The Galipeau's Adventures: Oregon Coast Where did the Sun go and the Temp drop

Ok its been a bit but we decided to combined the whole Oregon coast into one post. All 363 miles of public ocean coast. Yeap all 363 cold not above 65 degrees and not much sunshine coast. So totally opposite from where we had been and what is amazing is that it is not that far away, it's a mountain range difference. This is our first time this far west, we finally hit the Pacific Coast, (out here its called the PCH). The farthest we both have been. Cool and I mean "cool". The high is 65 degrees in the middle of August. First its 110, now high 65, meet me in the middle somewhere, damn.

BY THE WAY THE WEST COAST HAS MANY FIRES GOING ON SO MUCH OF OUR TRIP HAS BEEN HINDER BY THESE FOREST FIRES THAT OUR VIEWS ARE LOST. MOST OF THE COAST HAS BREATHING ALERTS.

DO YOU SEE THE LAYERS WE ARE WEARING?

BEACH CONDO ( HAHA)

cute

Cannon Beach

Haystack rock famous symbol for Oregon

Reminds us of Maine coast

Remember I said high 65, Steve just is never cold. Also forgot his sweatshirt. haha

Next day off to Astoria, the northern most town in Oregon also the mouth of the columbia river where the most dangerous wrecks and rescues happen. Two coast guard stations are location near here, one in Astoria and then one on the other side of the river in Washington. Technically I think there is another one at Canon Beach no its Adams port. The coast guard is active here.

Our first stop had to be at low tide to see the Pete Iredale wreck was a four-masted steel barque sailing vessel that ran ashore October 25, 1906, on the Oregon coast in route to the Columbia River.

Sailing from Salina Cruz, Mexico, on or about September 26, 1906, Peter Iredale was bound for Portland, Oregon with 1,000 tons of ballast and a crew of 27, including two stowaways. The voyage up the coast was unremarkable until the night of 25 October, when Captain H. Lawrence sighted the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse at 3:20 a.m. local time. The crew altered course to enter the mouth of the Columbia River in thick mist and a rising tide. Under strong winds out of the west, an attempt was made to wear the ship away from shore, but a heavy northwest squall grounded Peter Iredale. High seas and wind drove the ship ashore. (much like the weather we have been seeing while we been here) No casualties occurred in the accident.

Enter the town of Astoria

Next on our list was the Columbia River Maritime Museum, but wait its 11:30 if we go now we'll be missing lunch. Lets do lunch first. Looking at our buddy Trip (tripadvisor), number one is kind-of a food truck. Oh my its right across the street and there's already a line its 11:30. Must be good. While a line it is.

Bowpickers yeap fish and chips and on the menu is fish and chips whole or half order. Thats the menu. Simple and to the point.

But what's different its Deep Fried TUNA Really tuna never heard of that but it was great.

The Columbia River Maritime Museum is a museum of maritime history located at the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon. This had a lot of local maritime and local history.

But of course we saw some of the other coast, east coast that is, influence of Maine over here too.

Some of the stories were retold of many of the rescues that has occurred in the mouth of the Columbia river. The special boats designed for rescue in this area. They also had an 3D theater,

which exhibited “hurricanes”, well being from Florida we found it quite interesting, seeing them fly into the eye of the hurricane was interesting.

A walk through town and we hear what we think is seals, where's the sound coming from. We tracked down the sound and there they are.

The Column is the “crowning monument” in a series of 12 historical markers constructed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Astoria, Oregon. These markers were the pet project of Ralph Budd, who was president of the Great Northern Railroad at the time. The plan was to commemorate the historic events that transpired at the mouth of the Columbia River–beginning with its discovery and ending with the arrival of the railroad–in pictures.

Cute coffee shop speaking of coffee shops there are so many everywhere, never seen so many but no Dunkin Donuts out here.
One last stop SEASIDE

While there's the start of a large volley ball tournament.

Another full day.

Traveling down the coast there's a town called Wheeler. Got to take some pictures. It was an old fishing town.

ok ok I'll stop.

Next was Tillamook Bay most known for the Cheese factory.

So of course we stopped in to the cheese factory. In this area this is the cheese, much like Cabot is in New England, (Cabot is still better).

This little kid, no we don't know him, he just wanted to be in that van and he wasn't getting out.

Glad we got here early by the time we left it was mobbed.

Sorry we didn't stop here after I read that this museum housed in a former US Navy blimp hangar, called "Hangar B", which is the largest clear-span wooden structure in the world. Constructed by the US Navy in 1942 during World War II for Naval Air Station Tillamook, the hangar building is 1,072 feet long and 296 feet wide, giving it over 7 acres of area. It stands at 192 feet tall. The doors weigh 30 short tons each and are 120 feet tall. Hangar "B" is one of two that were built on the site originally, Hangar "A" was destroyed by fire in August,1992. Too many things to see not enough time.

