A Walk on the Wild Side (dedicated to June)

Like watching a horse galloping with mane flying, we stand enthralled in front of massive waves crashing to shore below us. We’re on the dirty shirt tour, showing Marc’s sister June, from North Carolina, our Oregon coast in a mere two hours. The sea has been particularly cooperative today—featuring a high tide and much larger than normal waves which have created a seething cauldron just about everywhere we’ve looked down at her. We’re glad to be perched above; perched above on Coos Head at the Coast Guard Lookout to start our journey—viewing the bar and jetty. It’s easy to lose perspective in photos of ocean waves, which never seem to truly mirror the height and fury. Swells and rollers were running about 10-20 feet in all of the following photos.

We move on into Sunset Bay State Park; truly our favorite here at the coast. The waves and sea are so tumultuous they send a haze of sea mist lingering over foliage and leaving a fine salt-sea flavor on our lips. Despite the cold, a quick stop at Sunset Bay provides a glimpse of munchkins enjoying the cold surf. Our favorite picnic spot at Cape Arago is awash in waves breaking with a force that sends boom after thunderous boom through the air.

From there we move on to the very gorgeous Shore Acres, featuring a magical walk amongst lunar rock cliffside, and a truly beatific botanical garden. Camera soaking from sea splash sent up at least a hundred feet in the air to where we stand perched watching the show leaves some of the photos showing the evidence. What you don’t see in the photos is a drop-off of about 75 foot that is directly below our feet meaning the sea spray is often times way above that. What a thrill!

We finish with the enticement of spring just around the corner as the garden gets geared up to really put on her finery. Today however, she is merely tranquil, nearly empty of visitors, and promising more soon to come. Alas, we won’t be here to enjoy her and by tomorrow June will be back to her North Carolina brown winter colors. Thanks for coming along June!