Seaside Sunset

It had been a busy day.  Up at dawn to catch the sunrise, to Cape Perpetua for high tide, Heceta Head Lighthouse, and back to Cape Perpetua again at low tide.... By dinnertime I was worn out.  Back at my cozy little yurt, it was mighty tempting to kick back and enjoy the bottle of wine I'd brought.

But one item remained on my to-do list - capturing a sunset on the Oregon coast.

Relaxin' at the yurt

So about 7 o'clock that evening, I reluctantly tore myself away from my comfy chair on the yurt's front porch and grabbed my camera gear.

Lovely evening light at Bob Creek Wayside

Driving back and forth between Cape Perpetua and Heceta Head had given me a chance to check out this stretch of coastline.  For sunset photography, I wanted a beach with something of interest - tall seastacks or a rocky headland I could silhouette against the sky.

Some nice splashy waves too

In the end I chose Bob Creek Wayside, due to it's lack of crowds and picturesque rocky shoreline.

The rocky shores were most picturesque

Upon arrival at my beach of choice, I was pleased to discover low-angle evening light illuminating things quite nicely.

A beautiful evening

I wandered amongst a rock-riddled shoreline, trying to capture more crashing waves, while scoping out the best place to photograph a setting sun.

Evening light on the shore

Although the day had been sunny and warm with clear skies, a light misty fog was beginning to creep in.  I hoped it didn't interfere with the sunset.

A surfer and her dog

I was alone on the beach except for a couple of surfers.  Their dog waited patiently on the beach until it's owner paddled ashore, and then happily ran to meet her.  A very cute reunion!

There goes the sun!

After walking down and then back up the water's edge, I finally located my sunset spot.  Bob Creek burbled lazily into the the surf, rocky outcrops caught huge waves, and a tall headland anchored one side. Yes, this would do nicely.

Huge waves crash against the rocks

Anyway, as good as I was gonna get - about the time I'd decided upon this spot, the sun was already beginning to slip downward, coloring the sky.

Lovely sky colors

Hurriedly, I stretched out my tripod legs and positioned it facing west.  Clouds had begun forming over the ocean.  At first I was disappointed, thinking they would obscure the sun.  But as the light sank lower, I realized their wispy layers added a dash of interest to the sky.

Almost down....

The sky began to turn a lovely shade of orange.  I was pleased to see this color reflecting nicely in the wet sand.  Crashing waves in the background didn't hurt either!

The sky turned a gorgeous orange-red

Slipping below the horizon, the sun's last rays illuminated evening skies a brilliant red-orange.

The sky reflected on the beach

Whose colors again reflected beautifully in the wet sand and waters of Bob Creek.

Fading pinks on the sand

By now, the surfers had left, and I was all alone on this rocky beach.  Temperatures began to drop, and a light mist crept in, fogging my glasses and camera lens.

Daylight's last gasp

But I stayed put on that damp, chilly beach until the last light faded from the sky.  So lovely, I didn't want to leave.  What an amazing sunset!

Goodnight!

In the end, I was happy I didn't succumb to the pull of my cozy yurt and bottle of wine.  Capturing that sunset was the high point of an already incredible day.  I'm learning that getting those extraordinary photographs always requires a bit of sacrifice.  But, as you can see, the rewards are well worth it!


Sharing with:  Scenic Weekends and Weekend Reflections and Skywatch Friday