Passing Time in the Northwest
"In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth."
- Rachel Carson
If you have never travelled to the northwest coast of the U.S. you are missing an amazing treat. Two summers ago, my wife and I spent several days in Portland, Oregon at a conference. I found downtown Portland to be a very accessible city, easy to walk, and filled with wonderful eateries (Luc lac Vietnamese Kitchen, TE (Tasting East), Bijou Cafe, Ringside Fish House) and even a great brewery (Deschutes Brewery) where you can sit at a sidewalk table outside and enjoy your beverage and early evening appetizer.
After spending a couple of afternoons exploring the downtown, we made a plan to head to the coast for the day. After consulting with several of the locals, we decided on Cannon Beach as our destination point. Cannon Beach is a quaint little town situated on the Pacific Coastline. While it caters to tourists, nothing is overdone and it retains a small Oregon town feel. Renting a Subaru Forester for the day, we chose to make our way to Cannon Beach by way of Tillamook. This allowed us to do two things: visit the famous Tillamook County Creamery (a.k.a The Tillamook Cheese Factory) and take in the rugged Oregon coastline. From Tillamook we traveled north along the Oregon Coast Highway (Hwy 101) toward our destination.
Aside from the breathtaking pullouts along the way, this route took us through the beautiful Oswald West State Park and Hug Point State Park, where one would expect to see Bigfoot appear at any moment. The day was overcast and cool with the promise of rain always looming in the distance. The thick misty cloud cover seemed to lend a somewhat ethereal quality to parts of the coastal highway.
It wasn't until we arrived at Cannon Beach, that we were struck by just how cold and gray the day had turned. Mind you that this was early August, but we could easily have sat by a fire to warm ourselves. Hot chocolate sounded really good at that moment. If you have only experienced the eastern Atlantic, the northern Pacific coast can be quite a surprise. In contrast to the familiar hot white sands and blazing sun, this stretch of coast has tightly packed dark grey sands, with a flat beach that seemingly stretches forever into the chilly pacific waters.
As we walked along the coast, we set our point on an outcropping of rock close to the shore. The massive size of this rock only became obvious as we slowly approached it. We were transfixed as this towering sentinel emerged from the mist. We found that it is called Haystack Rock standing at a height of 235 feet. On a clear day it is easy to observe the puffins nesting on its cliffs.
Since this entry seems have multiple references to food and restaurants, I thought I should add one more. If you should find yourself at Cannon Beach, be sure to stop by the Driftwood Inn Restaurant and Lounge located in the heart of the small town. While the restaurant is unassuming, the food is spectacular. Be sure to try the clam chowder and fresh Northwest Pacific salmon. You won't be disappointed.
Note: While I did not take much photo gear with me on this day (only 1 camera and lens), I felt fortunate that I was able to create a few images that captured the essence of that day. I hope you enjoy.