The Beautiful Oregon Coast

On Wednesday this week, we did a little exploring of the southern Oregon coast.  Not too far, but far enough to experience the fog in Brookings Harbor and then see a beautiful day emerge from the mist in Gold Beach.

They say experience is the best teacher.  Maybe I need a new teacher!  Early on in our outing, the camera battery died… so sad!   Thankfully, I randomly decided I should bring my tablet in case I wanted to access the Internet, so the table became our back-up camera.

Also, fairly early on in our roaming, my foot found probably the only hole in an asphalt trail to the beach at Chetco Point.  I went crashing to my knees and the camera also went flying.  Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie!  I was so, so happy my jeans didn’t get ruined and that the camera still worked … yeah God!  Here’s a picture of my banged up knees.  Anyone want to play a violin for me?

The Oregon Coast is so amazing and beautiful.  We won’t bore you with too many photos (because in the end they all start to look the same!), but here are a few that we selected for your viewing enjoyment. 

Photo #1 - This is in Brookings Harbor, and that is NOT a rock the seagulls are sitting on.  It is the carcass of a very dead whale.  It stunk!  In addition to the carcass, there were large bleached whale bones scattered close by.  That poor whale must have gotten stuck in this small harbor area and had no way to get itself out.  Notice the fogginess of the day?  Come on, how could you not?

Photo #2 - Our next stop was at Harris Beach, one of the many very well-signed turn-outs that allow you to take beautiful photos and often walk to the beach.  Oregon is very good about providing beach access.  Also, dogs are normally allowed on the beaches as long as they are on a leash (which we didn't always do... horrors!).

Photo #3 - The picture below was taken in the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor area.  Along the corridor in this stretch of coast are a number of great places designated for photo-taking and beach access.  In this photo is Arch Rock.  It was still a little foggy here, but starting to clear up nicely.

Photo #4 - Here we pulled over on the north bank of the Rogue River in Gold Beach.  It's a bit distant in this photo, but there is a historic bridge on the 101 crossing the Rogue River.  The picture was taken from the roadside close to the rivermouth, near where it meets the ocean.

Photo #5 - This photo was taken in the Cape Sebastian Scenic Corridor.  This is VERY TYPICAL of the scenery on the Oregon Coast.  Lots of rocks in the water.  Lots of driftwood on the shore.  Beautiful sandy beaches that stretch for miles.  And, best of all, it is generally very uncrowded.

Photo #6 - Judy took this picture while climbing up the sand dunes at the Pistol River outlook.  The sand was so "soft?" that her feet literally disappeared!  When we were walking up the dunes, Gary actually fell forward because his feet sunk so deep!  P.S.  Those are the jeans that sustained the earlier trip and fall at Chetco Point.

Photo #7 - Here are Gary and the dogs at the Pistol River beach area.  We never made it close to the ocean, which was quite a long, arduous trek.  The wind was howling and the sand was blowing.  You had to keep your mouth closed or the next thing you knew, you were crunching sand in your teeth.  We were all ready to get back in the Jeep, including the dogs.

 All in all, even with the difficulties and mishaps, it was a great day.  That night, back at Hiouchi RV Resort in our home-on-wheels, we both slept very well.