Richard's Travels: Waldport

9-17-2016

Sometime planning does not work out. Most of the group left yesterday and went to the new location.

David, Joanne, Bill and I tried to stay an extra day and take a ride on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad trip. After Labor Day it runs only on the weekend. It started to rain last night and it did not stop.

I decided it would be no fun to go on that ride and see very little because of the downpour. I asked the camp host whether I could use the ten dollars I had paid already for staying today, for using the dump station and empty the holding tanks and get more fresh water.

She did not mind and I got going in the rain. It rained all the way to Waldport, all eighty miles. Highway 101 is a scenic road and normally very beautiful, but today I was wiping away water from the windshield.

I am parked right on the bank of the river.

The meadow belongs to a private party. He lets us stay for ten dollars a day. If it works out with us he wants our input and he might use it for groups like us.

At the 4:00 PM meeting only a brave few souls showed up. It had not stopped raining.

There is no telephone service out here, no TV and no WIFI. Even my telephone booster does not pick up any signal.

9-18-2016.

We left at 9:30 AM for the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. It is part of the University of Oregon.

There are a lot of hands on displays and scientific tools like this Rumbleometer which measures earth quakes on the bottom of the ocean.

A display shows how oysters are raised on ropes and in cages.

Information about reefs is available.

One of the large problems is the depletion of fish in the oceans. This is addressed here.

In the tide pools people are encouraged to touch the sea life.

A one man submarine is on display at the outside of the science center.

Our next stop was the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

At the Seabird Aviary we were able to come very close to the birds. Volunteers made sure visitors would not touch the birds.

I am always intrigued by the jelly fish. They are so delicate. How do they survive in the rough ocean?

The sea otters are the favorite creatures of many visitors. They are so playful and fun to watch.

It was especially fun at feeding time.

The aquarium has a large glass tunnel and the fish can be seen from the top and bottom.

Outside is a playground for children.

On the way home we stopped in Old Town Newport. There are many stores and restaurants catering to the tourists. A lot of buildings have murals.

The sea lions are a main attraction. One can hear them from far away. They were fighting for a space on the floating dock.

It did not rain today but it was foggy most of the day. We had a good time though.

9-19-2016.

Today I spent a lot of time in the Waldport library.

I went to the library first and then to the Historical Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center. The center is closed on Mondays.

The weather was lousy so I went back to the library.

The rest of the group did a walk across the bridge.

I was waiting for several phone calls from Germany. Since there is no cell phone service where we are staying with our motorhomes I had to stay in town.

At 1:00 PM my sister called. It was 10:00 PM in Germany.

Ken, a friend from Florida, called too.

It was a perfect day for cooking.

We are staying next to the Alsea River.

Across the bay is a RV Park with a covered boat dock.

Karen’s dog is very beautiful and protective.

9-20-2016.

Finally, the rain is gone. We had a wonderful day.

We went down the Oregon coast to Yachats. At a beach, south of Yachats, we stopped and checked out the tide pools. The city was still in a little bit of fog.

At Devils Churn we watched the water come into a narrow cliff.

We stopped at the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area Visitor Center and saw a movie about this part of Oregon.

Then we drove to the Perpetua Overlook which is about eight hundred feet above sea level. The view from up there was just fantastic, even with the fog.

When we came back to Yachats everybody went to the Blue Whale restaurant for lunch. I had brought my own and after eating it went exploring. I found the Oregon Pacific Coast Trail and walked it for a while. It follows the coast and goes through forested areas and neighborhoods.

Besides the beautiful coast one can also admire the large, elaborate homes.

After lunch we went to the Little Log Church by the Sea.

From there we drove to Smelt Sands State Park and stayed there for an hour watching the waves hit a narrow canyon and the water went straight into the air. Catching the right moment was not easy.

Dave had to go near the action. He is in the distance, barely visible. A large wave finally got him and he got wet.

9-21-2016.

In the morning I replaced the water pump in the motorhome. It kept running even when I turned off the water. It was just making noise and using electricity. My motorhome is in the shade most of the day and the batteries do not get fully charged. The old pump was wasting precious electricity.

I had bought the water pump in January in Quartzsite.

After I was done with my work I went to the library. Then I made some phone calls. Something we cannot do where we are staying. I have to live without television too.

From the library I drove to the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport. It is the only wooden lighthouse in Oregon and was only used for a few years because it was located at the wrong spot.