On memorial day, we re-visited the worlds largest/oldest Sitka Spruce, in Klootchy Creek Park on Highway 26, just east of Seaside/Cannon Beach junction. Fifty years ago, lightning struck the tree, causing a large wound that spirals around the tree about half way up. Then during a large windstorm in December of 2006, a large outer section was ripped off revealing severe rot that has weakened the tree. On Christmas Eve, we went to visit the tree shortly after that storm and the wood deck that encircled the tree had been closed off. Since that time there have been many options considered for saving the tree, from filling the interior with epoxy, to trimming, but since it is impossible to determine the full extent of the damage caused by the rot and fungus, it appears the final decision is to let nature take its course. With the inevitable conclusion, this tree will fall down. Now, the fencing around the perimeter is farther back. Although it doesn’t seem to me that the fencing is as far back as the tree is tall, so perhaps the thinking is that the entire tree wont fall, and that it will actually break in half. Either way, that tree is going to make some noise in the forest when it falls, no matter if someone is there to hear it, or not. Anyway, you can only spend so much time looking at one big tree, so we did some more looking around the Kloochy Creek Park. Nearby there is this interesting tree, that you can walk under, as you follow a path that winds out beside the large Sitka Spruce. Opposite the Spruce is this cool spot where an old log has rotted out, creating a Hobbitt Hole as Honey calls it, or perhaps providing a shelter for smaller creatures, as well as a natural home for typical oregon forest vegetation. Then in the front of the park there are these signs. The first one, a marble marker designating this area as Cloutrie Creek. The marker goes on to to describe how in 1899 Antoine Cloutrie, Seasides first postmaster, was leading a group of timber cruisers, and was found dead in this vicinity, possibly due to ptomain poisining from a can of beans. Then the sign explains that the Cloutrie name has been misspelled and mispronounced to the extant that the creek named in his honor has become known by a misnomer. Finally, “Cloutrie Creek will become known by those reading this plaque and perhaps in years to come, the misspelling and the mispronunciation will disappear.” Ok, that is great. But then, why the bigger sign directly behind and above it that still pronounces the name of this area as Kloochy Creek?

I don’t get it.