SEPTEMBER 2009     PAGE  2                        |previous page | index | next page|

Tuesday, September 1 - Long Beach Peninsula, continued.

But there are two lighthouses here.  This is the Cape Disappointment lighthouse.

These are cormorants hanging on the side of the hill.  To leave the hill, they fall backward, and start flying again.

A better look at Waikiki Beach.  We got to select a few pieces of driftwood here to take home.

Later in the evening, we get to see hundreds of pelicans.

A great way to end the day.

Wednesday, September 2 - Astoria to Cannon Beach

Today was a great day: weather was perfect, and we got to see much, and most of it unexpected.  We started just west of Astoria, Oregon, near Hammond, and the wreck of the Peter Iridale (1906).

On this beach, and northward to Fort Stevens, parts of the beach sand are covered in a "black sand" , really magnetite which also includes some gold, platinum, titanium and hematite.  We captured some by using a flat fridge magnet, and then scraping the black sand into a baggie.

At low tide, these Oregon coast beaches are very wide.

While talking with another couple, they told us that their favorite beach was the oe at Oswald West, further down the coast just north of Manzanita, because the beach was in a cove sided by two capes, and the waves were suitable for surfing.  We decided to make our way there, and then spend the rest of the day coming back.

On the way, we stopped for several outstanding lookouts:

When we got to Oswald West, we took the "walk-in" path which took us about a quarter mile through a virgin forest, which had many trees more than 4 ft in diameter, several more than 6 feet!    At the end of the hike, we saw this beautiful beach. (See Sept. 04 for more pictures of Oswald West - we returned here on the way south to Pacific City).

More on the next page...many surprises on the way back home.

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