| The coastal waters along the entrance of the | | | | the story of Gerald D'Aboville who traveled 134 |
| Columbia River are infamous for the numbers of | | | | days in a solo kayak voyage across the Pacific |
| ships that have disappeared there. Indeed, the | | | | ending at Ilwaco, and a scale model of the |
| shores of the Long Beach peninsula have been | | | | peninsula as it was in the 1920s. |
| nicknamed the "Graveyard of the Pacific". Now | | | | In Long Beach itself you will find several other |
| this watery burial ground at the base of | | | | interesting attractions. If you have a taste for the |
| Washington State is a popular tourist stop with | | | | weird and unusual you will not want to miss |
| plenty of things to see and do. | | | | Marsh's Free Museum. Home of Jake the Alligator |
| Because of the huge number of shipwrecks in the | | | | Man, this museum of oddities is filled with antique |
| area, lighthouses were built to help guide ships into | | | | amusements, freaks of nature, and much more. |
| the Columbia River. As early as 1848 a | | | | The World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame holds a |
| government survey recommended the building of | | | | collection of over 1500 kites that explore the |
| the first lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, at the | | | | 2500-year-long history of kites. The museum not |
| south end of the peninsula. Ironically, the ship | | | | only has plenty of exhibits to explore, but also |
| carrying the materials to build it met an untimely | | | | supports several kite-flying events including the |
| end not far from its destination. Due to this delay | | | | Washington State International Kite Festival, held |
| the lighthouse was not completed until 1856. | | | | in late August. |
| But ships continued to sink along the peninsula, for | | | | Another place worth stopping is the Cranberry |
| southbound navigators were unable to see the | | | | Museum. This museum offers a self-guided farm |
| Cape Disappointment lighthouse. The decision was | | | | tour that displays the history of cranberry |
| made to add a second lighthouse along the | | | | farming. Planting occurs late April to early May, |
| peninsula's north-west shore, to help guide ships | | | | and the harvest is brought in around the first or |
| around the point and away from danger. Both the | | | | second weekend in October. |
| Cape Disappointment and North Head lighthouses | | | | For those who enjoy a swim, there are public |
| are still run by the US coast guard and tours of | | | | beaches along the western shoreline. If you |
| the North Head lighthouse are available for a small | | | | continue northward to Nahcotta take the time to |
| fee. | | | | stop in at the Willapa Bay Interpretive Center. |
| While visiting Cape Disappointment State Park, be | | | | This replica of an oyster station house leads |
| sure to stop in at the Lewis and Clarke | | | | visitors through the 150 year history of oyster |
| Interpretive Centre. Here you can rediscover the | | | | growing at Willapa Bay. A stairwell descends from |
| 1804-1806 trip of Lewis and Clarke as they | | | | the center, leading to one of the few public |
| explored the route westward across the nation. | | | | accesses to the Willapa Bay shoreline. At the far |
| After visiting the North Head lighthouse, head east | | | | north end of Long Beach Peninsula is the Willapa |
| to make a stop in Ilwaco, home of the Columbia | | | | National Wildlife Refuge. It is located in the |
| Pacific Heritage Museum. Here you can learn about | | | | Leadbetter Point State Park. Take a walk down |
| the history of Native Americans and Pioneers. | | | | the Salmon Art Interpretive Trail to learn about |
| Other attractions include a working scale model of | | | | the restored salmon stream near the refuge |
| the Columbia Estuary that teaches about the | | | | headquarters. |
| workings of the river and bay, an exhibit detailing | | | | |