Wind blown waves Roads End beach
Winter weather forecast looked good for the Oregon Coast so off we went. We used Lincoln City as our "base camp". Monday (2.6.12) it was 60 degrees on the coast with bright blue skies and sunshine. What joy to walk the beach. I hiked the beach at Road End. I saw several people searching the gravels and sands of the beach. Later I found out that with the low tides, they were taking the opportunity to search for agates, especially the local "Newport blue/blacks".
I took a few "surf photos" on the beach hike Monday, and later stopped by a local rock shop to ask about the agates and sought after rocks of the area. For pocket change I bought two small unpolished, un tumbled (except by sea) of the Newport Blue/Black agates. I also bought some pretty polished versions for good luck talisman for my wife.
Tuesday morning (2.7.12) the clouds came in, but not rain in the morning hours. My wife and I took a wonderful day hike from the Salmon River estuary, north of Lincoln City, Oregon to the "Upper Viewpoint" of the Nature Conservancy Trail. It was a short hike, gaining 1,200 feet, but oh my the views! We really enjoyed the hike. I was wanting to hike the Harts Cove trail, but the access road is closed six month of the year to protect the habitat of the Oregon Silverspot butterfly.
The Cascade Head hike takes you through some quite unique biospheres. Aside from the spectacular views south across the Salmon River estuary (you can see the headlands of the Roads End beach, which I had hiked the day before and Devils' Lake) - - there are two wildflowers that grow on Cascade Head in the Spring (a good reason to return for us for another hike then):
1. Cascade Head catchfly [Silene douglassi var. oraria]. Sound like the name of a bird but it is a wildflower found in few other places in the world. 99% grow on Cascade Head.
2. Hairy stemmed checkermallow [Sidalcea hirtipis]. More common than the catchfly but nonetheless, rare.
As mentioned the Oregon Silverspot butterfly makes its home on Cascade Head. This butterfly is found in only five other places in the world. The host plant for these butterflies is the Blue Violet [Viola adunca]. It is the only plant the Silverspot caterpillar will feed on, so like milkweed for the Monarch butterfly, they butterfly and plant are tied together closely. No blue violets, then no Oregon Silverspots.
The adult butterfly retreat to the edging forest in the area to avoid the high winds and predation. But they return to the Blue Violet in the meadows to lay their eggs and this is where their caterpillar must make their way in life.
I hope to return to take the same hike in late April or early May and photograph some of the wildflowers, as well as take more landscape photographs of the stunning views from the trail and the Upper Viewpoint.
Not many Flickr worthy photographs, but I hope you enjoy the ones I have posted. FYI: RAIN returned to the Oregon Coast on Wednesday morning, so we headed on home.
Comments and faves
jimgspokane (4 months ago | reply)
Very nice shooting!!
Boyd Miller (4 months ago | reply)
Darn....we try to keep these places secret.
Sabrina Miso added this photo to her favorites. (4 months ago)
ladigue_99 (4 months ago | reply)
very impressive waves! Yes, I enjoyed the ones you posted!
oldmantravels (4 months ago | reply)
Thank you Jim. It is raining here at home at the moment and suddenly the sunny day on the Oregon Coast, last Monday.....looks mighty good. HA. OMT
oldmantravels (4 months ago | reply)
Artist Boyd from Newport, Oregon - - sorry about that but I'm pretty certain that the secret of how beautiful and varied is the Pacific coast of Oregon - - has been out for quite some time. Glad you folks don't seem to take offense to Washington license plates when we visit. I looked at your photographs and you certainly are an artist. Your photography work is beautiful and I'm certain you could teach all of us how to best capture the power and the beauty of the Oregon Coast beaches and surf. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments (I will sneak into Oregon before dawn next time and exit after dusk). HA. OMT
oldmantravels (4 months ago | reply)
Thank you Ladigue - - After all the fine tropical fish photos you have posted lately you might not recognize the sea from up on top or from the beach SMILE. It was good to get out once again and enjoy the outdoors. OMT
Carolee Salat (4 months ago | reply)
What a spectacular shot!
oldmantravels (4 months ago | reply)
Thank you much Carolee. Always like good feedback from the Flickr artists out there (like you). OMT
blue foot (4 months ago | reply)
mmm,definitely my kind of scenery, love the sea, love this.
oldmantravels (4 months ago | reply)
Jenni, from the land down under - - Thank you. I have had the privilege of seeing some of your coast line west of Melbourne, so I know you know you coastal scenery. Thanks for stopping by. OMT