End of the Homer Campbell Memorial Trail at the Finley Wildlife Refuge (Photo: Julia Ozab)
The Perfect Frame
Travel
Over the next six months, I’ll be building up a collection of travel-writing clips. You can find them all here:
Old Red Tractor
At Detering Orchards (Photo: Anna Ozab)
So Many Rocks, So Little Time
On Heceta Head Beach (Photo: Julia Ozab)
Our Oregon Coast Journey, Part Four
Photo: Julia Ozab
As part of her Brownie work this summer, Anna is taking the Wonders of Water journey. Because she’s currently between troops (for reasons I won’t go into here), she’s taking this journey over the summer with us, and our Oregon Coast trip was a big part of it.
After a second day of driving down the coast, we stayed put for a day so we could take our time visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. The two facilities sit side by side on the south side of Yaquina Bay, and both are great places for kids to learn about the marine species that live off the Oregon Coast.
Photo: Julia Ozab
The Oregon Coast Aquarium features many of the local species of birds, fish, and marine mammals native to the area. The first three permanent exhibits—located inside the main building—introduce visitors to the Oregon shoreline and many species that call these waters home. First up, Sandy Shores, which unveils the narrow but complex ecosystem found where land and sea meet.
Our Oregon Coast Journey, Part Three
Tillamook Bay
As part of her Brownie work this summer, Anna is taking the Wonders of Water journey. Because she’s currently between troops (for reasons I won’t go into here), she’s taking this journey over the summer with us, and our Oregon Coast trip was a big part of it.
Our first full day on the coast ended in a little town called Garibaldi. On our second day we visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory and the Blue Heron French Cheese Company, both in Tillamook, and then drove the Three Capes Loop down to Pacific City.
The first cape on the loop is Cape Meares, home of the Cape Meares Lighthouse.
Cape Meares Lighthouse
At only two stories tall, it’s the shortest of the Oregon Coast Lighthouses. The height of the cape made a taller lighthouse unnecessary. Built in 1890, the lighthouse guarded the entrance to Tillamook Bay until it was deactivated in 1963. The lighthouse was spared from demolition by public support, but suffered several major acts of vandalism over the next few years before the State Parks department took over the site in 1968.
Our Oregon Coast Journey, Part Two
In Seaside, Oregon
As part of her Brownie work this summer, Anna is taking the Wonders of Water journey. Because she’s currently between troops (for reasons I won’t go into here), she’s taking this journey over the summer with us, and our Oregon Coast trip was a big part of it.
After leaving Astoria, we drove down to Seaside to visit the Seaside Aquarium. The aquarium is small and easy to miss. It can’t compare in size or scope to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, but it features one activity that its larger cousin lacks.
Seals waiting to be fed.
You can buy fish and feed the seals.
Anna’s Coast Gallery
The Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River.
