Cape Pepetua, Thors Well, Yachats North Fork Covered Bridge, Waldport

June 18th, 2016

We went to Cape Pepetua National Park today.  It is part of the Siuslaw National Forest and managed by the U.S. Forest Service. There is a $5 parking fee here but thanks to my America the Beautiful Pass we get in free!!!  It does pay to be old.  Last year when I became 62 I bought a lifetime pass for $10 which enables up to four people and a car into any National Park, Monument or Forest.  Some State Parks accept it as well.  Camping in certain parks is half price.  It is amazing and has already saved us quite a bit and enabled us to see things we may not have done.  

We specifically wanted to see Thors Well, Sprouting Horn in Cooks Chasm and Devils Churn

We went into the Visitor Center and asked if there was a short trail to Thors Well.  They pointed us in the right direction and off we went. They did tell us that Sprouting Horn was not cooperating.

The views from the Captain Cook Trail were wonderful.  It was a one mile loop and as we reached the overlook for Thors Well and looked down, I knew I wanted to go down there but I wasn't sure we would be able to get back up.  In the end we went for it and are very glad we did.

Watching Cooks Chasm where Sprouting Horn can be seen at High Tide but the ranger had already told us that it hasn't been cooperating and all we saw were the waves thundering into the chasm but no "sprout", ha!! ha!!                                                                                                                        

                            

Thors Well.   They tell you to get here at high tide or within an hour of it for the best effects. We got here about 45 minutes after high tide.

Here is a VIDEO which gives you a good idea of what it's like. Although it would have been awesome to see this at High tide, there is no way I could have stood as close then without fear of being swept away.  I think our timing was perfect.

It was fascinating seeing the waves come in and cause the well to fill and spout and then the water disappear as it drained out of the well.  Some people have estimated the well is 20 ft. deep and that it would be difficult to survive if you got sucked into it.

Filling

Starting to spout

Draining back out

Filling

Draining

The pattern continued as we stood waiting for the bigger waves and tried to photograph them at exactly the right time. Of course as time went on the tide was going further out and the bigger waves weren't as big or as frequent.

                           

The view to the right of the well.

and looking back up the trail

We sat on a bench by the viewpoint and had a rest and just watched the ocean and people looking in the well.  It wasn't as good as when we were down there but still the occasional wave came crashing in and caused the well to fill.

This was a road bridge across the gorge and we discovered we could have parked near here and just walked down but that wouldn't have been as much fun now, would it!!!!!!

A "Grandmother, grandmother pop out of bed" that I told you about in a previous blog.  I picked this one and proceeded to chant the rhyme as I squeezed the base and sure enough it popped up in the air and fell to the ground.  I was transported back to my childhood in an instant.  Happy Days!!!  Bryan just gave me his look as if to say, you're crazy and you know what, maybe I am, but it's a fun type of crazy!!!

We walked back on the back half of the loop and discovered much to our delight that it was a shorter walk and more level than going.  That was a great relief to both of us.  The shade was welcome too!!

We eventually got back to the car very relieved that we had made it.

We then drove to Devils Churn.  there was another steep trail down but as the tide had already gone out and we were exhausted from our earlier walk we decided not to attempt it and just took pictures from the overlook.

You can see people walking down the trail 

We had wanted to see a covered bridge and there was one a few miles away so we decided we would drive to see it.  This weir was alongside the road.

We drove miles and miles as the road got narrower and narrower, passing hippie type communes and Bryan started to talk about banjos and hillbillies with shotguns and the movie Deliverance.  All the time the road was getting narrower and narrower.  We eventually got to Yachts North Fork Covered Bridge which has been restored.  The road dead ends after you go through it into someone's property. We stopped to take some pictures and wondered if we dare risk going through or if there would be people with shotguns the other side.  We went for it, here's a VIDEO coming back through.  As we went over we could hear people that must have been under the bridge.  I joked it must be the trolls but it was kinda spooky and I was relieved to get out of there.  We both vowed that we are not going to any more covered bridges out in the middle of nowhere.

On the way home we took this picture of Alsea Bay Bridge at Waldport.

We stopped to eat at Grand Central Pizza in Waldport.  I don't remember what we had but it wasn't pizza and was quite good.  This building was in the car park, it was a lawyers office.  Opposite was a trash n treasures store that we went and looked around.  These second hand stores always keep us occupied and we rarely buy anything as we don't have any room, but we see some interesting things.

Back home, here's the sunset tonight.

Here's todays picture of Trystan, he's getting so big and strong.

                                                     

Till Tomorrow, take care everyone.