Do you need a brief reprieve from the news around the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, join me as I take a few moments to remember our long weekend at the Central Oregon Coast in mid-January. I hope these images offer you a few peaceful minutes away from the storm.
There is just something about the coastal air that is truly renewing. In mid-January, we booked a cozy cabin in Seal Rock, a small town about 15 minutes south of Newport on Highway 101. This cabin would be our home base for the weekend as we explored Newport and the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area south of Yachats for the weekend.
We leave Portland after work on Friday of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and arrive at our cottage - it’s about 39 degrees and very windy. Could we really expect anything different? I admit, though: I love the mood of the coast in the winter.
The forecast Saturday calls for heavy rain and chilly temperatures, so we decide to hit the Oregon Coast Aquarium in the morning. We all have a great time!
After Luca’s nap, we head down to the Seal Rock Recreation Area for a short walk. Luca enjoys jumping in puddles in the parking lot. The sky darkens as a light rain falls, and waves crash fiercely into the rocks near the shore. The power of the ocean is terrifying and humbling.
That night, as we are driving back to our cottage from dinner, Luca exclaims, “lighthouse!” I realize he is noticing the light flash around us every few seconds. I love how observant he is and that he is always making connections (he loves The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge book about the, well, little red lighthouse that stands below the George Washington Bridge).
On Sunday, we wake to sunshine and much warmer temperatures. It’s hard to fathom just 36 hours ago it was absolutely freezing and close to snowing. We drive south on Highway 101 through Yachats. The marine layer creates a beautiful scene - morning rays streak through the towering trees that line the highway.
Cape Perpetua is a headland that juts into the Pacific Ocean just south of Yachats. It is so beautiful and rugged. We pull off at the Devil’s Churn, a “steep-sided ocean gully” - the waves at high tide churn up the narrow gully. It’s an impressive sight. While I’m in awe of the power of the waves, I’m also delighted by the light here.
If not for a squirmy toddler, I could sit here for hours just studying the light moving through the trees. It is perfection.
We continue south to check out the Heceta Head Lighthouse. Luca is enthralled. As am I.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
On our last stop before heading back to our cottage for Luca’s nap, we pull off in the parking area near Thor’s Well.
Later, we spend about an hour running around the lovely South Beach State Park in Newport. Luca has so much fun running in the sand and running away from the water gently coming into shore. It’s a delight. The perfect way to end a great day at the coast.
Before driving back to Portland, we stop at the still-active Yaquina Head Lighthouse for a short walk. It’s a beautiful lighthouse made even more beautiful by the interesting clouds today.
I hope this brief reflection and the accompanying images brought you a few moments of quiet and peace.
“There are times when the ocean is not the ocean - not blue, not even water, but some violent explosion of energy and danger: ferocity on a scale only gods can summon. It hurls itself at the island, sending spray right over the top of the lighthouse, biting pieces off the cliff. And the sound is a roaring of a beast whose anger knows no limits. Those are the nights the light is needed most.”