Oregon's North Coast: South Jetty & Columbia River

While my daughter was here we traveled to the most northwesterly section of Oregon--
to the Clatsop spit, part of Ft Stevens.
This area is one of my favorites--
it seems so wild - so windswept - so beautiful!
And, yes, I should have used my zoom lens but since I have yet to do so--
I was concerned that I might not attach it correctly and then be without a camera for the remainder of our trip.
Oh well--
we go here once a year or so...
and I suspect I'll have lots of practice changing lenses by the next time we return :)

This is where the Columbia River, a major river of the northwest, meets the Pacific Ocean.
It is a very dangerous place as sand bars, formed by the river, and wild waves make passage from the ocean to the Columbia River very tricky.
.
In the photo above, you can see the SW shore of Washington state.
If you want to continue following the Pacific Ocean, the fastest way is to travel a little east-- over the Young's Bay bridge to Astoria and then take the long bridge that crosses over the Columbia River to Washington state. Before the bridge was built there were ferries. Now the only one that crosses the lower Columbia runs from Westport, OR to Puget Island near Cathlamet, WA.

Here is the south jetty. And why you ask is it called that?
Well because there is a north jetty in Washington.
This one makes a kind of semi-circle and you can get a great view of it
from the observation tower located next to it.

The jetty is quite tall and it's a wierd but neat experience walking along side of it knowing the ocean is just on the other side. Did I say this area was very windy and colder then the other parts of the park? It was--at least on the day we went.

Here is the view looking southward from that same observation tower.

The boulders used in the jetty are HUGE and it can be very dangerous to walk on it.
Since I am not part billy goat, like my DH, I stayed happily and safely off of it:)

Part of the area on Clatsop Spit--so pretty!

Traveling -- just a little way by foot -- to the river side.
While there we visited a wildlife blind.
I had never been in one before and will definitely use them this winter when I visit some PNW wildlife refuges now that I see what they are like.

This peaceful view was from near the blind.
So quiet.

Another view of the Columbia.
Next:
a shipwreck you can reach out and touch--if you dare:)
a lake to canoe, kayak, fish in or just enjoy the beauty of
and
MY first deer sighting of the summer!
Blessings,
Aimee
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Note: the links above will take you to two of my previous posts of the
Ft Stevens area and Astoria.