Stopped for a quick stretch the legs and rock climb at low tide, I was hoping to see some tidal pools and sea life, my goal was star fish....

Only things in the tidal pool, not a star fish but still beautiful

This was the only wild life we saw. Doesn't it look like a turtle head?

We decided to do a whale watch, we done quite a few on the east coast wanted to compare.

Had to laugh at the coast guard station sign

This was the extent of our whale excursion nothing like the east coast. There is no depth to see them breach. We saw 2 whales. Oh well we came, we saw.

Now some lunch the best part of the whale watch was the advise for lunch that we got from the captain. Found a local pub for clam chowdah and a philly very good.

With full bellies lets check out some coastline and lighthouses.

Newport bridge

Wait what we saw more whales off the shore then we did on our whale tour.

and more whales

They come in close to shore for the food that is in the seaweed.

Yaquina Head lighthouse

Foggy Yaquina Lighthouse

Cool holes or cauldron that full at high low

More fog

Rocky coast line

A little bit of coastal landscaping

Cape Foulweather hummmm wonder about that name.

Try not too but the fog

ok I'm looking not seeing much

So what am I looking at? Oh that's right remember the name "Cape FOULWEATHER"
I guess it is named right.
Next day
The sun is shining finally let make it a beach day!

I guess there are so few days of sun that everyone and their brother was trying to get on the beach. Yes you can drive on the beach here. Cool feeling like home for a moment. Drove on the beach and we see 3 vehicles spinning sand oh this is not good but we got 4x4 and in a jeep. Well it great until the jeep in front of us decides to stop, Damn we are stuck. Back and forth, 4 Hi 4 Low we will get out, just a matter of time. Stevie came through. Yes we did so with that lets find parking off the beach and have lunch. So after driving around for 1/2 hour we find parking and have lunch. We thought it was going to be supper!!! It took 2 hours to get a flatbread app. Really so after the long lunch at the beach it was fogged in again. REALLY.

It was not meant to be. (Missing home right now)

So we moseyed back south to check out the some little towns. We came upon this tiny cottage town could be believe the town. The first requirement must be to have a green thumb. Every house had a wonderful front yard full of flowers. Oh my I could not live here, I do not have a green thumb!!

So we are still on the hunt for some star fish and sea life in the tidal pools. Well I am anyways, Steve’s being a good sport about it.

Still cold and rough seas, but it’s still the fun of hunt, like finding treasure.

I was finding it fun to photograph the small unique things

Hello

Bright Green sea urchin

Checking out the port of Newport

Harbor Seals they do not like sharing their space.

Seals do not know the 3 foot rule do they...

This seal is practicing his ballet moves

This seal is just pump tired and needs to lay his head down anywhere.

So lets start the treasure hunt again in Yachats

It was cool watching the tide go in and out

I think that is a star fish?

These sea urchins are just swaying in the water

This gull is just staring in the corner, his mom must have put him in time out.

FINALLY Treasure...a star fish!!

We hit the mother lode

some are so bright

Another day another coast

The sea can be so violent

Our Campsite in Waldport, OR

Next day taking pictures we head up the coast of Florence our adventure was nothing what we thought it would be.

We see fire trucks and ambulance off the side of the road on the scenic turn off then we go over the hill and there is a coast guard helicopter. Got out and watched, we saw a real coast guard rescue.

"FLORENCE — The Dallas newlywed reported missing over the weekend when her car was found abandoned on the side of Highway 101 in Florence has been found alive. Heather Mounce Davison, who had last been seen Saturday — one day after returning home from her honeymoon in Mexico — was airlifted off a cliff above the Pacific Ocean about 2 p.m. Wednesday by the U.S. Coast Guard, according to Dallas police Lt. Jerry Mott. A family member was the first to find Davison after an extensive search of the area, Mott said, and alerted police. The Coast Guard identified that family member as Davison’s husband, Denton. Authorities had arranged for the Coast Guard helicopter to do an aerial search on Wednesday afternoon, so the MH-65 Dolphin aircraft from Coast Guard Sector North Bend already was in the area and quickly available."

I do not know this sounds like a weird story, weird but true??Its 2 days later and still nothing more. hummm

While our last full day lets do something exciting. How about sand dune tour on the sand dunes in a buggy. Hey yea. Between on Florence and Coos Bay there is 40 miles long and 1 1/2 mile wide of sand dunes the largest in the US. We thought about doing it in our jeep then decided that we might get lost or buried in the sand. There is quick sand out there. Crazy. The tour was a blast. But glad we did not do it ourselves we saw a couple of vehicles buried. Not sure if AAA would come and get us out there.