Cannon Beach

Keith's travels in the Pacific Northwest - September-October 2010

We're having a few days stopping off at Cannon Beach in Oregon.

Today, just a few local travels....

During the early parts of trips like this is the only time I comfortably get to see the dawn.

The colours of the sky opposite the sun are quite muted, but any offshore mist catches the pre-dawn reddish light quite nicely. I've tried photographing this, but it's more often one of those sights that looks great but doesn't translate to an interesting photo. Of course, in the mountains it can be quite spectacular (the 'alpenglow')

Here's first light catching the Tilamook point lighthouse

Last time we were in the area, Karen found a bead shop in Nehalem, so off we went down the coast - it's only a few miles and Highway 101 is a great drive.

Unfortunately the shop has turned into a quilting shop, and this is not a hobby that Karen desires to start (that and 'scrapbooking', a curious passtime that every time I hear it explained I just keep wondering 'Why?')

After a bit more of a drive round we go back to Cannon Beach.

Outside our motel (the Land's End), I notice that a derelict building has had a car parked in it.

Fire training?

After a bit of lunch and a bead shop visit, we decide to visit the nearby Ecola State Park.

It has some superb views and I want to see where to go later, when the light is warmer.

Clear blue skies may be nice, but I want some decent clouds for some B/W pics.

The gull?

This is Harold - or so Karen tells me.

A regular visitor outside our room.

The wide view below is a quick stitch of a few shots.

I think I have enough source images for a good 2 foot by 10 foot panoramic print.

You can see Haystack Rock in the distance, just right of centre.

A more detailed single image

That evening a fog bank settles out to sea, so I decide not to go up to Ecola for the sunset.

Just before the sun went behind it I had another look at the pelicans

The cloud is from the mountain just beyond Ecola - you could see it starting to form earlier, and then getting more solid and settling down as a fog bank.

Today's Haystack Rock picture...

Seems I'm being watched on the beach

However, just round the corner I find out what 'Fire Training' entails

Yes, here the fire department will burn your house down for you

Good practice for everyone

A chance to try out breathing aparatus too

No shortage of onlookers

Yes, this could be your house, if you don't pay your taxes

It burned for quite some time

It seems that if you are demolishing a building, and can get the permits, you can donate it to the fire dept. in lieu of certain property taxes - they also clean up the site.

All good fun - I'll see what's left tomorrow (our car was parked 50 yds from this)

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