Sea Life

 

Last summer I traveled 16,000 miles to get one fuzzy photo of a puffin, and here, in Newport Oregon at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, this fellow could not be finer, nor could you find one that would stay still and pose any better. Isn't he cute?

After a morning at the aquarium, we wound northward, enjoying the most beautiful sunny day we have had so far. Those are rare on the coast. We stopped at every stop, lighthouse, beach, cove, whatever. As the Oregonians say, going willy nilly is encouraged.

And yes, we saw whales. They should be north already, eating in the Bering Sea, but Depoe Bay has colony of about 60 year round. I learned last year that whale photography is best left to national geographic. One puff, a hump, and then it is gone, leaving me with a photo of water. I actually saw more humps today that I did in all of Alaska. But I just enjoyed the view, and left the photography to National Geographic.

Finally, off the beaten path, Pacific City, I found a beach like Texas. Well, almost like Texas. If you don't look at the big sand dunes and rocks in the sea and the firs and feel the cool breeze, it's like Texas. What I mean is, people buy a permit and drive on the beach and let their dogs catch frisbees off leash and walk for miles on a flat surface. Some even wear bathing suits, although most have more layers on. Unlike Texas, they haul their Dory boats down to the water and launch them off the beach.