Road Trip, Oregon and back, Day 2

The morning walk on the beach was done under cloudy skies, but as the morning progressed, the clouds disappeared, and the sun came out.  We rode south to North Head lighthouse, where we saw not just the lighthouse, but bunkers built during WWII.  We rode back north into Ocean Park for lunch, then back south into the State Park to see the Cape Disappointment lighthouse.  The weather and the views were all spectacular!  From the Cape Disappointment lighthouse, you can see the massive mouth of the Columbia River, and you learn some of the fascinating history of what it took to "tame" the mouth of the river so shipping could pass (especially prior to ships having engines!).

I swear this tree looked at me as we walked past!

Klipsan Cottages are about 9 miles north thataway!

North Head lighthouse

Cape Disappointment lighthouse

The old early 20th century fortifications at Ft Canby, with the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in the back.  Ancient Civil War era rifled cannons used to pop out of hidden revetments, fire, then retract to be reloaded.  The ships at sea couldn't see them, and therefore had trouble firing back at them.  Although the concrete has lasted fairly well over the past century, the metal has not!

Can you spot the sentry?

A perfect little cove on the walk to the lighthouse.

  The "North Jetty", a massive construct built to "tame" the mouth of the Columbia, and make access in and out of the river easier for shipping.   There is a matching one on the Astoria, OR side (the dark hillside in the back left of the photo).  They extend several miles out from short.

Looking out to the far end of the North Jetty (and the far side of the Pacific Ocean!)