Just Another Cannon Beach Sunset....

On to a bit more current happenings......

This past January NW Oregon experienced three straight weeks of dry, clear skies and sunshine.  For a climate that's normally cold and rainy in the winter, this was unheard of!  I enjoyed some beautiful sunny days on the ski slopes, and most of the sunrises and sunsets were quite spectacular.  So one day in mid-January I took a break from skiing and headed to the coast in hopes of capturing one of those great sunsets.

Seafoam on the beach

The seaside town of Cannon Beach is about an hour's drive from my home, so it's super convenient to drive down there whenever the mood strikes.  I packed up my car and was on the road by one o'clock in the afternoon.  I figured a midafternoon arrival would give me plenty of time for beach walking before the sun dropped around 5 pm. 

Quarreling shorebirds

Driving along US highway 101, which is the main north-south coastal highway through Oregon, I was about a mile or so from the Cannon Beach exit when I spotted some large animals walking across the pavement.  A herd of a dozen elk decided the vegetation looked greener on the other side of the highway and sauntered across.  Traffic ground to a screeching halt - no one wanted to hit such a large animal.  Elk are big enough to total a car (just ask my hubby, it happened to his truck 5 years ago.)

A little bird looking for lunch

The unexpected elk crossing delayed my arrival by a few minutes, but that was ok - it was cool to see such majestic animals so close up.  I'd seen photographs of an elk herd walking along Cannon Beach, right in front of the hotels, but in all my visits had never witnessed this for myself.

Waves and Terrible Tilly lighthouse

I finally pulled into the parking lot at Tolvana Beach State Recreation Site.  After switching shoes, bundling up, (the wind was cold!) and grabbing my camera gear, I headed for the beach.

Sand patterns

Usually when visiting this beach, I turn north and head towards Cannon Beach's landmark seastack - Haystack Rock.  But today, since there was still plenty of time before sunset, I decided to walk in the opposite direction.

Love is on the beach...

I came upon a group of low rocks, sitting just inside the waterline.  Seeing movement, I realized that these rocks were full of tiny seabirds.  The little birds were brown on top with white bellies.  Quick swapping to my zoom lens, I had fun trying to photograph them. The bright sunlight made exposure a bit challenging, but I managed to get a few cute images of the birds.  Once home, my bird book identified them as black-billed plovers, but when I posted some photos on Facebook, someone else said they were surfbirds.  Whatever they were, I enjoyed watching and photographing them.

Found an interesting vantage point

After my bird photography session, I headed back north towards Haystack Rock.  Although skies were sunny, the wind was biting.  Despite the cold temperatures, the beach was full of people and dogs out enjoying a brisk walk.

Driftwood scattered beach

The problem with arriving too early for sunset is that one has a bit of time to kill.  I walked past Haystack Rock and then turned around to go back.  I noticed a public wooden stairway connecting the beach to a neighborhood and decided to check it out.

Sun is starting to go down

The top of the stairs provided a nice view of Haystack Rock and the ocean.  I had to wait a few minutes for two women to finish filming themselves before I got an unobstructed vantage.  I thought about setting up and shooting sunset here, but in the end decided I wanted to be closer to the seastacks.

Glowing between two seastacks

So back down to the sand I went.  By now, the sun was finally beginning to sink.  Although my original plan was to make Haystack Rock the centerpiece of my images, two smaller seastacks to the south caught my eye.  The sun appeared to be setting in between them.

Getting close to the horizon

That would make a cool image!  So I found a good place to stand, far enough away from too many people, and waited.  As the sun sunk lower in the sky, its rays began to shine brightly between the two rocks.  I took many, many photos of the scene (lots of people walked in front of my lens) so later I had lots of images to choose from.

Day's last light reflected on the sand

Although the lowering sun lit up the sky a brilliant shade of orange, the lack of clouds made for a unspectacular sunset.  But it's always nice to be on beach and watch the day end.

An orange sky

With the sun nearly down, the wind picked up, and it was downright frigid.  As soon as the sun departed from the horizon, I packed my gear up and began the long walk back to the parking lot.  I was so focused on getting back to my warm car that I nearly missed a surprise.  Thankfully, a man walking in the opposite direction with his dog alerted me.  He said "There's a herd on elk on the beach over there."

