If you were expecting pictures of our pets, click here instead.

The photos on this page are from various places around Oregon and Washington.

The photo to the left is from the Yaquina Bay lighthouse bluff (north of Newport, Oregon).

If you want to check out the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon click here for their website. It is located next to the Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center, which has exhibits all its own.

The first picture to the right is a Moray Eel peeking out of a broken pot in a tank exhibit.

The second picture is of a leopard shark passing by the underwater tunnel visitors walk through to view the 3-part Passages of the Deep (the area remodeled after Keiko the orca (famous for starring in Free Willy, after she was returned to the wild in 1998) that takes you from the harbor, to the sea floor, then out to sea.

"Orford Reef contains mostly rockfish and other smaller Pacific-Northwest fish. Halibut Flats contains halibut, ling cod, a small ray, and other large fish, and includes a mock sunken ship. Open Sea is the last section in the tunnel, and holds many species of sharks including seven gill sharks, as well as rays, mackerel, anchovies and salmon." - Wikipedia

 

Alsea Falls isn't really tall, but the topography is complicated which makes it a really interesting looking falls. What is pictured here is the top half of the falls.  When we were there, recent flooding and windstorms had caused many trees to fall down and wash into the lower portions.

The hike is 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile  (depending how far below the falls you go) from the parking lot.  It is an easy hike with a little up and down.  An easy stop for lunch and quick hike to see the falls.

Chitwood Creek empties out 80 feet up a cliff straight into Hearts Cove, which opens up directly into the Pacific Ocean.  The hike out and back is 5.5 miles with 1300 feet of elevation change (we didn't notice this when looking at the info in a guidebook or online so we were surprised), much of which is the switchback trail down from the parking area, and back up at the end (that is the part that will get you).

The first picture is 2/3 of the way out, when you cross Chitwood Creek. The forest out here is beautiful.

The second picture is from well above the falls on an outcropping at the opening of the cove, and the view is fantastic, including looking the opposite direction out over the ocean.

Netarts, Oregon is a tiny town on the Oregon Coast north of Lincoln City and south of Tillamook. It is a quiet place to go to get away from the city and relax. At the south end of town is a wonderful restaurant called Schooner's Restaurant & Lounge.  Any place that can list all of their ingredients and where they came from locally each day is doing something right!

The first photo was taken the day we got there, and it was beautiful.  Sunshine and some clouds with a breeze.

The second day a windstorm was coming through so we went down near the beach, but not on it.  We were out as the storm hit and it was a lot of fun.  We were out for an hour and were drenched to the bone, but leaning into the wind and being held up was amazing! This picture was as it was starting to rain. Once the storm hit you wouldn't have been able to see the distant hillside. We spent the rest of that day enjoying the sound of the rain and wind from inside, where it was warm and dry. The next day was spent on the beach and walking in the surf.