Friday August 12, Blackberry Forest Camp, on Alsea River
Guess the fun of travelling with no set directions or bookings is that you can change plans at will. Initially thought we would drive the length of the Oregon Coast but decided this morning with a busy weekend especially on the coast with everyone making the most of summer, that we would change direction and head inland, initially to Corvallis then follow a scenic route through the Cascade Mountains that we read about in Lonely Planet….but guess that can still change!
We thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stop in Winchester Bay, lots of boating activity, and a really nice spot. This morning for the first time we woke to an overcast grey day and very chilly with fog around, but by midday the sun was shining…and the wind was blowing.
We have been dry camping for the past 3 days, which meant queueing this morning at the Sani-station to empty our tanks and refill with fresh water. Able to utilise the boat washing bay to give Ruakiwi a bit of a clean up, she was looking quite dusty.
Then we meandered up the coast to Waldport stopping at viewing areas and the many small coastal communities, mind you with all the traffic on the road stopping wasn’t always easy. This is still peak holiday time as Oregon children are still on summer holidays until the beginning of September.
Our first stop this morning was at The Honeyman State Park on the Oregon sand dunes just south of Florence. We walked up to a high point on the dunes Terry, can feel our calf muscles tonight! Interesting, the campground was already full.
Stopped in the old port area of Florence and meandered around the marina. There was a wonderful elderly couple, Joy and Duane loading chicken carcasses into their crabpots and fishing from the pier. We spent quite some time chatting with them, evidently the Dungeness Crabs they get are huge. Joy designed and makes the sunhats they were wearing and sells them at craft markets. The old town area is a real tourist haunt with more tacky shops as well as some really nice ones.
We thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stop in Winchester Bay, lots of boating activity, and a really nice spot. This morning for the first time we woke to an overcast grey day and very chilly with fog around, but by midday the sun was shining…and the wind was blowing.
We have been dry camping for the past 3 days, which meant queueing this morning at the Sani-station to empty our tanks and refill with fresh water. Able to utilise the boat washing bay to give Ruakiwi a bit of a clean up, she was looking quite dusty.
Then we meandered up the coast to Waldport stopping at viewing areas and the many small coastal communities, mind you with all the traffic on the road stopping wasn’t always easy. This is still peak holiday time as Oregon children are still on summer holidays until the beginning of September.
Our first stop this morning was at The Honeyman State Park on the Oregon sand dunes just south of Florence. We walked up to a high point on the dunes Terry, can feel our calf muscles tonight! Interesting, the campground was already full.
Stopped in the old port area of Florence and meandered around the marina. There was a wonderful elderly couple, Joy and Duane loading chicken carcasses into their crabpots and fishing from the pier. We spent quite some time chatting with them, evidently the Dungeness Crabs they get are huge. Joy designed and makes the sunhats they were wearing and sells them at craft markets. The old town area is a real tourist haunt with more tacky shops as well as some really nice ones.
It was nice to leave the rush and bustle of the coast highway when we turned off at Waldport onto HW 34 and followed the Alsea River up into the hills. Found a really nice forestry camp beside the river for the night, this really is a busy time of the year as there were only 2 empty sites when we arrived
Comments
We leave Tarawera today after a successful Williams family reunion.Stunning winter weather and couldn't have been better for the gathering.
Love to you both,
Jen
Im tired out after today and a few other very busy days!! I think i need aholiday too! Enjoy whatever direction Ruakiwi takes you. it is freezing here tonight with snow forecast everywhere virtually... Possibly even in Auckland!!