Elk on the beach!

In the fading light I spotted a half dozen elk grazing at the edge of the beach.  One big female was sitting in the sand, her legs tucked blissfully underneath.

Right after sundown, the elk came out to browse

I thought about switching to my zoom lens, but there wasn't enough light to capture good images.  So I zoomed as much as I could with my landscape lens just to get a few photos to prove they were there.  Thanks to that man, I now can say I've seen elk on Cannon Beach!

Parting shot

Of course the only downside to capturing sunset on the beach is the drive back on a dark, winding highway through the coastal mountains.  But I'd gotten some nice sunset images and finally got to see elk on Cannon Beach, so I considered that a fair price to pay.  Hopefully I'll get back there sometime this month for another sunset, and maybe catch the elk herd again!

A Day on the Oregon Coast

Ah the power of the internet!  One morning in late January, while perusing Facebook, I came upon a photo of a stunning ocean seastack and beach.  The caption said it was called "Short Beach" and was someplace along the Oregon coast.  A quick Google search located this place near Cape Meares.  That wasn't too far from home.  I immediately schemed a plan to go find it.

Mama elk giving me the stink eye

Another thing I learned from my internet browsing - the nearby Cape Meares loop road had just reopened.  Wiped out by a landslide in 2013, this scenic link between the town of Oceanside and Tillamook Bay had remained closed for over 10 years.  A second item to check out!

A kiss for junior

Leaving home one overcast, but dry morning, I pointed my car westward.  After driving through the coastal town of Tillamook (famous for its cheese) I located the north end of the reopened Cape Meares loop.  The roadway grades were steep, but boy oh boy were there some nice ocean views.  Passing by a recently revegetated road slope, I was surprised to see a dozen elk scattered about enjoying the tender, newly-planted grass.  A few of the beasts were right next to the roadway, so I was able to score some super close-ups from the comfort of my car.  I didn't even need to use my big zoom lens!  And luckily, there wasn't any traffic that morning, so no problem stopping in the middle of the road for a few minutes.

Short Beach

After the surprise elk photography session, I continued on a short distance until locating a tiny pullout with an even tinier sign indicating the trail to Short Beach.  A rickety wooden staircase led me down a steep bluff until the forest opened up to showcase a lovely, rocky beach.

The sun came out for a short while

Instead of sand, the beach was covered with millions of perfectly rounded stones.  Reminded me a lot of Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.  A tall seastack stood prominently near the beach's north side.  I tried to walk over to it, but was blocked by a swift-running creek.  Having my rubber boots on, I considered trying to cross (and even tentatively ventured in a step or two) but the strong current dissuaded me.  I didn't want to risk falling in and getting my camera equipment wet!

Wave action

Instead, I hung out on the rocky shoreline and entertained myself photographing the waves.  The sun peeped out of the clouds for a few short minutes and I was able to capture the seastack and ocean in glorious full sunshine.

Steep cliff at Cape Meares

After enjoying this lovely beach for a half hour or so, I retraced my steps back up the staircase.  Knowing Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint was a short distance away, I decided to drive over and give the place a visit.

Cape Meares Lighthouse

Cape Meares is mostly known for its lovely lighthouse, which sits at the very end of this prominent headland.  Built in 1890, it has the distinction of being the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast.  Open during summer months for tours, the Cape Meares lighthouse has been decommissioned since 1963.  From the parking lot, a paved trail takes visitors along the cape to the lighthouse.  Pausing at several viewpoints along the way, I couldn't help capturing some images of the stunning oceanside cliffs.

 

Another view of the lighthouse

Although the lighthouse wasn't open that day, I was able to walk nearly around it's perimeter.  One gets a nice view of the red and white Fresnel lens, lovingly preserved for visitors to enjoy.

The beach at Oceanside

After enjoying some sunshine at Cape Meares, I drove southward to the tiny town of Oceanside.  There's a gorgeous beach here, which I was looking forward to photographing.

