–submitted by John Young. Originally published on his blog
August 21 – to Nels Bight
August 22 – to the Cape Scott Lighthouse return
August 23 – return to the parking lot for resupplies; camp at San Josef West
August 24 – to Lowrie Bay
August 25 – take cover from the rain at Lowrie Bay
August 26 – return to the trailhead
This trip had such variety, well trodden trails, seaside scrambling, old growth forest, broad vistas, historic sites, sunshine, rain, secluded beaches and more visited ones.
And I was so fortunate to share it with such wonderful companions!
With a “beary” close encounter

Nels Bight — August 21 and 22
Although there were several people there, it was far from crowded, even on a beautiful weekend in August, and we were treated to a spectacular sunset.
Above photo by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
Above photos by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
Above photo by Mojgan Kousha
And laughing at the California sea lice (or is that louse?)
Playing with the sea anemones
Then we croseds the sand dunes

Walked up the remains of the plank road built in 1942 to transport goods between WWII buildings

Cape Scott Lighthouse – built in 1960

Above photos by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
Guise Bay

Above photos by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
To San Josef Bay on August 23
Dawn and I opted to cross the lagoon, with Mo and Kristina sticking to the trail

Above photo by Dawn Rabey
Then Dawn and I walked up the dyke

After meeting up with Mo and Kristina, we stopped at some of the historical sites
Burial site of William Christiansen

William, aged 12, the adopted son of the local schoolteacher, died of tetanus after he stepped on a rusty nail. The epigraph reads:
The sun went down
while it was yet day
(When I passed through here in June, the monument was still intact. I suspect that the top fell off, rather than being vandalized.)
In 2002, I led a group of grade 9 and 10 students to Cape Scott, and one of the boys, a learning disabled boy, recited this epigraph, two days after we stopped here.
A small cemetery on the other side of the trail

Then we hiked back to the vehicle, and stocked up with more supplies–including some cold beer I’d kept on ice!
The magnificent sea stacks and caves at San Josef Bay
Above photo by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
Savouring our beer while waiting for the tide to ebb

Wading around the headlands

Oodles of gulls – sea gulls or bay gulls? (Pun intended!)
Beautiful coastal fog as we departed San Jo on the 24th

Photo by Kristina G. Sviderskyte
And started up the trail to Mt. St. Patrick

But the view on top makes it worth it!


Photo by Dawn Rabey
The descent to Sea Otter Cove becomes increasingly bushy!

Photo by Kristina G. Sviderskyte

Photo by Dawn Rabey
But with some amazing mushrooms, such as these Chicken of the Woods!


Above photo by Dawn Rabey
Left photo by Dawn Rabey Right photo by Mojgan Kousha
Sea Otter Cove

We arrived at Lowrie Bay just in time to make camp before sunset

August 25th–we had time to enjoy the beach in the morning, before it started raining
We erected a tarp to shelter from the periodic showers

On the 26th, we arose at dawn, before the rains set in

And set off about 8 a.m.

Left photo by Dawn Rabey
Water gushed down the trail!
Stay in the middle of the trail? What trail!

What a difference a couple of days makes!
Before long, we were back to the beach

Oh, so glad to be done!

Photo by Dawn Rabey