Reedsport, OR to Tillamook, OR: April 12

April 12

We set out on a dunes hunt this morning. We had seen some great ones along the highway yesterday, and now wished for a close up view. We tried the South Jetty at Oregon Dunes State Park, but found mostly “stabilized” dunes—i.e. grassy hills with stationary dunes underneath.

I do have a prejudice against them compared to free moving dunes, and was interested to find that stabilizing the dunes in this location had changed the ecology of the area in unexpected ways. Once the sea grasses were established and the dunes no longer moved, the wind scoured a trough next to them. An area called a “deflation plain” began to form, and wetlands extended to the edge of the fore dunes. The new wetlands are continuing to encroach upon the stabilized dune area—less sandy terrain, more wetlands. So it doesn’t sound like the stabilization did a whole bunch to protect the dunes. I have to admit I enjoyed a moment of gloating as I read the information kiosk.

By what follows, I am in no way disparaging four-wheelers—I have on occasion been know to ride one myself and I know how friends and relatives enjoy them—but this is my recent observation. We found it difficult to find anywhere that there were accessible dunes of any size that were not overrun with ATV’s and dirt bikes. There are great areas set aside for them, but the areas for non mechanized people do not seem to have dunes as large and the noise from the vehicles carries into those areas. We never did see dunes in the park without the whining of gas powered engines struggling up steep hills in the background, sometimes not in the background but at ear splitting levels. Not very peaceful. But the hill climbing did look like fun!

Examples of dunes along the highway coming down almost to Route 101:

We found more dunes in Florence near the Siuslaw River. They came down to the river’s edge, and the combination of white sand and blue water was gorgeous

We soon found another lighthouse. (This is probably sounding familiar to our children who were a part of “Finding and Photographing Lighthouses, the Original”. I have to admit “Lighthouses, the Sequel” is much better, as the search for lighthouses is not an obsession this time, but a fun side bar.)

Heceta Lighthouse:

We joined a host of photographers trying to get the perfect shot of Heceta Lighthouse. This is a lighthouse often found on coastal calendars, so everyone feels obligated to attempt a better shot than the published ones

Our next stop was Strawberry Hill Overlook, which the guidebooks claim is home to about 50 resident gray whales. Apparently none of them were home. But we did see a colony of sea lions. I found out that the reason they stretch out in the sun on the sand is to get warm. The warm sand and sunlight help to regulate their body temperatures. I thought they were just napping.

At Perpetua Scenic Area in Suislaw National Forest, we decided to walk a couple of trails. We thought a nice walk was just what our stiff limbs needed. We studied the map, could make no sense of it, and a helpful ranger suggested a route for us, which of course we started on but improvised along the way. It always seems that if you go around just one more corner there will be something striking, and usually there is.

I would like to explain the National Park Service’s rating of trails. If they say it is an “easy” trail, it means that most of it has a narrow black top or other hard surface path. The easy part has nothing to do with steepness. You can be on a path that goes down at a 45 degree angle or even steeper and if is hard surfaced, that is easy. If it says “handicapped accessible” that means a wide asphalt surface and a grade that”probably” won’t lead to a runaway wheelchair. But I would hold on tightly to the handles on one of the paths I saw in this park.

On our easy route, we descended a couple of cliff faces (not really, but it seemed like it). I was thinking that it probably would be uphill at the same angle on the way back, as it usually works out that way, and I was correct. But it was beautiful. By walking we were able to get closer to some really neat views.

We walked a short distance through a wooded area, and a couple of trails near the ocean.

It was great—except for the part about the snake. Tom was waiting for the perfect wave to break over a rock on the shore and send a cascade of spray high into the air (it seemed to do so only when he was not looking through his camera view finder).

I decided to start up a really steep part of the trail at my speed and have him meet me at the top. Unfortunately, that was when a snake decided to cross said path. I didn’t scream, but I did jump really high and landed an impressive distance up the path. I never had thought about trying track and field events , but for a moment I wondered if I did have some talent for long jump. So much for taking it easy up the hill, as I used a month’s worth of adrenaline in a few seconds.

The ironic part was, when Tom joined me, in what seemed hours later (I didn’t dare go back down the hill), he hesitantly asked me if I had seen a snake. The foolish creature re-crossed the path in front of him. That made me wonder, for just an instant, if the rangers had rigged up a fake snake (with nearby camera) and were having some fun at tourist expense. I realize they wouldn’t do that, though I know people closely related to me who would.


At Seal Rock State Park we saw Elephant Rock, but no elephants and no whales. Nor were any seals at home today.

At Yaquina Bay State Park we saw another lighthouse. This lighthouse is a small lighthouse tower on top of an actual house. It was the only lighthouse in Oregon built with living quarters attached. This is also the only wooden lighthouse on the Oregon coast.

When Capt. James Cook landed in 1778 in what is now Yaquina, he called it Cape Foul Weather. He was not impressed with the fog and storms. We have been fortunate with the weather, but the fog and mist do creep in at all hours, unexpectedly.

The Yaquina Bay is interesting because of the large jetty that has been constructed to keep sandbars from obstructing the mouth of the Yaquina River. Yaquina is a port city and needs clear navigable channels. The jetties have allowed sand to accumulate along the edges, and the upside is that there are now two beautiful beaches there, one of which has dunes.

Yaquina actually has TWO lighthouses, there is another out on the nearbybheadland : Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Tom thought this was a great place with two of them to view in one area.

One of the sites I had wanted to see was Devils’ Punch Bowl near Otter Rocks. Of course it was not high tide when we were there, but the rock formation itself is impressive, though I’m sure more so when the sea waves are pouring in creating great turbulence. Even at low tide the incoming waves pour in through two openings in the bottom and seethe around the rocks that line the crater.

Devil’s Punch Bowl was once a cave, carved out by the waves and tide, then the roof collapsed, creating the bowl-like shape.

But the best part of all was –we saw whales! Finally we spotted the spouts of at least two whales. (When they are traveling underwater it is difficult to tell how many you are watching, as they blow out vapor at intervals of 45 seconds to up to six minutes.) We also briefly saw a whale nose. It was not just our imagination this time, as others who were there to admire the punch bowl saw them as well. We saw one spout three different times before we lost sight of it. I’m sure the newer arrivals at the site wondered at first why everyone had their backs turned on the punch bowl and were gazing in the other direction, out to sea. But they soon joined us. Everyone is a whale watcher on the west coast this time of year.

In late afternoon we crossed the 45th parallel; now we were half way between the equator and North Pole. Tom loves that map kind of stuff.

I did want to mention that we have been enjoying the terseness of Oregon road signs. They waste no words. If they give you the basics, you are expected to fill in the blanks. Examples of warning signs along the highway: “Rocks” and “Elk”. It doesn’t actually matter if the rocks are liable to fall or have fallen, Rocks” warns the driver that there are rocks about that cannot be trusted to be (or stay) where they presently are located. I think “Elk” is pretty self explanatory as well.

It was a very busy day. We made it to Tillamook, and turned in early. Tomorrow, the Tillamook Cheese Factory, which Tom has been looking forward to for days.