Three Arch Rocks and frothy waves

Sadly, by the time I arrived at Oceanside's beach, clouds moved in and obscured the lovely sunshine.  The overcast, midday light was not the best for capturing this usually pretty coastline.

Cannon Beach from above

So after a quick walk in the sand, I returned to my car and decided to head northward to Cannon Beach.  It's a lovely drive along Highway 101 from Tillamook and I enjoyed the scenery as I motored along.

Haystack Rock

Another internet photo I'd enjoyed was one of the sandy dunes above Cannon Beach with Haystack Rock in the background and two elk standing on the dunes.  Although early afternoon wasn't the right time to catch the elk, I was hoping to scout out this location for future photographic opportunities.  Parking in a nearby lot, I walked a couple blocks down a side street before finding the area I was seeking.  Nope, no elk right now, but plenty of elk poop indicated they liked to hang out here.  And I was able to capture some nice images of Haystack Rock from a different viewpoint.

Another view of the iconic sea stack

Although the cloudy skies didn't give me the best light for photography, I had a nice trip to the coast, and was able to discover some new places.  Always fun to explore!

Just Another Coastal Sunset....

One of the things on my winter photography bucket list was to catch a sunset on the Oregon coast.  Well, winter came and went and it's cloudy, rainy weather didn't provide many opportunities (plus I'd been busy skiing a lot).  Spring wasn't faring much better - so far it had been unseasonably cold and wet, with sunshine in short supply.   

But then one day in late March, I noticed a break in the weather.  The weatherman forecasted dry and partly cloudy skies at Cannon Beach, the closest coastal town to home.  This was my chance!  I packed up some camera gear and invited my good friend Kim to join me for an evening at the beach.

Blue skies on Cannon Beach

Low tide was around 1 pm, so I left town at noon.  The first stop on my agenda was nearby Hug Point Beach, which had some great tidepools.  But I'd forgotten one important thing - this week happened to be spring break for all the Oregon schools.  A rare sunny day had brought the masses to the coast, and upon reaching the parking lot for Hug Point Beach I found it overflowing.  Time for plan B.....

Incoming waves near Haystack Rock

I pointed my car towards Cannon Beach to try Tolovana Wayside.  The parking lot there was huge, so we stood a better chance of finding parking.  But due to spring breakers the place was just as busy, necessitating a brief search before finally securing a spot.  After parking, unloading, and visiting the restroom, Kim and I headed out for a nice, long beach walk.

Lots of people enjoying a rare dry day

Ahhhhh!  There's nothing more relaxing than walking along an ocean beach.  We spotted Haystack Rock far in the distance and decided to walk towards "the rock."  The beach was packed with people, mostly families enjoying a week free from school.

Classic view at Ecola State Park

The skies started out sunny and blue.  After so many gloomy, rainy days, boy, was it good to see sunshine!  Kim and I walked to Haystack Rock, an iconic, often-photographed seastack that Cannon Beach is known for.  Due to it being low tide, hundreds of people were crowded around the tidepools at the rock's base.  We tried to walk around, but there were way too many folks for our liking, so Kim and I continued on up the beach.

Old Tillamook Rock Lighthouse (aka "Terrible Tilly")

We were both getting hungry.  When I go to the coast there's nothing I like more than to enjoy a hot bowl of clam chowder.  Kim said she knew just the place - a nearby restaurant that had the best chowder.  We left the sand and started down one of Cannon Beach's side streets.  As luck would have it, Kim's recommended restaurant happened to be on that very street.  Inside, we were so impressed by all the menu offerings, Kim and I ended up sharing an order of halibut fish and chips, a shrimp cocktail, and of course I got my bowl of clam chowder.  Everything was delicious!  We washed it all down with a couple of tasty local brews.

My sunset spot 

Tummies now full to bursting, it was time for another beach walk.  Kim and I retraced our steps back towards Haystack Rock, and then another mile further south to Tolovana Wayside and my car.  But arriving back at the parking lot, it was only 4 o'clock, and sunset wasn't until 7:30-ish.  How to pass the time until then?

Golden sky color

I decided to drive over to nearby Ecola State Park, on Cannon Beach's north end.  There was a nice overlook that offered great views of the all the seastacks lining Cannon Beach.  So up the windy, narrow park road we went before entering another massive parking lot. 

