A Change of View

Today, we did something new for us – we changed sites!  After we’d been here a day or so, I realized that our site here at Winchester Bay did not afford us what I consider to be the best view, although it wasn’t too shabby.  This is looking out the front window at the marina:

However, there are pull-through sites on an inside row that would give us these views from the side windows and toward the back of the coach:

 

That is Winchester Bay and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.  When the tide is coming in, we can hear the waves breaking on the seawall just on the other side of the back-in sites behind us. 

I took three pictures out the side window by our dining table and stitched them together for this panorama:

Yesterday afternoon, I checked with the office, and cleared it for us to move.  This morning we pulled in the slides and moved back two rows.  Now I can sit on my couch and look out at the bay and river.  If I turn my head slightly, I can still see the marina out the side window on the passenger side of the coach.  We don’t have quite the view out the front now, but the side views (and the sound of the surf) way more than make up for that.

After we got re-settled in, it was off to check out Heceta Head Lighthouse, which is about 30 miles north on Highway 101.  This picture was taken from the viewpoint just south of Heceta Head, and is probably one of the most-taken pictures along the coast:

Below us at the view point we could hear the sea lions barking.  The sea lion caves are in this area, but today I think they were all out in the water on and the beach.  I’m glad we didn’t pay to go in and walk down to the caves! 

We could see them playing in the water:

We continued on to the turn off for the lighthouse:

Got the car parked and paid our $3 fee, and then hiked the 1/2 mile up to the lighthouse.  We were happy to find that we could go inside.  This lighthouse was lit by it’s first order Fresnel Lens in 1894 and is still functioning now.  The tower is 56 feet tall, but sits 205 feet above the sea, and it’s light is visible 21 miles out to sea:

At some point in it’s recent history, the Coast Guard thought it would be a good idea to sandblast the whitewash off the interior walls.  They thought by getting rid of the 100 or so years’ worth of whitewash, they would solve the problem of moisture in the walls.  Wrong!  Now there is even more moisture seeping in through the bare bricks, causing a lot of work for the volunteers who must empty the dehumidifier at least once a day, if not more often.   Jim took this picture as we descended the steps:

One more picture from the trail above the light.  I know this picture makes it look like the tower is leaning, but I think it was actually a leaning photographer, or the steep trail she was standing on!

 

What  a great visit to a beautiful lighthouse!

When we left there, we came back down Highway 101 to Reedsport, where we took Highway 38 East for a few miles to check out the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area.  We saw a fox, many geese, and a heard of cow elk grazing.  Nice!  Hopefully, we can get back over there at some point while we’re in the area and find some bull elk. 

Back home to watch the sun set and the moon rise.  Well, someone has to do this!