Gypsy & The Navigator

A Kite Festival And More

The Oregon coast is lined with small towns and each one has something different to offer.

I saw a banner advertising a Kite Festival in Brookings.

We had no idea what to expect.  I thought it might be a bunch of people flying kites at the same time.

No, this was a beautifully orchestrated kite flying performance. 

The kites fly up, down, right, left, in circles, in whirling synchronization to music.  

My favorite was three American Flag kites choreographed to patriotic music.  Wish I could have gotten a better photo but they were so wispy (which made their movements amazing) and it was midday so no real contrast with the sky.

Being a festival there would be festival food and we had not seen a chocolate covered pickle before.  I had to try it.  Let's just say that the flavors are better separate. 

The festival was near the Brookings Lighthouse.  It is an unusual private lighthouse built as an addition to a home.  The federal government approved its use and has been lit since 1997.  And look what we took home.  A huge fresh salmon.  Yum.

Oh, the BERRIES.  We have spent many sunshiny hours picking blackberries.  They are everywhere.  Our favorite spot is along the Sixes River. Blueberries are big and sweet.  We have gone to several potlucks and the locals bring huge amounts to enjoy there with plenty to take home as well.

Some of the potlucks have been at the Sixes Grange where we have gone to play Bingo.  I have won once but not enough to cover all of our play.  I think it is pretty fun.  Yes, we have our own daubers.

 

There are frequent delays as we travel Highway 101.  The highway is eroding away along the coast and all the bridges are being retrofitted so there is quite a bit of construction going on.  The logging trucks are slow going up the hills with their heavy loads. 

There are so many things to see along the Highway.  Every time we pass this woodworking shop there is something new.  Not always pretty but always eye catching. 

We enjoy going to the little town of Bandon.  There are great places to eat and quaint little shops to wander through.

Bandon has Henry the Fish.  He has been constructed out of debris that has landed on the beach. I have found that Oregon beaches are very clean but every now and then there is something that someone has carelessly left behind.  

Just a short walk from the RV Park is the Port Orford Wetlands Interpretive Walkway.  Right off the Highway but surrounded by trees, bushes, grasses and flowers that makes it a peaceful island. 

The skunk cabbage (above) is plentiful in the wetland and has stalks of potential blooms.  The dainty flowers on the blackberry bushes give promise of sweet berries to come.  In the coastal area you can find berry bushes with blossoms clear up to ripe luscious fruit. 

Wildflowers are plentiful here and keep my camera clicking. 

Trees full of fruit on nearby yards.  

We have spent lots of time at the Port watching the annual dredging maintenance to keep the channel cleared of sediment.  It goes on all day and all night.  We were there to see the barge with the crane loaded when the job was complete and the tug boat headed it out to sea on to its next job.

On one of our trips to Brookings we made a stop at Harris Beach.   Lots of sandy beach and plenty of sea stacks.

It is the busiest beach that we have been to.  It is easy to get to from Brookings and has a reputation of having unusually nice weather when other beaches do not.  Not only that.......it is strikingly beautiful.

The seafood is so good.  My favorite place to go is Griff's On The Dock in Port Orford.  The Crab Cheese Melt calls my name frequently.  It is is just one of many things I will miss when it is time to leave.

“Look at that sea, girls--all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.”

L M Montgomery,  Anne of Green Gables. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Jetboat Ride On The Wild And Scenic Rogue River

When we hiked around the Rogue River Gorge near Crater Lake I remembered how wide the river is as it dumps into the ocean near Gold Beach, OR.

I also remembered the sign that we passed each time we were in the Gold Beach area.  I knew I wanted to see the river from the other end too.

The boats for the tour are unique.  Jerry's Rogue Jets became the first commercial jet boat company in the USA.  They were the first to develop and use hydro-jet pumps in a boat in the U.S.  

The Rogue River is shallow and rocky and Hydro-Jet technology allows the boats to travel in just inches of water while carrying a full load of passengers. The bottom of the boat has no protrusions.  The boat is propelled by drawing water in through an intake at the bottom of the boat and the water is forced out through a nozzle which propels the boat forward.  Steering is accomplished by directing the nozzle to one side or another. 

