The nicest thing about retirement (besides just not dealing with the stress of work) is the ability to just drop everything one day and go do something different. I think it is one of those things that you fantasize about while working; but in truth we have a routine and don’t just up and run around on the spur of the moment. Tuesday February 17 was different. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day in Portland and I happened to look at the weather page in the paper and saw the coast was going to be marvelous. Notice I said “coast”, not “beach”. That’s a big difference from Southern California where I grew up. There is no swimming in the north Oregon ocean; the water is way, WAY to cold for anyone over 13 not equipped with a wet or dry suit.
We dropped our chores and headed west about an hour and a half to Canon Beach.
Even down on the water’s edge the temperature was in the mid 60s with very little wind. One of the top five weather days I’ve experienced on the Oregon coast. Ecola creek empties into the ocean marking the northern end of Canon Beach. Looking north you can see Bird Rocks off Chapman Point. Notice the lighthouse at the very far end of the point. The gulls find good eating at this point of the beach
We walked about two miles south and had lunch at Mo’s Restaurant – an Oregon coast classic. Carla had fish and chips. I had a crab melt sandwich. And of course we each had a cup of their fantastic clam chowder.
On the way back the sun was at my back so I got a few pics of Haystack Rock – the predominant geographic feature of Canon Beach. If you use your imagination you can see how the rock was much bigger years ago and the ocean has slowly whittled it into the big Haystack Rock and three companions.
The tide was out so we took a few minutes to wander near the tide pools.
We’ve seen starfish here before but today it was sea anenomes.
We stopped by downtown to enjoy ice cream cones while sitting in the sun on benches downtown before heading home.
A perfect day.
