The beginning of the world

This weekend, I got to visit the beginning of the world. I live in the PNW, and the most PNW that you can get (*in the contiguous U.S. at least) is at Cape Flattery on the lands of the Makah people.

The Makah call this area the “beginning of the world”, and I love that. According to the Makah tribe website, their name was not created by them but what other tribes called them, which is “generous with food.” What a wonderful way to have others perceive you! I am saddened that our trip to their lands was so brief. I not only did not try their food or hospitality, but I was not there when the museum was open to learn more and soak it in.

According to wikipedia the Makah people call themselves “the people who live by the rocks and seagulls”. That, I did get to see. I saw the towns, the land along the highway, the rocks, the seagulls, and the main Cape Flattery trail - and to see Tatoosh Island from the end of the trail. There is a lighthouse on the island which has been there since 1857 (before the U.S. ratified the treaty with the Makah people - 1859 - and against the wishes of the Makah people). Tatoosh was a Makah chief (and the Makah people did not call this island by his name) check out an engraving of chief Tatoosh. I imagine this was very frustrating to Tatoosh - to know that a people was taking land of your people and calling that land by your name. How awful.

But, as I said, our visit was short. We only just managed to go after our planned race on Saturday because the lady owning the place we were staying told us that the road was opened - it had been closed after landslides and washouts. It was only about 50 miles to drive, but took us nearly two hours to get to the trail. The road is crazy curvy and bumpy.

After you leave the town of Neah Bay, it is a short and beautiful drive - a lazy river heads out alongside the road, and then you climb a bit. The river near sunset was stunning - in a different way that so many of our PNW vistas are stunning - no mountains or snow to be seen, just tranquility.

We were so excited when we made it to the trail. We hung up our pass (You need a pass ($20) to park at the trail - or to be on the reservation.) and started down it. The trail is well maintained and signed - much of it on boardwalks. There are three balconied lookouts to see the foot-like rock formations that stretch into the sea.

It happened to be smokey from wildfire during our visit. Our view was a little diminished by that, but it also made for a stunning red sunset.

There were tons of cormorants and seagulls there - that I saw. I was most surprised to see that the cormorants had nests or cubbies inside of the caves above the crashing water. I was also surprised that the wind could feel cold and then hot while apparently coming from the same direction. The place was a little surreal all around.

A smart traveller would come earlier and bring a meal to enjoy, so that you could stay and observe the area for more of the day. There were picnic tables near the end of the trail to accommodate.