Our tour left Gold Beach in the afternoon and near the ocean it was quite cool and windy.  I bundled up in a jacket with the hood tied tightly around my face. 

As we headed inland we passed under the pretty Patterson Bridge.  It was completed in 1931 and a $20 million rehabilitation ran from 2001 to 2004.

Soon my oohs and aahs began.

These red headed ducks are Mergansers.  The guide called them fish ducks saying that where they are so are the fish.  They put on the funniest show for us.  They skittered back and forth over the water propelled by stroking both feet at the same time.  

Our trip was the 80 mile Whitewater Excursion.

Even before we get to the whitewater the excitement begins.

The scenery is excitingly beautiful.

Seeing so much wildlife was definitely exciting.  We saw ospreys, eagles, turtles, deer and lots of water birds.  

We learned of the exciting history of the explorers, settlers and Indians on the River.

Even before we get to the rapids our pilot has us flying upriver, spinning in circles and getting us very very wet.  Luckily the further inland we go the hotter it gets and getting wet feels good. 

It is so strange that I have such a fear of heights but I LOVE to spin.  (Walt not so much.) The more the pilot spun us around in the 360 degree turns the harder I laughed and remembered how much I loved the Tilt-A-Whirl at the fair and the tea cups at Disneyland.  

Not long after passing under this bridge the whitewater begins.

Rapids are rated 1 to 6.   The ones we were on were rated a 3. This is the description from the Rogue River Float Guide.  "CLASS III Medium – numerous waves that are high and irregular; strong eddies; narrow, but clear passages that require expertise in maneuvering; scouting from the shore necessary."

Jet boating the rapids is very different than it would be in a raft.  While it is exciting it isn't scary and feels like you are driving on a very washboardy road.  The pilot was very skilled and made it exciting but never made us feel in danger.  It feels like you fly over the rapids. 

A stop is made in the tiny town of Agness for a dinner break.  There are a couple of resorts you can eat at but we packed our lunch so sat at the picnic tables in the sun and enjoyed the incredible view. 

 

The trip back is a little more leisurely with stops to see waterfalls and wildlife.

The spinning continues but the pilot is amazing.  He doesn't get us wet anymore but we still get the fun.

How do I love thee?  Let me count the shades of green.

All too soon we are back to the Patterson Bridge at the close of another day of our wonderful adventure.  While we have been insulated in small town America with the comfort of safety we are saddened by the news of all the turmoil and death that is going on in the USA and the rest of the world.  To understand what is happening is both terrifying and incomprehensible.  

"We have an incredible warrior class in this country - people in law enforcement, intelligence - and I thank God every night we have them standing fast to protect us from the tremendous amount of evil that exists in the world."

Brad Thor 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Just Any Port In The Storm........Port Orford....A Port For Any Weather

We settled into Camp Blanco RV Park in Port Orford OR for a blissful, relaxing month with the best of two worlds.  The ocean and the forest are right at our door.  Spaces are a little tight but it is so convenient, clean, with wonderful owners that even brought us a thank you for staying with us gift. 

We had really enjoyed our weeks stay here last year so this time we chose to stay a month.  Beaches with their turquoise waters are right in town.

Since we had hit most of the highlights in the area last year this stay will allow for long leisurely drives with plenty of time to just stop and enjoy. Some of the time is spent on the ocean.

Some of the time is spent in the forest.  So many places to see and stop and enjoy.

The 4th of July festivities included a sand castle contest.  Not sure that the mermaid could be considered a castle but I thought the two teenage girls that made it did a great job. 

The population of Port Orford is 1190 and I am confident there were more than that lining Highway 101 for the 4th of July parade.  

The parade lasted over an hour filled with patriotic local residents.  Human and not.

I think the animals outnumbered the humans.  A fun, patriotic 4th of July parade.

There are so many nearby beaches to explore that I have lost count of where I have been.  The sea wind blows fiercely here and between walking in the sand and being whipped by the wind frequently I go to bed one very tired lady. 

