Travels with Suzi

RETIREMENT TRIP #7

Scenic Viewing in Oregon: Our Final Day

We’ve had ten good days so we were due! Today is it! At Castaway Motel by the Sea, the cliff wasn’t visible when we got up. Thank goodness Andy had ordered a picture last night before our fish dinner feast at the angry Norwegian’s Fish and Chips.

The only part of the country that has seasonal temperatures this morning is the Pacific Northwest. It was still dribbling rather profusely at 9:30 a.m. after breakfast, and Humbug Mountain at 1,756 feet was shrouded in clouds. Undoubtedly, the front was a harbinger of the coming fall. Weather like this is the Oregon coastal winter, and from the looks and feel of things today, winter’s coming.

Not easy to find, Otter Point Beach is deserted early Sunday.

At Arizona Beach the seagulls bathed in a tide pool low spot in the sand. I focused on them from the car, but the camera, even covered with a plastic bag, wasn’t happy.

Huge swells, at least ten-footers, crashed into the beach at Ophir Rest Area. A few lone tourists stopped to stare in awe at the might of the sea. The rain had let up, but a gentle mist dampened everything. “It’s improving,” said Andy hopefully.

The Geisel Family burial site is maintained by the state in memory of John Geisel and his three young sons—John, Henry and Andrew—who were massacred by the Indians in 1856.

Otter Point wasn’t advertised, and the one-lane access road was potted and rough, but the views were spectacular. We hiked out to the point that jutted far into the sea. Huge basalt rocks rose out of the surf, as waves broke around them. We had the place to ourselves.

Not much remains of the Mary D. Hume after an illustrious
career in maritime history.

“I never would have found this if you hadn’t pointed out the old road,” said Andy. The sun almost came through. Only blue sky was lacking.

We crossed the Rogue River at the Rogue River Bridge into Gold Beach. The sun came out just in time. Here at the base of the bridge was the wreck of the Mary D. Hume.

In 1876, Mr. R.D. Hume of Astoria, Oregon, moved his commercial fishing business to the mouth of the Rogue River to capitalize on the large run of King Salmon, as they came upriver to reproduce. But in 1880, his small steamer the VARUNA, sank on the Rogue River bar on a rough and windy day in Gold Beach. Mr. Hume salvaged the steam engine and started immediate plans to replace his lost freighter.

He located a 141-foot tall White Cedar tree 13 miles upriver and had it cut and floated downstream to what is now the Port of Gold Beach. This became the keel for his new vessel, and tree roots would be ribs.

On January 21, 1881, the vessel was launched as the Mary D. Hume, in honor of his wife. It served 97 years of active commercial sea service, the longest for any commercial vessel on the Pacific Coast. Also unique is the fact that she retained her original name from the 1881 registry to today.

She hauled wool, canned salmon and other goods from Oregon to San Francisco as a coastal freighter her first ten years. On December 5, 1889, the Pacific Whaling Company purchased her for $25,000, so she started a ten-year career in the Bering Sea. The Mary D. Hume recorded the largest ever catch of whale Baleen, valued at $400,000 after a 29-month voyage, and then she made Arctic whaling history with the longest recorded whaling voyage of six years. After a disastrous storm in 1899, she was retired to towing service in the Nushagak River in Alaska.

The American Tug Boat Company purchased her as an ocean tugboat on May 20, 1909. After a brief career in the Alaskan halibut industry, she returned to service as a tugboat. Final retirement was in the summer of 1978, when she sailed under her own power to the Port of Gold Beach where she had been built.

Standing at the barrier of Route #101, we see
stupendous views of the ocean.

Cape Sebastian Scenic Corridor preserves ocean scenery.

Three young seals played in the river, heads bobbing up and down and water splashing. First I thought it was waves lapping over a rock; then, birds diving for food, but the movements were too erratic. What fun they were having!

A few miles farther down the road the Hunter Creek Turnout gave us beautiful views of the ocean. Holding my hand, Andy guided me up the cliff side for the shots.

“We’re never going to see Cape Sebastian,” said Andy. The huge, old pine trees at the point were smothered in fog and only a mile or two back we had beautiful blue sky. Six years ago it was here at Cape Sebastian in a downpour that we decided to head to Reno instead of staying on the Coast.

That wouldn’t be the case today. Only the heights were fogged in. When we got to the beach, the sun poked through again. But we couldn’t see the actual Cape. “I think it was on this beach where we took the spooky driftwood pictures six years ago,” said Andy.

Unhappy with views from the wayside, Andy stopped along the road.

“Climb over the barrier,” he suggested. “We’ll have better shots from here.” He was right. Carefully and staying well behind the highway barrier, we walked along Route #101 to see Cape Sebastian Scenic Corridor.

The beach at Pistol River spread miles
in every direction along the water.

A long, sandy walk in, the Pistol River Beach is worth the trek.

We tried the Point again, but it hadn’t cleared.

Pistol River Beach was deserted and beautiful. It was a long, sandy walk through the dunes to the beach, but it was so worth the trek.

Waves pound the coast at Pistol River

Fog hugs the coast but the land is warm.

Andy almost got caught by a big wave as the tide came in. It was actually hot on the beach at Pistol River. “That’s why they call it the Banana Coast,” said Andy.The Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Area is reputed to be some of the most beautiful Oregon Coastline. Samuel Boardman was Oregon’s first and most influential Superintendent of Parks. He started the Oregon State Park System here and acquired land for public use.

Boardman's influence as superintendent of parks saves
spectacular views for all citizens to enjoy.

We stopped at the first pullout, Arch Rock Viewpoint. Fog formed a layer midway between the beach and cliff summit. We walked the trails and took pictures of the Arch Rock surrounded by ocean. Lots of other visitors did the same on Sunday afternoon.

Natural Bridges entailed a short walk back into a river overhang. There near the cliff side was a lone rock with a natural bridge.

In a secluded cove, water has worn a
natural bridge into the rock.

Waves pound basalt rocks and cliffs as
the tide comes in along
Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Area.

Other small, two-car pullouts along Route #101 gave us more spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Oregon coastline. There were also some gorgeous, lonely beaches.

Every beach has its own unique beauty.

Boardman Scenic Area offers wildlife
refuges on the rocky heights.

The fog came and went over Lone Ranch Beach. It cleared as the tide retreated and a north wind blew in cooler temperatures. We walked along the beach and looked for agates. “I never expected to even see the sun the way the morning started,” said Andy, “so this is a gift.”

Driftwood pieces and Oregon agates litter Lone Beach.

Waves swirl and churn as the tide
turns at Lone Beach.

Hundreds of rocks popped up in the water along Route #101 as we approached Brookings. The fog lifted as well for gorgeous views of a crashing ocean.

Like others, we stroll along Harris Beach at low tide.

Along Route #101, every view is
a masterpiece.

Colors splash with waves along 101.

Even the highway roadside
is magnificent.

Every stop meant a descent to a beach and the climb back up.

We did the same thing at Harris Beach State Recreation Site, but this time we walked more than an hour along the sand. The tide, going out, left puddles everywhere, so we picked our way between water, driftwood and huge rocks of black basalt.