In 1846 the 49th parallel, already established as the Canada-U.S. border east of the Rockies, was extended to the Pacific coast (with a dip south to include all of Vancouver Island within Canada). One result of that extension was the creation of a tiny U.S. peninsula south of Tsawwassen.
Lighthouse Marine Park, located on the southwest corner of “The Point” offers activities such as camping, whale-watching, beachcombing, kayaking, fishing, clamming and crabbing. Along with a 5,200-square-foot boardwalk and sheltered picnic sites, the park offers a two-lane boat launch. The posted fee for day-use is $4.00 U.S., although this fee only seems to be collected on summer weekends.
The drive from Bellingham takes less than an hour, other than the wait at the border crossings. In order to cross the border, you must carry proof of citizenship -- passport, or birth certificate and government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s licence, for each person in your vehicle. Children also require similar proof of citizenship. If both parents are not accompanying a child in the vehicle, you should carry a signed letter of consent from the absent parent allowing you to take the child into or out of the country.
This is a fun, easy walk that will take you along a half-mile flat gravelled pathway through the park. Along the way, you’ll find three well hidden micro-caches that will eventually lead you to the final cache, a 1.5 litre lock and lock treasure chest. All of the caches are in exposed locations, so be careful to avoid detection while finding and replacing them.