Oh, What a Beautiful Place! / For a Military Base... 🎵

✍️ 🕑 • Series: Califorests & Shoregon • Tags: military installationsshipwrecksWorld War IINational Historic ParksState/Provincial ParksOregonPacific OceanPacific Ocean • Places: Fort Stevens State Park Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Astoria, OR

And a beautiful place for a shipwreck too...
And a beautiful place for a shipwreck too...

On my last morning of the trip, I awoke with a splitting headache, and decided I didn’t really need to hang out around Cannon Beach.

Nearby Ecola Creek State Park was inaccessible due to sinkholes, so I proceeded north to the town of Seaside. I stopped for a bagel and coffee. They were almost passable.

Afterwards, I stopped at Fort Stevens State Park. My expectations were low, but this park, nestled in the northwestern-most corner of Oregon, turned out to be quite a beautiful place…

…for a military base.

Haystacks, Milkshakes, Erosion

✍️ 🕑 • Series: Califorests & Shoregon • Tags: beacheslandmarksghost townsicecreamOregonPacific Ocean • Places: Bayocean Peninsula Park Tilamook Creamery Nehalem Bay State Park Cannon Beach, OR

The fog on the road out of Bayocean Provincial Park was quite picturesque
The fog on the road out of Bayocean Provincial Park was quite picturesque

After I awoke in my hotel room, I had an ambitious day ahead.

Work, yes. But I also wanted to see some natural beauty, enjoy some culinary treats, and visit one of Oregon’s most famous attractions.

Today was the day I was going to visit both Cannon Beach and the Tilamook Creamery.

Over A Few Clouds

✍️ 🕑 • Series: Califorests & Shoregon • Tags: bird photographysunsetsState/Provincial ParksOregonPacific Ocean • Places: Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area Boiler Bay Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge Neskowin, OR Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge South Tilamook County Library, Pacific City, OR Sitka Sedge Natural Area

I was texting a friend from Los Angeles, and I was jokingly complaining that I regretted leaving California behind. Ever since that moment, I was again absorbed into the drab lack of sunlight I had left Seattle to avoid.

And though I was joking, there was some truth there.

Scenic? views at Boiler Bay
Scenic? views at Boiler Bay open_in_full   info

Why would I stop at overlooks when I couldn’t see anything, or get sopping wet on a short walk?

What joys could this day possibly bring?

(Spoilers: many, many joys)

As Soon As You Complain...

✍️ 🕑 • Series: Califorests & Shoregon • Tags: sea lionslighthousesOregonbays • Places: Newport, OR Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site

And thus, after a hiatus, I return to writing about a visit to the Oregon Coast this past January…

On my way to Waldport, Oregon, I bought two postcards to send to friends.

One was of the Sea Lion Caves. I lamented my blurry sea lion photos, and the fact that the lighting was lackluster in the cave. (What did I expect!?)

The other was of the “Lighthouses of Oregon.” I lamented the fact that I had missed pretty much all of them as they weren’t super visible in the fog and rain. (What else did I expect!?)

Looking across at the bridge from Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site
Looking across at the bridge from Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site

So, what did I do immediately after writing those except go see sea lions in better lighting, and glance at a historic lighthouse?

This is what I got up to during my downtime on a workday…