Our first visit to Cape Disappointment State Park was in February of 2019. We had heard about the stupendous waves and surf that happens here when conditions are right.
On this visit, they weren’t 🙁
But… We have been back a number of times since and have been rewarded with lots of images and great romps on the long beaches north of the park.
Quiet Time
The seas are calm in front of Cape Disappoint Lighthouse.
Liddy poses in front of Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.
North Head Lighthouse stands above a calm North Pacific Ocean in the early evening
A small fishboat motors towards port in the setting sun.
A mule deer looks over it's shoulder to see if it should run.
We found lots of other things. The North Head Lighthouse. Fantastic views. Wildlife. But no surf.
Revisits are Rewarded
We came back in February of this year.
The light towers above Wakiki Beach where you can find monster surf pounding the cliffs when conditions are right.
While shooting the surf at Cape Disappointment, WA
While shooting the surf at Cape Disappointment, WA
While shooting the surf at Cape Disappointment, WA
We were rewarded with good surf.
And again, in September, November, and December. There was a King Tide in November and December.
The surf at Cape Disappointment provides an endless variety of shapes and forms to the photographer. This one reminds me of a dragon assaulting a Medieval Castle
A huge wave at Cape Disappointment looks as if it is spreading wings and about to leap into the air like a bird. The top of the lighthouse can just be seen through a gap in the spray.
The November waves were spectacular!
December was good too. The last King Tide for this winter is in January. We will be back to record the action.
The Beach
And… Liddy and I will be back to enjoy the beaches. It is just too pretty a place to ignore.
Liddy enjoys any opportunity to get out and run. The large, long beaches north of Cape Disappointment are a great place for that.
Looking south from the beach below North Head
King Tides
Spring Tides occur during the new moon every month. When the earth, moon and sun are lined up in a row. King Tides are extra-large Spring Tides that occur in the winter when the earth is in perihelion to the sun (when the earth is closest to the sun).
According to Wikipedia, the term King Tide was coined by the Australians over ten years ago.
Today, there is a lot of research occurring at the time of King Tides as they are showing the issues we will face as the ocean levels rise.
– Yeah – I know – Fake news right –
Well, I guess the engineers who built US 101 along the West Coast years ago were comedians then. Coming home from the November event, many places along the highway were under water including a major intersection in Raymond, WA.