Thanksgiving 2014: The Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast

November 23, 2014

Souindtrack:

• Depeche Mode -- Black Celebration
• Led Zeppelin -- IV

Sunday turned out to be the day with the least amount of rain on the trip.  It was nice to see California getting some rainmaker love on the previous day, and over the course of this stretch of road it seemed like a wet one, but there were a few solid hours of sunlight to be had which was more than I saw the rest of the week.

Smith River, Redwood National Park, CA

I like the autumn version of the Smith River better than the summer version.  It has a little bite to it.  The redwoods along its shore complete the experience, exuding a unique aura of power and beauty along with an air of timelessness.  These individual trees have witnessed the ebbs and flows of the Smith River for centuries and will continue to do so for centuries more.

Smith River, Redwood National Park, CA

Redwood National Park, CA

Smith River, Redwood National Park, CA

After leaving Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, I was in desperate need of coffee.  I could have made a pot before leaving but didn't want to spend the time.  That's always my issue, I don't want to waste precious time in the morning making breakfast, I'm always too anxious to get the day going.  Things to do.  Places to go.  Things to see.  I met up with coffee in Brookings, after acquiring a bottle of twelve year old Hibiki at the border.  Coffee.  Whiskey.  I was ready to continue the trip.

Whalehead Beach, OR

Whalehead Beach is a spot I like to stop at in bad weather.  I've never seen anyone on this beach, which is right off of the highway.  In autumn the creek is too high to allow access to anything but a sliver of beach, I suppose that might be what keeps people at bay.  Much like the Smith River area, one gets the impression that the only thing that has changed here over the centuries is the seasonal shifts in the water levels of Whalehead Creek.

Pistol River State Park, OR

Pistol River is another favorite stop of mine.  I really need to spend a few days here, I'm always just driving through and I suspect I could easily keep myself occupied for a while.  The shoreline is lined with sea stacks, and the grass-covered dunes are something I've never seen the like of anywhere else.

Bald Eagle -- Coos Bay, OR

I saw two bald eagles near Coos Bay.  The first is seen in these photos.  I caught a glimpse of the bird from the highway, then circled back around to get some photos.  The bird posed for quite a while before taking off.

The second bald eagle flew directly over my head on its way out to sea at Simpson Reef Overlook.  By out to sea I mean way out to sea.  Well, the bird didn't disappear on the horizon, but I was quite surprised to see how far out it went.  It hadn't occurred to me that a bald eagle might hunt the open ocean, but that was exactly what this bird was doing.  At one point it tried to scoop something out of the water but was unsuccessful.  A couple of gulls started harassing it after that, at which point I expected it to turn around and come back to land.  It didn't, instead seemed determined to ignore the gulls.  Eventually it flew off  North, giving up its spot near the reef but refusing to come back toward land and I soon lost sight of it.

Bald Eagle -- Coos Bay, OR

I had decided to make Cape Arago a destination for this trip.  I had never been there before.  It was well worth the detour.  It's not directly off of 101, requiring a twenty to thirty minute drive through the town of Coos Bay toward the ocean.  It was well worth it.

Sunset Bay State Park, OR

Sunset Bay State Park, OR

Sunset Bay was a revelation.  It's the first of three parks on the road to Cape Arago, the others being Shore Acres State Park and Cape Arago State Park itself.  I was not prepared for the spectacular beauty of this little bay.  You'd be hard-pressed to find a stretch of the Pacific coastline that isn't striking, but certain stretches are special.  Sunset Bay and Cape Arago rank right up there with Point Lobos, Big Sur and the beaches of the Olympic Peninsula as one of those stretches.

Simpson Reef Overlook, OR

Simpson Reef stretches out into the Pacific from the Cape.  The reef causes the surf to bend in on itself.  Waves crash into each other at ninety degree angles over the reef at forty-five degree angles from the shore.  The November surf was big, putting on quite a show over the reef as well as outside of it.

Simpson Reef Overlook, OR

I stopped at Sea Lion Caves North of Florence.  I didn't go down to the cave this year.  It's kind of cool seeing the cave, something I'd recommend to folks who haven't done it before or people like me who want to relive a childhood memory.  Don't be discouraged by the roadside attraction air of the place.  Yes it's cheesy and probably a not quite worth the money you'll spend on it, but it's almost worth the money and an absolutely unique experience.  You don't need to go down there to see the sea lions, though, there are usually a bunch hanging out on the rocks a few hundred yards North of the Caves,

Steller Sea Lion -- Sea Lion Caves, Florence, OR

I stayed the night at Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City.  I didn't win enough for a free stay like last year.  I didn't win anything at all, actually.  I had a nice moonlight walk on the beach, though, sans moonlight.

Cape Perpetua, OR

Newport, OR