, after making some inquiries, I found that both the Washington State Parks Department and the State Patrol advise pass holders to remove the pass while driving. As with most states, Washington law forbids any object from obscuring the driver’s view of the road. The confusion probably stems from the wording found on my old pass which stated: “Important: Hang from rear view mirror with Pass facing the front of the vehicle when in use.” The new pass adds the line “Remove before driving vehicle.“

Sunday, however, had a few breaks in the clouds and just before sunset, a hole opened up in the western sky to reveal a crescent moon, with Jupiter to its left and Venus a bit lower. They were shining brilliantly and easily visible even though it was not yet dark. Mercury was also scheduled to make an appearance at sunset hovering above the horizon, but conditions prevented me from seeing it.

A triple conjunction is quite a sight for the astronomically inclined, especially here in Raymond, where not only the planets have to align, but the clouds as well!

Topics of discussion were wide-ranging: concerns of the oyster and fishing industries, logging, land use, women’s health issues, difficulties in obtaining answers on permits, ear marks and fuel prices, to name a few.

	Lat/Lon: 46.6865,-123.7334
	Click to see Mapquest map.

North Heads’s tower projects 65 feet atop a bluff that stands 130 feet above the sea. Early signals were lit by kerosene fires and focused with large Fresnel lenses. The modern era caught up with the lighthouse in 1937, when electricity arrived to power both the lamp and its rotating mechanism. Full automation occurred in 1961, and with it, the elimination of the lighthouse keeper positions. This last modernization featured improved optics that enabled the beacon to be seen from 17 miles out at sea.

This area is reportedly one of the windiest places in the United States. Today’s gusty blasts nearly blew me over while kneeling down to photograph the lighthouse. In January 1921 windspeeds reached 126 mph – then the recording instrument blew away! A wild duck became a wind-propelled missile in 1932. It was blown into the lantern room with such force that it crashed through the plate glass and chipped the Fresnel lens.

Visitors today can climb the lighthouse tower and get a view from the gallery (for a slight fee that supports restoration efforts). Also on the site are trails, a restroom and the residences of the lighthouse keeper and assistant keeper. While the residences are not open for viewing, they may be rented for a vacation stay (see link below). A Washington State Parks Discovery Pass (available for the day or a year) is required for entrance into the park.

For more information, please refer to:
LighthouseFriends.com
US-Lighthouses.com
Vacation in a lighthouse keepers residence!

	Lat/Lon: 46.299,-124.078
	Click to see Mapquest map.

In tribute, here are some scenes from over the years:

These photos (and many more) are available for viewing and purchase on my Smugmug photo sharing site.

The large volumes of rain produced high runoff in the Willapa River. When combined with this morning’s high tide, the South Fork overflowed its banks onto Highway 101, where road crews kept traffic moving while cautioning motorists to slow down. However, that didn’t stop a few joy-riders from testing the hydroplaning capabilities of their vehicles!

Wind gusts were so intense as to rip this speed limit sign right off the bolts holding it to a street light post. Sorry, the speed limit is still 35 mph even if the sign is laying in the gutter.