Sand, rocks, on the rocks, on the docks

After leaving Florence, we entered sand dune country - the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. These dunes are not puny. The dunes are massive, towering dunes, some 500 feet tall or higher. The dunes region is so wide that Highway 101 is often a mile or more away from the sea and at an elevation of maybe a couple hundred feet. Between 101 and the sea, the dunes stretch all to the beaches.


Interestingly, the entire area is open to off-roaders so dirt bikes and quad vehicles have huge areas to play around in. This part of the year, there weren't many plying/playing of the sand, but the area is probably swarming with the un-muffled 2-and 4-wheeled contraptions in the summertime.


The Umpqua River Lighthouse became operational in 1857, followed by becoming un-operational in 1863. The light was extinguished because the lighthouse was built too close to the river bank. After its collapse, a new one was built, which is the one seen today. It is 61 feet tall and has a range of 21 miles.


Finally descending to sea level, we found a nice beach with dunes and grass and 2-footed it for the Pacific. "Sally, go stand in the water and I'll take your picture" was followed by "Sure!" and shortly thereafter by a shriek. The Pacific had sneaked up and coolly introduced itself with a breaking wave.


Next stop was a nice cove with picnic tables and watchful crows in nearby trees. 


(We pause now for today's educational and punning question: what do you call 2 crows? Answer: attempted murder. Snork! Love that one! As another sidebar, Mark wishes his collective noun invention of "a catastrophe of politicians" would be officially adopted into the English lexicon.)


Next, at Simpson Reef Overlook, we found one of several sea rocks from which emanated a _lot_ of barking. This set of rocks had seals** swimming, lounging, barking, swain and all other manner of activity; they were surrounded by pelicans, breaking waves and lovely scenery. 


More beautiful scenery followed; in fact, pretty much all of the Pacific coastline we drove by was wild and unspoiled with rocky islands, wildlife, breaking waves, and beautiful shorelines bordered by greenery. 


But it was time to turn thoughts from green to red and thus: the Cosmopolitan. As in: 1.5 parts citrus vodka, 1  part Cointreau, 1  part cranberry juice, 3/4 part lime juice. Wait, what? Well, because one of those ingredients is germane to this entry, because we are into edification and because the next stretch of Oregon land near Bandon is prime cranberry-growing country. Cranberries grow in wetlands, and it turns out that Oregon ranks fourth among Western states in terms of cranberries (the East coast produces most of them it would appear). 


While late in the season, there were in fact some bogs readily seen by the roadside, so logically there were of them about, and we saw berries floating int them. Farmers flood the bogs with water, and use harvesting machines to loosen the floating berries from the vines. After that, the loose berries are scooped out and processed into juice, sauce, candy, and other products that only require flavor (we're guessing the harvesting machinery is not good for cosmetics).


Next up was Port Orford dolly port. With a "dolly dock", crane hoists lift the boats in and out of the water, and the boats are stored on the dock or on land. In Port Orford, the water is too shallow for safe mooring, and so the dolly dock is required. When not on the ocean, the boats are parked in rows on the dock, usually in custom-made trailers that facilitate moving around and positioning on the dock.


After nearly being attacked by dinosaurs, Gold Beach was the stop for the night, where a spectacular sunset was viewed. Tuna was happy to get out of the car, get water, food and litter box (in reverse order) and even offered up a kiss.


**Continuing with our collective noun theme, it appears groups of seals have many different ways to be described:

• bob of seals


• colony of seals


• crash of seals


• flock of seals


• harem of seals


• herd of seals


• plump of seals


• pod of seals


• rookery of seals


• spring of seals


• team of seals