I am often alone on the beach when I walk but this day there were others. These men seemed to be communing with the rocks.  Usually I like to talk to the people that I come upon but I couldn't bring myself to interrupt even though I was VERY curious. 

One of the beaches that we go to often is called Paradise Beach.  I have renamed it to Angry Beach.  The surf here pounds, thunders, roars, crashes, booms, and forcefully shows its strength.  It puts me in my place and lets me know who's the boss.  This is not where I go to soothe my soul.  Even so, it is incredibly beautiful. 

This is Agate Beach.  There are usually 3 or 4 people here hunting for the agates that the beach is famous for.  True to the name Walt and I have found agates and other pretty rocks here. Now if I knew what to do with them.  GypsyII can only hold so many jars of rocks and shells. 

Along the Sixes River (above) near Port Orford with views of the Pacific Ocean stands Hughes House.  It was constructed in 1898 for a pioneer dairy farmer. The Hughes House is an ornate, authentically restored Victorian home.  The 3,000-square-foot, 11-room ranch home, constructed of old growth Port Orford Cedar cost $3,800 to build and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of our outings took us along the Elk River.  In places where it pools the water was a vibrant jade green color.

We stopped at the Elk River Fish Hatchery to see the fish that would eventually be stocked in Southern Oregon Lakes and Rivers.  They went in size from little tiny fingerlings to over a foot long.  Their survival instincts are intact even though they are in huge tanks.  They would be casually swimming about but as soon as our shadows crossed the water they would quickly swim away to the darkest area they could find.  They are going to make those fisherman work for their dinner.

Wild sweet peas line the roadways, climb the hills, and cover the fences.  Even the thistle blossoms are pretty.

Southern Oregon is a land of contrasts.  From the spectacular mountains to the lakes, rivers and the ocean there are ever changing places to see and Port Orford is a nice place to call home for awhile. 

 

 

 

Into The Woods

There are Redwood National and State Parks that stretch along the Northern California Coast.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks is just a few miles inland from Crescent City. 

The park is densely forested with huge ancient trees. 

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park contains 7% of all the old-growth redwoods left in the world.  

Jedediah Smith in the 1820's was the first white man to explore the interior of Northern California.

We took a hike through Stout Grove.  The Stout family donated the 44 acres and it was the first grove that was dedicated when the park was established in 1929.

It is so quiet and feels very remote even though it is not that many miles to Crescent City.  

The trees tower above and sword ferns and rhododendron carpet the forest floor.

Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet.  They can grow up to heights of almost 380 feet.  But, if you want to see the tallest one, named Hyperion, good luck.  It's location is kept secret.

The oldest redwoods are about 2000 years old and some have base diameters of 22 feet.  

I found the gnarly bases of some of the trees fascinating.  

Some of those gnarly formations are even higher up on the trunks.

With the light filtering down among the trees it feels like you are in a cathedral full of stained glass windows.  No photograph can do justice to this beautiful place.  It must be seen in person to get a feel for how really tall and splendid the trees are. 

 

Walt looks pretty small against this fallen down tree. 

 The trail narrowed down to go through this grove of fallen trees.  It was like going through a prehistoric world.  Loved it. 

 Driving the back roads there are always interesting things to see. 

 No trip to the Redwoods would be complete without seeing Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox Babe.  I remember seeing them when I was a child on a trip with my parents but found out that Babe is the one I saw but Paul Bunyan has been replaced by one erected in the early 60's.  Fun way to close our our trip Into The Woods.

 

Sweet sweet peas growing wild. 

From The Mountains To The Ocean White With Foam

Leaving the mountains in the Crater Lake area it was a nice drive west to the coast.

This time our destination was Crescent City, CA.  This is our view out the back of GypsyII at the Bayside RV Park.  Much like staying in a parking lot but with full hook ups.  Here it's all about the location.  Near the marina and easy access to all the places we wanted to see.

Plus being in California gives me my flower fix.  Have you ever seen more vibrantly colored hydrangeas? 

Bear's Breeches with blooms reaching to the sky.   Some days I do miss my gardens. 

Aaaaah.....it is good to be back at the Pacific Ocean!