Looking back at Haystack Rock

Kim and I walked out to the overlook and I got many shots of the classic Cannon Beach view.  Then we walked over to another viewpoint that gave visitors a glimpse of the long-abandoned Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.  Constructed on a small basalt rock 1.2 miles from shore, this lighthouse served the Oregon coast from 1881 until 1957.  Due to erratic weather conditions, and the perilous commute for both keepers and suppliers, the lighthouse earned the nickname "Terrible Tilly."  Over the years, storms damaged the structure, shattered the lens, and eroded the rock it sits upon.  Today, the lighthouse is privately owned, existing as a columbarium (a structure that houses urns holding cremains of the dead).

Coincidentally, the day after my beach trip this article about the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse appeared in our local newspaper. 

Colors reflecting in the waves

Although sunset was still a couple hours away, I decided to head back to Cannon Beach and find a good spot to watch the sun drop.  Unfortunately in the meantime, clouds had moved in and the lovely blue sky we'd enjoyed earlier was no more.  

What to do?  Should I stick around anyway?  There was still a sliver of clear sky between the cloud layers.  Sometimes clouds provide interesting sunsets.  And....sometimes they don't.

Finally the sun popped out between cloud layers

I parked near the north end of Cannon Beach.  Although I'd originally planned to get my sunset close to Haystack Rock, upon entering the beach, we realized that the rock was quite a distance away.  Having already covered nearly 4 miles of beach walking earlier, neither Kim nor I were feeling up to another long trek.  Then I noticed a small creek flowing out from the beach towards the ocean.  A flock of seagulls had gathered on a sandy spit between the creek and the ocean.  The motion of the creek's flowing water was quite interesting and the birds provided some foreground interest.  I planted my tripod, and told Kim we were setting up here.

Evening light on the beach

With still quite a bit of time until sunset and a cloudy sky, initially wasn't sure if I'd stick around until dusk.  But the interesting clouds, motion of the creek, and the ocean waves entranced me, and I ended up filling time snapping lots of shots.  The tide was coming in and the ocean water started to overrun the creek's current.  A slow shutter speed on my camera produced some interesting images of the battling waters.  Before I knew it, the sun had begun to drop.

Down she goes!

Kim and I watched the sun sink lower, lower..... and then suddenly it burst through the gap between the clouds in a blinding orange blaze.  Wow was it bright!  This dazzling light cast a lovely, rose-colored glow onto the beach.

Post-sunset sky colors

As the sun dropped to the horizon, the clouds began to turn colors.  Even after the sun had made it's exit, the sky continued to glow in shades of pink and orange.  Oh my goodness, it was sensational!  Now I was glad I'd stuck around.

More fabulous sky colors

The spectacular sky color lingered long after sunset.  It was so beautiful, I remained on the beach snapping more and more photographs.  I didn't want to leave!  The image below was my final shot, and I love that it captured the silhouette of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse against this vibrant sky. 

Terrible Tilly against an orange sky

On the dark drive home Kim and I agreed our wait for the sunset had been totally worth it.  A great way to enjoy a rare, sunny spring day.  

Fabulous Day at the Coast

I'm a mountain gal.  Even though the Oregon coast is an hour's drive away, most of my time is spent traveling in the opposite direction to high, snowy places.  But every once and awhile I get a hankering for sea breezes.  The first full weekend in January was one of those times.  So I recruited my friend, neighbor, and photo-buddy Cheri for a day of photography at the coast.

Hug Point Beach

Hug Point Beach is one of my favorite places on the northern Oregon Coast.  It looked like we'd hit low tide in the morning, so Cheri and I timed our arrival accordingly.  However, I soon realized low tide in the winter is much different than during the summertime.  The water level was much higher, so high in fact that the old wagon road blasted into a nearby cliff face was still submerged at low tide.  Guess we wouldn't be walking on that!  

