I love the ocean. Standing on a beach, closing my eyes, and just taking in the sound of waves, the smell of the sea, and the spray of water on my face has never failed to bring me to my happy place and wash away whatever stress I may have in my life. I will never get tired of standing at the edge of the earth and absorbing such a vast landscape.
Jen and I spent three days driving up the Oregon Coast from Dunes City to Astoria, stopping at nearly every pull-out, overlook, or beach access along the way. The character of the coast changes at nearly every spot, and nearly every spot is worth a look. Plus, the clam chowder is legit.
We finished it off with a visit to the Columbia River Maritime Museum (which is definitely worth a stop) and walked out to the wreck of the Peter Iredale. This British ship ran aground in 1906 and has been slowly decaying on the beach at the Northwest tip of Oregon ever since. After abandoning his ship, Captain Lawrence saluted it and said “May God bless you and may your bones bleach in these sands.” He then turned to his crew with a bottle of his whiskey in his hand and addressed them… “Boys, have a drink.”
