Sunday,
June 7, 2015
With the hot days in Portland and the
Willamette Valley, lots of weekenders came to the coast for cooler weather.
Also, the weekend brought some of the heaviest fog that we have experienced to
date. It was free-camping and free- fishing in Tillamook County so the crowds
came, regardless of the fog. Friday morning was so foggy that I stood at the
waters-edge, where I could hear the breakers but not see them. Yesterday, we
climbed the dunes several hundred feet above the campground and beach and the
fog bank was lying just offshore. The locals inform me that fog and wind are a
common summer occurrence. Living adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, we have
witnessed the extreme contrasts of sea conditions, which can change very
quickly. We have observed the ocean as smooth as a placid lake, changing to
roaring, towering waves very quickly. When this happens, the boats come running
into the bay, through the jetty, to safe mooring at the ports. Entering the bay
from the ocean is a technical challenge requiring a knowledge of the tide and navigation
aids. If the tide is ebbing or flowing, the water at the bar and jetty can be
very rough and dangerous. In slack water, it is important to know the depth of
the water to avoid grounding on the bar. The depth can vary extremely with the
tide, so tide tables are a must. Tide tables are available at marinas and
marine stores and we use the tables to plan clamming, crabbing, and beach
combing. Navigation aids, are horns, bells, markers, and lights that assist a
mariner in safely navigating an area by indicating specific warnings. The most
noticeable navigation aid is the jetty horn that can be heard 24/7 in the
campground. We constantly get questions about it, a familiar sound that we no
longer notice.
Some
of our visitors are wearing shorts and tee shirts but not being fully
acclimated, I’m waiting for warmer days. Terry is even less tolerable of cold
nights so we purchased warm sleeping bags which we can use for overnight tent
camping trips during our days off.
Yesterday,
at sunset, the ocean was rough but that didn’t stop the Coast Guard from doing
their rehearsal maneuvers. Their helicopter hovered over their vessel as they
extracted a person from the boat, using a cable and basket. The chopper hovered
a few minutes and then resumed position, returning the guy back aboard the
boat, all done with the boat under way. The Coast Guard Station is situated
here at Barview Jetty and they frequently practice their assortment of
maneuvers so that they are prepared to save lives in authentic emergencies.
Sunday,
June 21, 2015
The
first day of summer and Father’s Day has been another clear, cool day and the
end of a very busy weekend in the campground. The 300 camp sites were
completely filled this weekend with loads of people enjoying the outdoors.
After a busy weekend, we look forward to having a quite campground during the
week but with summer vacations more campers are increasingly present on
weekdays. We’re told that this will be the trend through Labor Day. This week,
another camphost couple arrived and we are glad to see some new help. This
makes five couples, just one short of the six-couple requirement. The
campground is divided into six areas, each with a camp host. We manage our own
area but use teamwork to assist wherever the need arises.
Monday,
July 13, 2015
How
fast the summer is going by here on the Oregon Coast. Living on the shore of
the Pacific Ocean has been an exciting time, with numerous exhilarating
experiences. We have seen the ocean as calm as a mountain lake and as angry and
rough as a catfish in a foot tub.
As
usual, the local people are surprised that we have discovered and visited so many
attractions and sights that they were not even aware of.
Now
it is time to begin searching for a winter-2015 location. We are guaranteed a
spot back in Las Vegas but we would prefer something new to us. We have been
researching Southern California on the Internet and have some good prospects in
Ventura, Riverside, and San Diego counties. San Diego is our first-choice spot,
with everything that we need for a comfortable winter. Any suggestions or
comments?
Tuesday,
August 18, 2015
With
the summer season coming to a close at Bar View Jetty Park in Tillamook County,
Oregon, we can reflect on a terrific summer of new people, places, and things.
The team-people at the county campground has developed into a family of friends
and companions, proving to be a valuable gift and reliable asset. We will miss
them all and hope to meet again somewhere along the road.
The
places along the Pacific Coast, like Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, the capes,
Pacific City, Newport and places in-between have been tremendous, with the
sights, hikes, beaches, seafood, and entertainment.
Over
in the Willamette Valley, from Portland to Salem we have enjoyed the history,
sightseeing, College Campuses, abundant agricultural crops, vineyards, and
numerous old towns.
Our
favorite things were the visit with sister Rose, Tillamook County Creamery with
their wonderful cheese and ice cream, the Washington State Tall-Ship (Columbia),
the Tillamook County Fair, Whales/birds, and the numerous historical sights and
parks.
For
the last several days we have observed flocks of migrating Geese, heading south
for the winter. This is our signal that we too will be heading south soon. We
are excited about our winter assignment at Lake Cahuilla Regional Park, in the
Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California, which begins November 1st.
In
between, we plan to ramble Oregon, and California. We will complete the
seven-wonders of Oregon tour with:
Mt.
Hood, Painted Hills, Smith Rock, Crater Lake, the Wallowa’s, with the Pacific Coast
and Columbia River Gorge already visited.
In
California, we plan to explore the Serra Nevada Range, along the eastern California
line.
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| Such beautiful scenery |
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| Terry with Sam on the sea shore |
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| Typical haystacks on the shore |
