Heceta Head Lighthouse

On a splendidly clear morning here at the coast earlier this week, finding no fog upon awakening, we decided to take a little drive up Hwy. 101 and visit the local lighthouse. It is a short half mile walk uphill to view the lightkeeper’s house and a little farther along, the lighthouse itself.

The views were superlative; the ocean the calmest we have probably ever seen it, the smells sublime, and the exercise felt good. The lightkeeper’s house is currently used as a B & B so was not open for touring but towered prominently on a knoll affording a gorgeous view out to sea. It would have been a unique setting for life in the early 1900’s, although the trip into Florence was a day away by wagon.

We were there just before tours of the lighthouse started but we enjoyed the views and the fresh air coming off the sea. There are several large sea rocks which support rookeries, so there was a constant loud display of bird life.

From there we continued on in leisurely fashion to Waldport, checking out another RV park which didn’t interest us. We grabbed some deli sandwich fixings and then had lunch at a small pebble beach in Yachats on our way back to Florence. The ocean had remained calm and the wind was mild—altogether just the most gorgeous day we have experienced in ages.