So close — but so many paddle strokes away.

That’s the way I regarded Long Island for decades. I’d wanted to hike to the island’s well publicized grove of giant, thousand-year-old cedar trees. But getting to the island requires a canoe or kayak, and I didn’t have one.

This week I finally got to the grove, thanks to the Mount St. Helens Hiking Club and their small fleet of kayaks.

On a beautiful sunny day, I was surprised to learn several things about the island.

Photo: funbeach.com photo contest: Michael Norris

Anglers hoping for another banner year of fishing for Dungeness crab [full story]

“It was a record year for the recreational fishery in 2011, and I would say a lot of that is driven by crab abundance and not necessarily the additional days on the water,” said Rich Childers, the state Fish and Wildlife crab manager.

…”What we saw in the catch data was the success rate per fisherman was really high,” Childers said. “The average catch per angler, per trip went up to four crabs, and usually it’s more like 3.3.”

…The coastal areas off Ilwaco …are currently open for crab fishing …For more specific regulations check the regulation pamphlet or go to http://wdfw/wa/gov.

Take a tour of The Station, The National Motor Lifeboat School, The Motor Lifeboats and Homeland Security Response boat.

See a Coast Guard Helicopter and a Motor Lifeboat in action during a live Search and Rescue demonstration.

Coast Guard Helicopter available for public viewing.

Discuss possible career opportunities with a Coast Guard Recruiter.

See the Resources of your local Search and Rescue agencies:
- Local Fire Departments
- Local Police Departments
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- And many others!

See the basics of maritime damage control in the “Wet Trainer”

Set up a Vessel examination with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The event is free and helps support the Ilwaco St Vincent De Paul food bank.

The event is free and helps support the Ilwaco St Vincent De Paul food bank.

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse invite the public to attend the 114th anniversary of the North Head Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment State Park in Ilwaco. Saturday, May 19, 2012

The event commemorates the anniversary of the historic lighthouse with self-guided tours of the Lighthouse Keeper’s Residence, memories shared by those who lived at or cared for the lighthouse and live music by the Ilwaco High School Jazz Band. Refreshments will be available. The North Head gift shop will be open during the event. There will be raffles and prizes, the ticket proceeds support The Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse mission to restore and preserve the North Head Lighthouse.

You are welcome to tour the North Head Lighthouse and lantern room from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. as part of the anniversary celebration. Tours are $2.50 for adults and free for children 7 to 17. Children must be 7 years or older to tour the lighthouse.

Parking is limited at the North Head Lighthouse. Participants may park at the Cape Disappointment State Park campground store lot and take the transport van to the lighthouse. The Discover Pass is required to attend this event.

The Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse sponsor the 114th North Head Lighthouse anniversary. The Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse formed in 2009 to insure a steadfast vigil and sound legacy for the lighthouse. The Keepers promote awareness, raise publicity and are spearheading efforts to restore the North Head Lighthouse, which has been damaged from time and the harsh elements of the Pacific Coast.

“This was taken in an area south of Long Beach WA. It’s a park called “Cape Disappointment SP”. I didn’t have much time in the area, but I think the next time I visit WA i’ll have to explore there more. Long Beach WA is a nice place, quaint little town. So if you don’t like the more glamorous long beach CA, consider the WA one.”

“…In the annals of geekdom, this ranks pretty high, I know. Who flies kites, in this “Angry Birds” and Facebook age, anyway?

Plenty, apparently, along the Long Beach Peninsula. This is the kite-flying capital of America, home to the annual Washington State International Kite Festival and the World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame.

Far-flung fame

When Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Pictures needed a kite consultant for the movie “The Kite Runner,” it contacted the kite museum.”

more at

Cheryl was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Her first trip to the Peninsula was a clamming weekend in 1997. She fell in love with the place immediately and within three weeks had packed and moved here from Longview.

After helping at her children’s schools for many years, Cheryl started volunteering at the Visitors Bureau in 2003. A year later she began helping out at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and spent many hours working on projects for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. Cheryl spends a week every August working at the information booth at our busy International Kite Festival. Rain or shine, it is her favorite time of year.

Cheryl has two daughters who work at the Lighthouse Oceanfront Resort and a son who is a welder and lives on a houseboat on the Columbia River.  We are very fortunate here at the Visitors Bureau to have such a wonderful volunteer as Cheryl. She is always so cheerful and keeps our building neat and well organized. We couldn’t do it without you Cheryl!

· May 5, Saturday, 6:32 a.m., -1.5 feet Twin Harbors only

· May 6, Sunday, 7:19 a.m., -2.1 feet Twin Harbors only

· May 7, Monday, 8:07 a.m., -2.3 feet Twin Harbors only

• More info on razor clam digging locally.
• Read the full WDFW press release.