“high waves & breakers”
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 46° 14.989 W 123° 51.521
10T E 433810 N 5122162
“high waves & breakers” sign at Washington State’s Dismal Nitch Safety Rest Area.
Waymark Code: WM11NK
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2006
Views: 32
This is one two signs located toward eastern end of Washington State’s Dismal Nitch Safety Rest Area.
Marker Name: “high waves & breakers”
Marker Text: The Final Harrowing Days of the Westward Journey
After a grueling 18-month journey across the continent, the explorers of the Lewis and Clark Expedition finally neared their goal of reaching the Pacific Ocean. Although they did not realize it, Station Camp, their final westward campsite, lay just around the point. But a severe storm approached, and they became marooned here.
Immense waves caused by the storm halted the explorers’ westward progress and threatened their lives. The treacherous waters kept them from paddling around the point of land between here and Station Camp. William Clark described their situation as “dangerous,” a word he reserved for only the worst of times.
They camped in two places near here: one just upriver (November 10-11) and one near the Megler Creek outlet downriver (November 12-14). The explorers moved their camp when pounding waves threatened to splinter their canoes. Point Ellice (Megler-Astoria Bridge) is the prominent point they could not get around during the severe storm.
At Station Camp, Expedition members experienced their first full views of the Pacific Ocean, and they wrote of reaching the “End of our Voyage” and accomplishing President Jefferson’s Mission. Some walked around the bay and across Cape Disappointment, finally reaching the coastline and touching the waters of the great western sea.
November 11, 1805 - “we have no tents, or covering to defend us, except our blankets and some mats we got from the Indians, which we put on poles to keep off the rain.”- Patrick Gass -- “This morning continued wet & rainey, the wind was high, & the swell in the river ran very high, & We did not attempt to move from this place.” - Joseph Whitehouse
November 12, 1805 - “light for a Short time when the heavens became darkined by a black Cloud . . . a hard rain Suckceeded which lasted untill 12 oClock with a hard wind which raised the Seas tremendiously high braking with great force and fury against the rocks & trees on which we lie, as our Situation became Seriously dangerous . . . .” - William Clark