October 30, 2018 Oregon Coast

Another rare sunny day on the Oregon Beach. 50's. 

Our first stop was Darlingtonia State Natural Site where there is a huge meadow of Darlingtonia Californica a carnivorous pitcher plant. It is set in a thick grove of spruce trees. Heceta lighthouse is one of the most photogenic light houses on the coast.  

We stopped at the Sea Lion Caves where there is a huge cave in the cliff that the sea lions live in during the winter. There are no sea lions there today so we did not take the elevator down into the cave to see it. Blackberry bloom and a tide pool. This cool arched tree is above Neptune beach. 

John on Neptune beach looking for tide pools. Cooks chasm is a long chasm that huge waves rush up and crash at the end. Spouting horn is above a cave under the cliff with a hole at the top and spray  shots out when the waves hit the cave just right. 

Huge waves break on the ledges. You can be swept out to sea, injured or drown. I worried about this photographer on the edge, John was further back. In the chasms the huge waves make huge piles of foam that are more fascinating that the waves. 

The sign says at Cooks Chasm:beware of rip currents, beware of sneaker waves, stay off logs, use caution on rocks and jetties, beware of incoming tides, unstable cliffs, stay back from cliff edges. Yarrow and heath blooms along the trail. This is one of the cliffs. At the top right is Thor's Well a giant sink hole. When the waves crash water shoots up it and then drains back out.  

Looking up the coast at Yachats, OR a cute little coastal town. John at the Yachats brewery and farmstore with is amber ale. We had lunch at an outdoor table in the sun.  

Devil's churn. It is another chasm that churns the foam and has crashing waves. Beach trail, no climbing or digging on the cliffs. A crab and a monkey flower below one of the many fresh water springs coming from the cliffs into the ocean. 

John on the Hobbit trail to Hobbit Beach. The trail is named for the thick vegetation tunnels that look like hobbits would use. Clover, handicap space, green/yellow grass and red striped rocks and another hanging clover bloom. 

We took a long walk along Hobbit Beach in the sun. Beautiful colors. 

Cool clouds above Hobbit beach. Pink flowers from a flowering bush, a face in the cliff, succulent leaves and a half a sand dollar. Didn't find any whole ones, just halves.  

Sunset on Hobbit beach and looking south toward Florence on the way home.