On to Oregon: the coast, Crater Lake and more

From Karen:

After we left Mt. Rainier National Park, we headed down to Portland.  We were so very tired from all we had been doing, that we just relaxed all night before heading to the coast the next day.

Along the way to where we were staying in Yachats, we stopped at different sights.  At one stop we saw these funny crows just sitting along the fence.

We also got our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean:

But that wasn't the best part. We turned to go when suddenly someone said, "Look, there's a whale!"  Sure enough, several times we saw the blow hole spouting water first, then we spotted the whale's head.  After a few times spouting off, there was his tail as he went down under!

We left and went to have lunch at a wonderful restaurant called Tidal Raves.  As we were sitting there waiting for our meals to come, the waiter said, "There's a whale!"  We couldn't believe we were able to see another whale!!  What a great introduction to the Pacific coast that was for us.

We continued our journey south and stopped at one of many overlooks.  Luckily for me, Mike looked way over the edge or I would have missed the sea lions:

You could not believe how loud the barking of so many sea lions all at once sounded!  There were also a dozen or so swimming along beside this bunch.

We headed next to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Newport, the tallest on the Oregon coast.  It was a beautiful, foggy day and the lighthouse looked eerie as we approached it:

I was beside myself with excitement when we were told we could actually tour inside the lighthouse and climb to the top of it!  I had never been inside one and couldn't wait!  It was incredible climbing the steps leading to the top and seeing how beautiful it was.

I have to admit that it was more than a bit scary heading back down the stairs!  However, Mike took it with his usual good cheer!

Outside, we explored a little more and found yet another surprise awaiting us.....some seals sunning on a rock.

We also discovered a beautiful little cobblestone beach down below.  Do you know that true cobblestones will bounce when you throw them?

We stayed at a wonderful lodge in Yachats called the Overleaf Lodge and Spa.  Just outside of the lodge was a walkway very similar to Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine, for those of you who know that ocean walk.  We walked it the day we were leaving and it was a treasure.

I have to say a little bit about the coast of Oregon......about the Pacific Ocean.  There is a different feel, a different smell, to the Pacific.  I can't adequately describe it, but it is very different.  The vegetation, the beach, the lack of shells, rocks and seaweed.  Very beautiful, but not the same as the Atlantic.  There is a sense of strength and peace to it that I can't quite put my finger on.  Wonderful, though!

We had a long drive to Crater Lake ahead of us, but wanted to see the Oregon Sand Dunes National Recreation Area.  However, it was a bit disconcerting to see these signs along the way:

I much preferred the second sign to the first!

The sand dunes were really pretty and a lot of fun, too.
 

Then we were off to Crater Lake National Park.  Now many of you may not know this, but I have wanted to go see Crater Lake and stay at the lodge since I saw an NPTV special called "Great Lodges of the Pacific Northwest".  I literally have dreamed about going here someday, and my dream has now come true.

What surprised me was how absolutely stunning it all was just leading up to where the lake is located.  I somehow didn't realize that Crater Lake is located in the middle of the Cascade Mountain range.  That, in fact, Crater Lake was created when the largest mountain in the range, Mt. Mazama, which was also a volcano, erupted.  The mountain that was over 12,000 feet high left nothing but a huge, gaping hole after the eruption.  The edges of the caldera are around 7,000 feet high and the lake is at 6,100 feet.  When you are looking into Crater Lake, you are looking at what used to be the inside of a volcano.  Incredible!!

Part of what we saw on the way up

Part of the Cascade range

Here a some of our first glimpses of Crater Lake, before we actually got to the lodge:

Mike and I decided to hike part way up one of the trails our first night there, and got a little carried away!

That first night, we had the most amazing sunset ever......

We got up very early the next morning.  "Carpe Diem"!!  What a gift we got in return:

Let me tell you, I was in heaven as I sat in those famous rocking chairs having my morning coffee:

I really felt like a kid on Christmas Day!  I was eager for the day to begin so we could experience all that we could.  We had tickets for a boat tour, and had a couple of hours to kill, so we did The Lady of the Woods hike near the Visitor Center.  Several gifts awaited us there.

This was an unfinished sculpture for which the trail is named.

Somebody else was having breakfast early:

As we drove around the lake to where the boat tour was, the sky was glorious!

We headed to the boat tour which entailed a 700 foot hike down to where the boat awaited us.  A fellow traveler was kind enough to take a picture for us.

Join us on a tour around Crater Lake as we discover what is inside the different walls of the caldera:

The incredible blue of the water
	You are actually seeing down below about 40 feet:
 A "castle" inside the wall 	Wizard Island

The Phantom Ship

After a wonderful day exploring all the treasures to be found in and around Crater Lake,  we awoke the next day to one more beautiful sunrise:

One last gift to us from Crater Lake before we departed for our continuing adventure!!

~Karen