The Day I Met the Pacific Ocean

"Swim in the Pacific Ocean" is on my list of 30 Things to Do Before 30. When I moved to Oregon, I thought achieving that goal would be a piece of pie. Little did I know I would be broke and lazy and just a boring human who didn't go places or do things. Then I found out I had to leave Oregon. That news really kicked my butt into gear. Darla and I have been making the most of my last days here by exploring local parks, taking pictures, and finally, today driving to the coast.

Our first stop was in Seaside, Oregon. Darla had visited the little town the last time she visited her biological mother here and wanted to see it again. It was so beautiful and wonderful. I immediately took my shoes and socks off and ran into the water. It was freezing, but I didn't care a bit. I frolicked with Banjo and Winston in the water. After a while we decided to find a beach that looked more like our idea of "the Oregon coast", you know, with rocks and cliffs and such. I had seen a picture of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse posted by Ravyn Stadick (a fellow Hoosier now living in Portland) and researched it a little. I fell in love with its story and decided I wanted to see it myself. As it turns out, it was a scant seven miles south of Darla and I's location in Seaside, so we drove to Ecola State Park and explored there.

The lighthouse isn't operational or open to the public, so the pictures of it are limited. (You should read its Wikipedia page.) We did see amazing rocks and waves. We stopped at Indian Beach to watch the sunset. After the sun disappeared below the horizon we made the drive back to Portland. It is so strange to me, having grown up in Indiana, that today I played in the Pacific Ocean and tonight I will sleep in my own bed. I'm going to miss Oregon a lot.

Darla seaside in Seaside

Me and the sand and the hills. 

A raven is attacking my head as we frolic. 

Winston is so cute. 

They are also cute. 

This is my favorite view. 

I ached to get down onto this beach, but the path was too steep and muddy for me to make it down without bodily harm. 

Sunset at Indian Beach 

There's the lighthouse.