The Crescent City area has several beaches.  Some are rocky.

Some are sandy.

 All are beautiful.

 Lots of sea stacks on the Pacific Coast.  Just like clouds I am always trying to find shapes in them.  I see an angry bird on the left side of this one.

One afternoon I took a walk down to a beach to see if I could see the St. George Reef Lighthouse.

 Barely visible out there on the horizon is the lighthouse. It was built six miles off the coast on a rock.  It was completed in 1892 and is no longer active with lighthouse keepers. An automated light has been installed. Because of the difficulty in construction it is the most expensive lighthouse ever built in the US.  In today's equivalent it would be $19.8 million.  Several people died during the construction and operation.

Supplies and personnel left from this beach by launch.  It was the most dangerous duty in the lighthouse service.  Four keepers died and many more were injured while attempting crew and supply transfers.  Men and supplies had to be lifted by a boom onto the rock.  

While I was there some people found this portion of a basket that they believe was washed up here from the 2011 Tsunami that did so much damage to Crescent City. 

Crescent City has another lighthouse.   This is Battery Point Light.   It was constructed in 1856 with lighthouse keepers until it was automated in 1953.

It is so picturesque and in very good shape.  To visit this lighthouse you must go at low tide.  The trail to it is underwater at high tide. 

There are many interesting things to see in Crescent City.  Like this amazing driftwood sculpture of a multiple headed dragon in someone's yard.

We walked, biked, and drove around exploring.  The marina was close enough for walking and on the route for biking.

Elk Creek runs into the Ocean right through Crescent City.  You cross it on the bike path.

Elk Creek seems correctly named.  There is a herd of elk right outside Crescent City.  

There is a road sign that says "ELK" and the first time we drove by it there was the herd.  But, alas, they weren't there any other time we were in the area. Happy we were there at the right time. 

On one of the beaches we seemed to keep going back to the shore line is covered with ice plant and that is home to an abundance of California Ground Squirrels.  The stale crackers that had been around for a very long time seemed like a treat to them.  

I loved going to the harbor to see the seals.  They have the sweetest faces.  They obviously have no issues with needing personal space. 

A happy time for me was when a kitty came to visit.  She walked right in to GypsyII and checked everything out and consented to a pet or two and then was ready to go on her way.  I really miss having a kitty. 

Crescent City has a small aquarium called Ocean World.  The tour starts with a touch and feel tide pool.  

Then you head on down to the aquarium to see some of the creatures that live right off this part of the coast.  Pretty dark so not many photos down there but we saw sharks, bat rays, rockfish, eels, and more.   There is a tank where you can pet small sharks.  Some are smooth and some feel like sandpaper.

The highlight for me was the seal and sea lion show.  This girl is 34 years old which is pretty old for a seal.  Her part in the show was to just lay there and favor us with a look every now and then.

Cora was the star.  She was fun to watch.  Lots of tricks from her.  

Definitely not Sea World or the Monterey Bay Aquarium but an interesting little stop.  One of the best gift shops I have ever seen.  We did make a gift purchase.  

 

A windy day whips up the whitecaps in the ocean and bends the grasses on the dunes. 

Pretty wildflowers are everywhere. 

We had a good time exploring in and around Crescent City.  Next post will be moving inland into the trees.

Sunsets are a great way to start the night! 

 

 

The Wild Rogue River And Waterfall After Waterfall

There is so much beauty to see in the area and I am sure that we only put a dent in seeing what there is to see. 

This is Mt. Thielsen.  It towers over much of the landscape as we travel around the area.  I have voted it my favorite mountain.  It is a 9,183 foot extinct volcano.  Due to its dramatic spire shape, its dominance among other peaks in the region and the unstable weather this region receives Mount Thielsen is said to be struck by lightning more often than any other High Cascade peak.  

I read that the summit of Mount Thielsen is also the only place outside of Crater lake National Park where the waters of Crater Lake are visible.  

Diamond Lake was formed by one of Mt. Thielsen's eruptions.  Diamond Lake is very near where we are parked and I get to see this mountain often. Did I mention that I love this mountain?

