#36 – Coveys Great Adventure – June 2017 – Heceta Lighthouse, Sea Lion Caves and Winchester Bay, OR

June 2017 – Heceta Lighthouse, Sea Lion Caves and Winchester Bay, OR

Heceta Head Light from the south

Last month we focused on Coos Bay, North Bend and the area south of Winchester Bay. This month we decide to explore to the north and west. A couple of the rangers claimed that Heceta Lighthouse was the most scenic on the coast. That’s despite working less than a mile from Umpqua Lighthouse which we thought was pretty special. Clearly, we had to go see for ourselves.

The coast from Coos Bay to Florence is pretty flat. That whole stretch of coast encompasses the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. North of Florence the topography changes. The dunes give way to steep hillsides that plunge directly into the sea. The coastline becomes jagged, mostly rock with small coves filled with sand where streams large and small empty into the ocean.

Umpqua Light is located at the mouth of the Umpqua River and is a guide to sanctuary as much as a warning beacon. The river meant shelter from the harsh weather that is more the rule than the exception on this coast. Heceta Head Lighthouse provides no such promise of succor. Perched high on a rocky promontory, its sole mission is to warn that no safety can be found within its sight.

Built in the 1890’s, Heceta Head is the most powerful light on

the Oregon coast. It stands over 200’ above sea level and its light can be seen for over 20 miles. It still operates as a navigation beacon, but the structure and the site are now managed as an Oregon State Park. The tower is in the final stages of a complete restoration largely done by volunteers and funded with donations. It looks great. The original head light keeper’s house burned down, but the assistant keepers’ house now operates as a highly regarded B&B. Lighthouses need to be seen, so the sights they are on generally give fabulous ocean and coastal views. Living here must have been really special.

Just south of Heceta Head is one of the oldest  privately owned tourist attractions on the coast if not in the country. Sea Lion Caves has been owned by the same four families since it opened in 1932 as a wildlife and bird sanctuary. Expecting a cheesy roadside tourist trap, we were pleasantly surprised: it’s a pretty classy operation that we enjoyed visiting.

The site itself is pretty remarkable. The facility is perched about 200’ above a series of huge sea caves, claimed to be the largest in the US. We were very appreciative of the elevator that takes visitors directly down into the caves. Because it is a wildlife sanctuary, people are not allowed too close to the sea lions but we were close enough to easily watch them in their natural setting. What a contrast to seeing them in a zoo, or even in a harbor. Kinda of a "National Geographic moment".

We always look forward to friends visiting us, and it was a pleasure to have Janie and Ric Fellows stop for the night on their trip to visit family. Florence has a small “old town” area along the river where we met for a nice dinner at the Bridgewater Fish House. In the morning they stopped by the coach for bagels with the locally made smoked salmon spread on their way south.  

Boy, are we ready to move: We haven’t been in one place for three months since we hit the road in 2014. Umqua Lighthouse State Park is a lovely place and the staff couldn’t be nicer, but we counted the days until July 1. Besides, I have eaten enough fish ‘n chips and oysters to last me until we get to Nehalem Bay in October. As I write this we are on the road headed for northeastern Washington, northern Idaho and we might get to Jackson Hole, Wyoming before returning to southern Oregon for a couple of months.

More soon,

Bob