Nahalem Bay State Park, Oregon

We started working our way slowly down the coastline on Highway 101.  We managed a little over 39 miles today, there were too many stops and a few hikes to see the coastline.  In those few miles the weather changed several times throughout the day, from cool and gray, to warm bright sunshine.

I began my morning with an 8:00 kayak paddle on Coffenbury Lake in Fort Stevens State Park.  It was a nice 2 hour paddle around the mile long lake.  It is a "century lake" that is located between the sand dunes running parallel to the ocean.  The name "century lake" comes from the fact the lakes last about a century before the sand dunes reclaim them.

I rowed with a group of about a dozen people from all over the USA.  The Park Ranger paddled with us to explain the flora and fauna and the geology of ocean beach lakes.

A perfect morning for a paddle.

After my early morning adventure we packed up and headed South.  We passed through Seaside without stopping and detoured to Ecola State Park just before getting to Cannon Beach.  We walked to several areas for different lookouts of the coastline.

South to Haystack Rock off the coast of Cannon Beach.

North toward Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.

The lighthouse is on a rock 1.2 miles out in the Pacific. 

After our short hike we headed for Nehalem Bay State Park where we are spending the night.  We are backed up to the sand dunes surrounded by wind swept evergreens.  It is a beautiful location with miles of fine sand beaches.

Home, sweet, home.

Once we settled in we headed through the dunes so that Eva could run the beaches.

Miles of beach to explore.

Barefoot in the sand dunes.

It's been a while since I ended my blog with a "dead tree" photo so it's time to add another to my collection.

Dead trees at Coffenbury Lake.

Life is good in the dunes.