 The wild and scenic Rogue River begins near Crater Lake.  We spent some time at Rogue Gorge.  It forms a chasm 500 feet long and it drops 45 feet to the river. 

 The river flows 215 miles ending near Gold Beach, OR.

Walking along the trail the sound of the fast running river was a roar.

The gorge is filled with huge boulders covered with moss, ferns and all kinds of different trees.

The churning water runs through ancient lava tubes and at times the water disappears through one and comes out further downstream.  What an exciting afternoon hike. 

There are so many choices of what to explore in the area making it hard to decide what to do.

But I knew for sure I wanted a waterfall day.

The first one we went to was Toketee Falls.  The trail was lush and beautiful.

The trail has over 200 steps..........some go up.

Some go down.

Getting there is filled with so much beauty I kept stopping to take it all in.  

Then there it is..the 120 foot Toktee Falls.  I had a pamphlet that explained the different types of waterfalls.  This one is "tiered."  It's cascading water drops 40 feet over the upper descent and the lower falls plunge 80 feet.

In the Chinook language the word "Toketee" means pretty or graceful.  A very appropriate name I think.   The 200 steps each way was definitely worth this view. 

 Getting there and back is more than half the fun. 

Spring comes late in this part of Oregon.  

Rhododendrons are in bloom along the trails we hiked to the waterfalls.

 In most areas their blooms have been over for several weeks. 

Our next stop was at Watson Falls.  About a half mile trail leads to the highest waterfall in southwest Oregon.  It is a plunge type that falls 272 feet over the edge of a lava flow. 

Not a lot of wildlife on the trails to the waterfalls other than chipmunks.  They were everywhere.

There was no hike to this pretty little falls.  It is Whitehorse Falls and it is right at the parking lot.  It is only 15 feet high and it's type is a punchbowl.  Punchbowls plunge into a large pool.  The color of the pool was like sea glass.  

 Next up is Clearwater Falls.  It is a Segmented type of falls. This means that the falls descend in 2 or 3 parts. 

It was so green and mossy on the logs and rocks.  

I climbed up to the top of the falls and the ground is squishy soft and full of tree roots with the river seeping wide before it drops down the falls.

As the water continues to flow on down the Clearwater River it slows down and forms into shady pools. 

On the way to the next falls we wanted to visit we passed Lemolo Lake.  It is in a pretty isolated spot with what is called a resort on its banks.  We drove around it and had a good laugh at what could possibly pass as a resort.  To say it is rustic is an understatement.  

The last waterfall we visited was Warm Springs Falls.  After leaving the highway and driving about 12 miles on gravel then dirt narrow roads you reach the trailhead.  We did not see a vehicle or a human once we left the highway.

Once on the trail we saw the destruction that winter had done to the trail.  Heavy, wet snows last winter caused many trees to break and fall.  All of the other trails we had been on had been cleaned up.  But, apparently because this one was pretty remote no one has worked on it.

There was a lot of climbing over, under and around to continue on the trail.  Again not another human.  No cell service.  I will admit I thought about how we could handle it if someone got hurt way out here.  It had been miles since we had cell service.  But, we forged on feeling like we were explorers finding this remote area for the first time.  (Of course we couldn't explain away the trail marker & viewing platform.)

All the obstacles on the path were worth it.  Warm Springs Falls is picture perfect.

It is a Block type waterfall.  It is a 70 foot drop that descends from a wide stream.  

The falls thunder down the cliff  that is lined with ferns and mosses.  Happily despite the challenging trail and bumpy remote road we arrived back at the highway with no harm befalling us.  It was a wonderful waterfall day.

Doesn't this tree look like she put on her ruffles in anticipation of the Saturday night forest dance? 

I try to always have bird seed on hand to feed the birds when we park for awhile.  Didn't take this little ground squirrel more than a few minutes to find it.

This bully jay didn't allow the ground squirrel to stay for long.  When he came around he chased everybody else off.  His loud calls brought us all to attention.  Time to leave this wildly, remote beautiful part of our amazing USA. 

 "When you leave a beautiful place, you carry it with you wherever you go." Alexandra Stoddard