9 months, What a View, Heceta Head Lighthouse & Sea Lion Cave

June 13th, 2016

Trystan is 9 months old today.  Yes, he's already a Thomas the Tank Engine fan!!!

This was the cinnamon roll Bryan got from the Sourdough Bakery yesterday.  Needless to say he didn't eat it all but saved some for the next ?? Days!!!

Today we traveled to Harbor Vista County RV Park, Florence, Oregon.   We will only be here two days as there is no sewer hook up and it is fully booked after the two nights anyway.  There is 50 amp electric and water though, and a sewer dump station if needed.  The best thing about this site is the VIEW!!!!  We both fell in love with it.  Here's a picture of our side yard. The tide is out in this picture.  Now, this wasn't entirely accidental.  When researching the sites I saw that this was probably the best site and quickly booked it.  It said partial water view so I wasn't expecting such a good view.  

Bryan admiring the view.

Our campsite

As we only have two nights here we went into Florence.  Dancing with Sea Lions is a annual event where ceramic sea lions, which are painted by local artists, are displayed at various places around town. At the end of the season they are auctioned for charity.  There were several of these around town but as we were limited on time we only saw these three today.

This one was outside the Chamber of Commerce and is named "Wish You Were Here"

This one at Fred Meyers named "Circling Fish"

                                      

This one outside Banner Bank named "Feeling Fabulous"

                                    

Back at the campground, the tide was coming in.

We saw a seal here playing in the water between the rocks.

                                      

                                      
and the sun was setting.

So peaceful and relaxing here.

June 14th, 2016 

Bryan was out early taking a picture of the coastguard going out.    

                                      

We had a lot to do today as this was our only full day here.  First stop was Heceta Head Lighthouse.

From the car park we got a picture of this bridge that we had just driven over.  There was a tunnel at the other end of it. The tunnel had a height restriction at the sides of 12ft.  Lily is 12'6" and we will need to drive through this in her tomorrow!!  We will need to hug the center line and hope we don't meet anything big coming the other way!!
                                      

Another view from the car park.
                                      

We paid a $5 parking fee and discovered we had an uphill walk to the lighthouse.  Oh well, here we go!!!

The Keeper's House is now a bed and breakfast where you can stay for $235/ night which includes a 7 course breakfast, but you share a bathroom.  We would loved to have stayed there but just too expensive for us.

Pine Tree

 Views from the trail up.

Keepers House

There was a gift shop here as well.  We bought ourselves a spoon rest as it was reasonably priced and we have been looking for one.

This lighthouse is said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the United States.

Heceta Head Lighthouse

We were given a talk about the lighthouse by a volunteer but couldn't go up the stairs.  This lighthouse is a twin of Umpqua Lighthouse at Winchester Bay but without the red lens.   

View of the bridge from the lighthouse with a motorhome going across.  

Fresnel Lens

Halfway down the path back to the car, the heavens opened and it rained heavily for about 15 minutes.  Just enough for us to get a little wet but not to bad as we sheltered in the trees.

We stopped at an overlook on the way to our next stop and got this picture from a distance.

Our next stop was Sea Lion Caves.

                                     

I was really looking forward to this. We found another ceramic sea lion, "Moonburst".  I was trying to play peek-a-boo!!! 

The brown roofed building is the elevator down to the cave.  The lighthouse is in the distance.  

Sea lions on the rocks below.  They were making so much noise.   

Down below in the cave, the sea lions were all on one rock.  There weren't so many of them as many have migrated north but it was still great to see them in this natural setting.  Here's a VIDEO where you can watch them and listen to the waves.  

They're usually all over all the rocks but I was satisfied watching just these ones. 

View of the lighthouse from the north end of the cave.  

Sue in the cave with the opening showing the sea lions at the back.  

Once outside the cave I walked to another viewpoint.  

This was the view from the viewpoint. Here's a VIDEO of them.  Listen to the noise they were making and I wasn't that close.

We have seen many cormorants along the coast.  

Another fantastic day.