Yaquina Head Natural Area

Hey guess what ! this is the same as the "donut" rather ugly/weird looking thingy in the last installment of my blog. Went back to the Tide pools another day and got a better pic of this thing attached to a rock. Drum roll......... it's a Green Sea Anemone, showed a Park Ranger the pic in my camera and she identified it for me. It just looks so different from the anemones you see at OSU Hatfield Marine and Science Center. Wish I'd put my finger in it's mouth and felt the little tentacles close around it. They aren't harmful to adults but a child would feel a sting.
Love the way the surf crashes against the rocks and try to capture the spray on camera. If you enlarge the last pic you'll see the star fish clinging to the rock. The surf really pounds them but they can take the beating without letting go. Of course these pictures are all from Yaquina Head Natural Area in Newport, Oregon.

Tidepools, Quarry Cove, Yaquina Head

Thursday's low tide found us at the artificial tidepools, created in a former rock quarry in 1996. First time we've been fortunate enough to be there at "low tide". Was disappointed there wasn't sea stars or anemones but there was an array of interesting sea life. Whatever is in the upper photo is alive and when touched rather draws within itself. I wasn't sure I wanted to touch it but did and it feels kinda spongy. It's round like a donut but does have an indented center, there was "stuff" caught in there and presume it's food.

The second photo is hermit crabs, no justice here for the color of the shells. They were attached to almost every rock.

Found the white tree branch looking thingy in the third pic to be really neat. Wish I could've picked it up and brought it home but rules are rules. We could observe and gently touch but remove nothing except driftwood. We enjoy the Yaquina Head Natural Area so very much and have been there three times already, might have one more visit before we move farther north up the coast. Golden Age Passports are wonderful, wave 'em at the Ranger at the fee entrance and drive right thru. Today when there the tide was still high but we saw Brown Pelicans, Pigeon Guillemot's with the brightest orange feet you'll ever see, and lots of gulls. There's always something different and exciting. Wednesday we'll move up the coast to Warrenton and see what that part of the coast has in store for us...........can't wait for the installment.

Pacific Ocean/Siltez River

Finally, July 3rd we got our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean, made my heart sing! The Oregon Coast is so breath taking and I could spend hours (literally) watching the waves come in, waves go out, waves come in..... The top pic is looking west from Highway 20, soon to intersect with Highway 101, just outside Newport. We left Sutherlin, OR and our friends in Winston, OR to head to heaven. I fell in love with the Oregon Coast our first trip up here in 2006 and am always ready to head this way again.
Coyote Rock is located outside Lincoln City on the Siltez River, a fisherman's paradise and importantly for us a Passport America Park, they gave us the PA discount for a whole week and reasonable rate for the other 3 days we're here. The last pic is looking out thru the back window of the RV, nice scenery eh? Yesterday we drove down to Depoe Bay and Yaquina Lighthouse, both favorites. Went to a HUGE Fred Meyers (Kroger) grocery/everything store, would be easy to get lost inside. Groceries are higher since we left Arizona but still have to eat. Fuel, specifically diesel at $4.19, is about the same but with the 10 cents a gal from Kroger and rebate from our bank's credit card, we've got it down to $4.04 right now. The sweet California cherries we're getting here are so wonderful, am eating my share and Dave's too. As we get closer to Washington, I'll switch to grapes in the form of Washington wine...................... Tomorrow is Yaquina again, low tide so we're hoping to get to the tidepools. Friday is lunch in Newport with a lady I knew when working at DHL. We're managing to stay busy and give thanks everyday for health and attitude to live this lifestyle. Hope you're all well and enjoying your summer in Arizona, Tennessee, Arkansas or where ever you are. We think of you often, sending love and hugs, Kathy