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Oregon Sea Lion Cave
Oregon Dunes
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Cobra Lilies
click on photos to enlarge
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| Outside on the cliffs by the Sea Lion Caves. Pentax ZX-5, Pentax FA 400mm. |
After passing Sea Lion Caves on the Oregon Coast
numerous times, we finally decide to stop and take a
tour of the famous tourist-attraction.
Paying the $7 entrance fee in the gift shop, we take the
elevator down 208 feet to the cave entrance.
Upon exiting the elevator, one is greeted by loud barking
noises. It truly is a huge domed amphitheater, reminding one
of the cathedrals of Europe. Instead of being filled with
church choirs and organ music, this one reverberates
with the sounds of barking sea lions, magnified by echoes
from the domed ceiling. The light is eerily dim.
There are only a few tunnels for sunlight to enter.
Neptune, King of the Ocean, could have reigned here
over his sea lion disciples. That's the kind of place it is.
The cavern is twelve stories high and the length of a
football field. Sea lions gather here during fall and winter.
In the summer they have their young on the rock ledges
outside the cave.
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| Inside the Sea Lion cave. Pentax ZX-5, Pentax FA 400mm. |
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| A group of sea lions inside the cave. |
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| Another shot in the dimly lit cavern. |
Outside on the cliffs, one can observe many more
sea lions lounging on the edge of the rocky shore.
Colonies of cormorants roosting on the rock ledges
are visible from another tunnel.
There are also dramatic views of ocean waves
crashing into the cliffs below and the Heceta lighthouse.
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| View from lookout by the cave. Pentax ZX-5, Pentax FA 400mm. |
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| Heceta Head lighthouse, which is visible from the cavern. |
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| Another view by Sea Lion caves. |
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| Cormorants nesting close by. |
Taking the windy road along the coast, one is treated
to spectacular vistas of the shoreline.
There are many places to pull over, and enjoy the
scenery. At low tide, it's fun to discover the tide pools
along the rocky shoreline. Caution is advised.
The wet rocks are slippery.
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| Oregon coast north of Florence. Pentax ZX-5, Tokina 80-200mm. |
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| Tide pools. Pentax ZX-5, Pentax FA 100mm. |
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| Black pebble covered beach. Pentax ZX-5, Pentax FA 100mm. |
Further south, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Many parts of the dunes are a playground for all-terrain
vehicle buffs. One can find quiet places among the
vast dune landscape for hikers only.
We spent the night at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State
Park.
It's adjacent to the dunes and is dotted with freshwater lakes
for anglers and swimmers.
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| Dunes by Jessie M. Honeyman State Park. Pentax ZX-5, Tokina 20-35mm. |
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| Early morning shadows and wind carved sand
in the Dunes. |
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| Lake in Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State
Park. Pentax ZX-5, Tokina 80-200mm. |
Don't forget to visit the Darlingtonia Wayside,
just north of Florence off Hwy 101.
Here you can hike through a protected marshy bog set
aside for preserving the Cobra Lily, Darlingtonia californica.
It's a flesh
eating plant which captures and devours insects.
It's the only such grove in Oregon.
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| Cobra Lily, Darlingtonia californica, flesh
eating plants. Pentax ZX-5, Tokina 80-200mm. |
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| Setting sun over the Pacific Ocean. |
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