Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Journey to a Land of Water Wind and Fire

Part B: The Oregon Coast II e

On the Beach

And so, we are here, at the Pacific Ocean. Only this time, unlike the day before, everything appears to be more like what we are used to from the Atlantic Coast. I mean, look at it. What do you see? You see sand, and water, and waves coming in. Everything looks like it does at Ocean City Maryland, Long Beach New York, or even Jacksonville Beach Florida, right?


Wrong.


For one thing, there are the waves continually coming in. More frequently than on the Atlantic. Now admitted, the Atlantic can get churned up as this, and maybe today is just a choppy day out here. But I don't think so. Everyone has been talking about how calm it has been.


Well, at least the waves do not appear to be all that towering. But wait, what is this? A. wades out into the surf and exclaims, it's cold. very cold.


And so I go out as well. And yes, she is right! It is cold! And this is the latter half of August, for heavens sake. Plenty of time for the water to warm up. If it is going to warm up that is.


And then I see some other things on the beach, things that used to be alive, but now are not. And they come in on a wave, and arrange themselves on the beach. And so we go over and yes, we are doing "Still Life" camera work. One shot, another one to be on the safe side and then. . .we skitter out of the way of another wave. And this wave comes up and washes our still life away, back out into the sea. And So It Goes . . .


After about a half hour of this we decide to head on back. J. is on his way up to meet us and we don't want to miss our connection. And it is a long ways back there.

And so, with a few more glances, and one more dash into the cold surf to get our toes wet, we leave. We have been to the beach.