A Second Day at Harris Beach State Park, OR

Yes we stayed another day. With views like this, how could we not?

We walked for about 4 hours this day, drunk on outdoor air and activity. First, a new trail to a different part of the beach.

 

The sharp scent of pine is in the air. Mostly sitka spruce here, a favorite of mine since we walked forests filled with them on the coast in BC. They hug the fog-infused shore from Alaska south into northern California.

Again with the scale...

 

Someone's been fort building.

The largest island off the coast of Oregon is right here, though I'm not sure this is it. Bird or Goat Island, a national wildlife sanctuary, has been preserved as a breeding ground for rare birds including the tufted puffin.

After a quick stop to pick up a backpack, we head into Brookings to get some charcoal. There are steaks to be fired up.

Part of the path hugs the coastline...

...and parts closer to traffic.

What's this? The aptly-named Bakery By The Sea, crowded with holiday shoppers.

Busy, busy.

 We'll take one of these for Art.

Back at camp, time to fire up the grill (but that's another post). In many parks, you can rent a yurt.

 Ever wonder what's inside?

I like the bunk that sleeps 3. And a pull-out couch for 2 more. "Don't step on my clean floor," the guy with the broom said.

A slice of heaven.

One more night...

Winter Solstice Beach Walk

Highway 101 to Harris Beach State Park told part of the story (me, hanging out the window hollering "slow down!").

We're at the southern tip of the rugged and extraordinarily beautiful Oregon coast. And site A20 has a killer view of the water.

Out our back door:

It's a perfect spot

Time for a walk. The beach trail wends its way out of the campground and steeply down toward the beach.

The scale is impossible to capture. Those are cars down there, at a day-use parking area.

It seems like a different planet.

Tiny me.

In the tidepools, sea anemones hold tightly to the rocks, an otherworldly color.

Starfish too as we pick our way through the shallows near a great gash in the rock...

Shellfish-encrusted rocks await the next wash of seawater.

 

The tide is out, lucky for us.

We look for treasures among the detritus near shore.

And meet a nice guy, a manager for a cable company who was transferred here to Brookings. He's happy about that.  Brookings grows 75% of US-grown Easter lily bulbs and ships worldwide.

 

This is a glorious beach.

Back to camp before night falls...