Hug Point Falls 

But the previous week's heavy rainfall translated into a wide, roaring waterfall nearby.  Normally just a trickle, I'd never seen Hug Point Falls moving so much water!  Getting to this rushing cascade required Cheri and I to walk across a headland jutting into the sea.  We'd donned our high rubber boots for the occasion and waited for a lull in the waves before venturing out.  But a sneaker wave caught us as we crossed, topping boots and soaking feet.  Oh well, at least we escaped with only wet feet.  That's why you bring extra pairs of socks when you go to the beach.

Moving water close-up

Hug Point Falls was quite beautiful.  The high volume of water racing over its sandstone cliff made this cascade fun to photograph.

Cheri and Stella

Cheri's dog Stella joined us for the day.  She's a purebred Australian Shepherd, smart and very well trained.  Of course all dogs love to run on the beach and find sticks to fetch, and Stella joyfully did both.

Who's a good dog?

Have you ever seen a happier doggo?

Peter Iredale shipwreck

After an hour or so of beach and waterfall photography, we drove further south to Nehalem Bay State Park.  Remembering my elk herd sightings here last fall, Cheri and I were hoping to spot a few of these magnificent animals.  But - alas - there were none to be found.  Not even a bird to photograph!  

Close-up of ship remains

So we headed back north, all the way up to Fort Stevens State Park, where we walked along the beach to find the wreck of the Peter Iredale.  This ship was traveling along the Oregon Coast in 1906 when it ran aground, hitting so hard that three of her masts snapped from the impact.  Since then, the shipwreck has been a popular tourist attraction.  But wind and waves have worn away at the vessel for years, and now only a small portion of her frame remains.  Despite this, it still makes a great photo subject.

Speedy shorebird

Cheri spotted a small flock  of shorebirds racing around the sand.  (I believe they may have been snowy plovers, but I'm still learning my birds, so please correct me if I'm wrong!)  It was fun, but challenging to capture these speedy little buggers.

Surprise elk sighting in Seaside

By now it was late afternoon.  Time to head back to Cannon Beach to catch the sunset.  As we drove towards Cannon Beach, Cheri noticed a bunch of vehicles parked in a gravel pull-out on the outskirts of the town of Seaside.  What had caused all these vehicles to stop?  A huge herd of elk was happily grazing, just a stone's throw away from a residential neighborhood.

Just chillin'

We'd been driving around all day looking for elk, and here they were practically in town!  Who would've thought?  Of course Cheri and I pulled over and jumped out, zoom lenses in hand.  We stuck out in the crowd of people, most only armed with cell phone cameras.

Waiting for sunset at Cannon Beach

As we turned onto the exit for Cannon Beach, Cheri spotted another elk herd happily munching the landscaping in the highway median.  But there wasn't time to photograph these elk - we had a sunset to catch!

Famous Haystack Rock in the distance

It was a long walk from our parking area to Haystack Rock, the huge seastack that Cannon Beach is famous for.  The sun was dropping fast, turning skies and sand a kaleidoscope of colors.  The sunset began before I could make it to the rock, so I plopped my tripod down and captured the show from where I stood.

Sky colors reflected in the water

It wasn't too shabby of a spot.  I was able to get Haystack Rock and its accompanying seastacks from one direction, and the southern coastline from the other.  And right before me the sky colors were reflecting beautifully in the rippled waters of the beach.

Pink skies

Then the clouds to the west turned a vibrant shade of pink.  Oh my!  I didn't think things could get better, but they did!

Nice color to the south too

After the sun finally sank below the horizon, I thought that would be it.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

The show went on and on...

Shades of yellow, orange, red and pink lingered in the sky.  The sunset show was just getting started.

Small creek empties into the sea

This colorful sky persisted for several minutes.  Although Cheri and I were getting cold, and still had a long walk back to our car, it was so amazing we couldn't tear ourselves away.  We'd walk a few steps, and then spot a scene just begging to be photographed.  Such as a small creek flowing towards the ocean,  its rippled boundary lit up beautifully by the sky.  One of my favorite images of the evening.

Final shot

Yes, it was a good day on the coast.  Not only did we catch Hug Point Falls at maximum flow, Cheri and I also got to photograph a vanishing shipwreck and herd of elk, capped off by capturing a stunning sunset.  Mission accomplished!