Blogs from Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States, North America

There's just something about the beach that sets your soul alive, and being on a beach in a faraway land is something else altogether. The first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, I was 25 and my husband and I were on our first big road trip. We had settled on traveling down Highway 101 in Oregon, then catching Highway 1 all along the coast of California. For two kids from North Carolina who had never ventured west of the Mississippi River, this was a life-changing trip of a lifetime. While I adored the rugged cliffs of California and had my breath absolutely taken away as we crossed along Big Sur near sunset, my favorite part of the journey actually happened during the first few days of the trip, before we even crossed over the Oregon/California ... read more

We were informed by email on the morning of our departure via the High Speed Clipper from Victoria to Seattle that the normal vessel had mechanical problems and would be replaced by another which unfortunately could not carry as many passengers. An incentive of full fare refund plus a $50.00 spending voucher did not however appeal as our departure would have been delayed until 7pm that night. As we sat in the departure lounge after passing through US Border patrol, they were still appealing for 6 passengers to take up their very generous offer. But we pressed on regardless and were glad we did so as it would have been a long day indeed had we rearranged our travel schedule. 2 huge diesel jet engines powered our vessel across the open waters from Vancouver Island in ... read more

Off to the beach today. First stop Astoria, on the mouth of the Columbia river. It's one of those small American towns stuck in a time warp - ca 1950s. Lots of films were shot here - Kindergarten Cop and Free Willy were the ones we remember. There is a long waterfront, with jetties sticking out into the sea, canneries and maritime suppliers smelling of salt water and fish and small streets with old fashioned shops stuck in a bygone era, including the worlds's smallest JC Penney. We wander around and agree on an early clam chowder lunch, which is made freshly for us and takes us back to long forgotten family holidays in Massachusetts. We sit over lunch and look around for the guy on the witness protection program, as this must be the sort ... read more

This morning we woke to a covering of sea mist which usually means not a good day for pictures. However, by the time we reached Ecola State Park the mist had cleared enough to add interesting effects to the pictures. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, located 1.2 miles seaward off Tillamook Head, can be viewed from Ecola State Park. The rock has a 62 ft. high tower and stands 133 ft. above sea level. Its exposure to fierce storm waves gave it the nickname “Terrible Tilly”. Originally commissioned in 1881 to guide vessels into the Columbia River, it has now been replaced by a whistle buoy. It is the only privately owned lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. There is no public access to Tillamook Rock. Views from Ecola State Park over the beach to Haystack Rock are always ... read more

I'd seen Springer. I'd seen all those images of Walmart frequent flyers that inundate the net. I'd seen all the films and heard all the anecdotes. I was prepared for total immersion into the trailer park lifestyle, right down to pseudonyms, Cletis for myself and Roxanne for the bride. I even had my outfit sitting in the wardrobe - blue work singlet, stick on tats and a durrie for the corner of the mouth. After 2 weeks, was it all a myth? Was my stereotypical image of US trailer folk merely a fabrication pedalled out by Jerry Springer in the hunt for ratings? We were beginning to think that way until.......... I won't mention the town's name but it's RV park at least gave us a small window into that genre. The trick is to look ... read more