Rick agreed to fill in for a doctor in Newport one of the days at the end of Spring Break so we planned to tag along (added an extra day of vacation/kids missed school) and made a long weekend trip out of it. Blake doesn't remember spending time at the Coast before we left Oregon since he was only 3 and Ashlyn had only been to the Atlantic Coast. We got home from Boise on Thursday night and left for Newport Friday late afternoon, so it required coming home doing laundry quickly and repacking to hit the road. The process was slowed down TREMENDOUSLY by my kids getting angry multiple times that they had to pack coats/sweatshirts and tennis shoes and that we were leaving behind the flip flops, swimming suits and boogie boards...boy were they in for a RUDE awakening heading to the Oregon beaches
It was only 40 degrees and REALLY windy the first day so my little Georgia Peaches were thankful for their coats and tennis shoes! One of the parks that we stopped at along the beach had this really fun slide that the top was a pirate ship. It was a really LONG slide so I literally had to pick Ashlyn up kicking/screaming and throw her down it...Blake wouldn't even go up to the top until she was thrown down and survived. Then they were mad when it was time to move on to the next thing, go figure.
The next stop was Yaquina Light House.
It was REALLY windy when we got up there, so much so that I had to hold onto Ashlyn and help her walk! I had forgotten how cool lighthouses were and the kids had a blast climbing up all 112 stairs to the top.
Then down below the lighthouse were some really cool tide pools...or tide poles as Ashlyn called them. 
The kids walked around them for over an hour and were excited to walk around more the following days. Tide pools and light houses were their favorite differences between GA/FL beaches and the Oregon beaches, they just couldn't get enough of either of them. Ashlyn loved poking the sea anemones with a stick...until one of them stole her stick! She was surprised at first when it closed and sucked her stick in, but laughed pretty hard about it later. 
The next day it wasn't as windy so it felt quite a bit warmer and made for a more enjoyable time. We started the day watching 5 surfers take on some HUGE waves in Depoe Bay. Now Rick and the kids want to get wet suits so we can take the boogie boards next time after all...I'm not too sure if I could get in that water that NEVER gets above 55 degrees even with a wet suit!Then we headed over to Devil's Punch Bowl, however it was low tide so it wasn't very impressive...
...for those of you who have been to the Punch Bowl - Rick and Blake are down IN it, told you it was boring at low tide!
But it made for some really cool tide pools to explore and a waterfall and stream to cross. As we were climbing around a family asked if we had seen the seals that were sunbathing around the inlet...we maneuvered our way around and sure enough there were more than a dozen harbor seals sunbathing on the rocks. I got about 15 feet away from them to take their picture and it didn't bother them a bit. They were so cute, but smelled awful!
Then that night we went down to the Historic Bayfront for dinner at Mo's and who could pass up going down to the docks and seeing the sea lions. 
Ashlyn loved how loud they were.
Check out her sun burnt cheeks, told you it was a nice day! The next day was the best weather by far though - 65 and not a cloud in the sky! You couldn't have asked for a better day on the Oregon Coast in the summer. We had jeans and t-shirts on and were driving with the sunroof open...all of us ended up with raccoon eyes.We went to Devil's Churn on the last day.
Out of all the time I've spent on the Oregon Coast I've never been, but it is the COOLEST place I've been along the coast...the pictures don't do it justice!
Here's Blake and Rick posing for a picture down on the lava rock by the churn, just as a wave was breaking behind them...they didn't get too wet, but wet enough that Ashlyn wasn't willing to pose for a picture with me afterwards.
And lastly, I had to take the picture of Ashlyn and Rick climbing around on the rocks because of the trees growing sideways behind them. It was a beautiful day without any wind, but the trees grow sideways from the crazy wind they usually have.
Even though we have to bundle up with TONS of layers to enjoy the Oregon Coast and can't get in the water or "get our tans on" we sure do love spending time and enjoying the beautiful scenery!
2 comments:
Oh how I LOVE the Oregon Coast. We are headed there this summer. Devin has never been. Can't wait!
Love your posts and sense of humor! Looks like a fun trip to the Oregon coast!
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