Lighthouses, Whales and Amazing Roads

Cape Meares Lighthouse.

The last two days have been full of hiking, whales, lighthouses and amazing scenery.  We are loving our time along the central Oregon coastline.  We've traveled many of the small roads that closely follow the water just West of Highway 101.  As usual the small roads are the best.

We are South of Newport at South Beach State Park.  Yesterday we visited Depot Bay and Newport and all the wonderful sites between those two towns.

Inside the lenses of Cape Meare Lighthouse. 

A short lighthouse on a very tall cliff.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.

Our third lighthouse for the day was our favorite.  Yaquina Head Lighthouse is at the end of a beautiful peninsula that provided an amazing view of the migrating Grey Whales.

There are whales out there.

Around and around.  142 steps to the top.  An interesting discovery was that the lenses in a lighthouse also reflect heat inward, it was like being in a sauna.  The ocean breeze was a big relief when we came down.

Panorama of Yaquina Head. 

We followed Otter Road coming back from Depot Bay and I rate it as perhaps the best 8 miles of roadway I have ever driven.  Breathtaking would be the best word to use when describing this stretch of backroad.

Otter Road

Crashing waves 100' up the cliff.

Devils Punchbowl.

 

 It was another very good day so I can confirm..... life is good.

8 Million People Can't be Wrong.

Here's a quick read that should inspire you to come visit us in Mazatlan this Winter.  Eight million people can't be wrong.  Head for the sun.

Tourists from U.S. Hits Three-Year High

According to reports of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI), the arrival of American tourists during the period of January to April of this year is the best level in the last three years.

OTTI said that during that four month period 8.192 million tourists from the United States visited México. During the same period last year that number was 6.847 million. The first four months of 2012 saw 7.6 million American tourists.


In order to continue the growth in tourism from the United States the Ministry of Tourism has launched several campaigns to promote tourism, including Live it to Believe it.


During the period of January to April 2014, the largest share of México’s tourists came from the United States with 42.2 percent of the total; followed by Europe with 14.2 percent, the Caribbean with 12.3 percent, Canada with 11.8 percent; Asia with 7.6 percent; Central America with 4.8 percent, and South America with 2.8 percent.

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.

Oregon Coast

We've arrived at the Northwestern  most tip of the state at Fort Stevens, Oregon.  After spending three sunny warm days in Toutle, Washington visiting Terri's brother (Shan) and SIL (Beth) we drove 87 miles to the first of many state parks we will be in during the next two weeks.  We had hoped for warm weather but arrived to find a cool and cloudy Pacific coast.

A gray day at the ocean..... typical.

After getting settled in we drove to several beaches to see a mildly calm surf.  At least if it is going to be windy and cold we would hope for big surf and pounding waves.  Not today.

Terri's cold.  Normal.

We climbed to the top of an observation tower for a better view of "cold and windy", it was the same up there.

Fort Stevens small claim to fame was the attack and bombing by a Japanese submarine during WWII.  It was the first attack on the continental US since the War of 1812.  The Japanese lobed in 12 small shells and managed to hit nothing.  For a short while after the incident the locals kept watch for a ground attack that never happened.  After WWII the fort was closed because that type of defense was obsolete.

The best find today was a artillery battery named after my brother Dave and I.  It just proves how famous we are.

The Ranger boys are famous.

I do have to say that I am slightly more famous than my brother as you can see from the sign at the entrance. 

And one last picture of wonder puppy Eva standing atop of her new fetch stick.  Think big wonderdog.

Life is good for an optimistic puppy.

Lighthouses

That's a glimpse of Terri ahead of me climbing the circular steps of a lighthouse. 

The theme for our Fall travels has been decided.  Lighthouses.  We enjoyed seeing several lighthouses on the East coast this Spring so we are going to see what's along the Pacific Coast during the next two months.

We leave Tacoma this Friday and will head toward the Oregon Coast for the rest of the month of September.  It's been many years since we spent time on the coast and we have only seen a few of the many lighthouses that line the coastline going South into California.

We only have a few days to squeeze in a few more family and friends visits, so the next few days will be busy.  We didn't get to visit with everyone we wanted to see while we were here so we'll just invite everyone to come down to stay with us in Mazatlán this Winter.  We have an extra bedroom or two to share, so plan your "Sun Time" now.

We have extra room and extra sun.  Come on down.

Terri has one more doctors appointment on Friday morning and than we are Southbound.  I haven't mentioned but Terri had Shingles during the last two weeks and that has been part of what altered our plans during these last two weeks.  She is recovering nicely but she can tell you that it's not any fun going through it.  She had it on her face and left eye.  I won't post any pictures because she would kill me.  A one eyed wife is pretty scary.

We've enjoyed our time here but it's time to give Tammi and Robby back their driveway.  It may rain today so it is almost time to move toward the sun.

Life is good.  We'll go climb a lighthouse and it will be even better.

It's Good in the Hood

Hoods and fenders that is..... todays car show at the Kitsap Square Dance Center.  Bright sunshine and shiny cars, makes for good photos.

Ford or Chevy, it was all good.

Even Willys

Old or older, a red truck still looks good.

I'd even settle for an old Vette.

Or an Impala.

Or a red roadster.

Even white is nice, but red is better.

Not bad for 1951.... a nice Chevy.

Or red, white and blue on chrome.

And to end a Beetle bonus.  I don't think this is factory made.

Surfs up... get your board, dude.

Life is good in the hood.