Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: Harris Beach State Park

(+5 insets) (very nice at full size!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Moving on From Harris Beach Steve and I spent a full two weeks here at Harris Beach State Park and while we were here, I got an endless variety of pictures, most of which I simply don't have time to post. I hope that at some point I can dip into this well of beautiful images to share some more but for now, it's time for me to step forward to our next stop! If you can believe it, these past 13 posts (since 11/01), brimming with insets and stories, are from exactly ONE of our campground stops. We were out for an astonishing six MONTHS and visited 20 campgrounds in that time! Every spot was like this in the number of adventures and never-ending photo opportunities. It really is completely staggering to think about. Grateful? OH MY YES. I count my lucky stars every time I think about our good fortune! And in the middle of a pandemic, no less. We are incredibly blessed and I am so glad that I can show you all some of the things I saw and experienced. Today is my last post from Harris Beach for now, but don't worry! This jaw-dropping place was also the very last stop for us before we came home in the middle of October…and once again, I filled folders with a totally different variety of incredible sights on that short, yet bountiful, five days. Today's Picture Another stunning look at a natural masterpiece, when I saw this I had to stop and just stare. It was captured at the upper edge of the tide pool area and shows the sculpted rocks with colorful algae adhered here and there. The contrast of light and shadow, shine and darkness, straight and round lines, dry and wet…really took my breath away. I tried many angles and different depths of field to capture the view and this was my favorite. Truly, a single picture cannot convey what I saw, but you will get the main idea: AWESOME! :) Today's Insets One of the fun things that happens on Harris Beach is the non-stop building of driftwood forts! There is a huge collection of logs and branches that wash up on the shore, and they collect at the tops of the beaches. People--especially kids, but adults play too!--will create a variety of lean-tos and elaborate log houses, some complete with driftwood roofs. Most will wash away during high-tide, but some stay to be admired or worked on. One picture shows a driftwood fort, another picture shows a pretty group of colorful logs. I also have another picture which shows part of the tidepool area and gives an idea of the huge place I got to explore. If you consider the investigation through a macro lens, what you see is the equivalent of countless miles to discover! Finally, a pair of images to show some more tide pool life: a still-life of black turban shells with sucked-in anemones, and a rocky crevice where a group of anemones waits for the waves to return so they might extend their tentacles again for a passing feast. Thank You So Much Wow, I am so glad that my last post was such fun for everyone. I sometimes wonder if I bore you all to death with my reports. I try to make it easy for people just passing by to look at the pictures and understand what's going on with my shorter photo descriptions. I get it! We don't all have time to read War & Peace! :D However, it's extremely gratifying and joyful to see that some of you do have the time and better still, you really like what I have to say! It's the very best feeling to me, bringing happiness when I can! So THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. You folks--all of you--make my life so much happier and fulfilled! Hope your week is going well--let's all be extra careful these days…it's getting really scary again!! Explored on 11/30/21; highest placement #2.

(+2 insets) (stunning at full size!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Hiding in Plain Sight: Life in a Tide Pool Tidal pools are amazing. The diversity of life is astonishing but it's very easy to miss most of it without the right approach. Creatures there are highly sensitive to motion and the majority will freeze in place if they detect even the slightest movement. This is why it seems like tide pools are empty and lifeless. Patience is the trick. Find a good vantage point, stand completely still and wait. After a time--this could be 30 seconds or more than five minutes--a magic wand will tap and with a sparkling twinkle the pool will come to life! Little crabs--and sometimes big ones!--emerge from cracks to scuttle here and there. Snails will push their muscular foot down to unseal their shell, protrude their simple eye tentacles and cruise slowly across a rock. If there's enough water, anemones will raise their finger-like tentacles and wave them around to sift for food. Even starfish move--did you know that?--and they will continue their mission to hunt down a meal. Tidal pools that never empty can sometimes even reveal baby fish--fry--that will dart about in their glassy, transparent bodies. There are so many animals that make their homes here, my description names only a few! Shifting Focus The day I took my macro set-up with me, I found myself constantly shifting gears. Sometimes I would focus on the wonderful plants and encrusted life forms adhered to the boulders. Other times I was stunned at the abstract artwork of sand, water, rocks, and reflections which Mother Nature created in a jaw-dropping manner. Although I remember this very clearly, if it wasn't obvious in my mind, looking at my folder of pictures shows this blatant back-and-forth shift in concentration. I would see something that wrenched me over to the abstract, where I took pictures of patterns and shapes. Then I'd see a lovely little creature which had me leaning nose-close to study its marvelous details with rapt admiration and an accompanying set of images. Isn't that cool to have such an interesting time capsule? Moving through my stream of images brings me back to each moment with its sights, sounds and smells. It's priceless to have these memories preserved so crisply. I was really enjoying looking at the unique and beautiful sand textures. Retreating rivulets of water left by departing waves combined with the snaking streams of water from the hillside made some really stunning sights. It's not easy to translate this through the lens of my camera but I did my best as I creeped along. Looking from high and low perspectives changed the appearance and sometimes in amazing ways. My experiences that day are some of my treasured memories from Harris Beach. Today's Picture I saw this lovely combination of pattern and water anchored by a huge rock and took many pictures to find just the right composition. I couldn't get over how much the sand reminded me of looking down from an airplane at the hills below. So dramatic! This image shows the amazingly cool appearance of a perfect reflection of sand shapes in the water…except it's not a reflection! Today's Insets While I took pictures of that arresting scene, I noticed movement from the pool of water and leaned down for a closer look. It was a tiny hermit crab! From my recollection, I have never seen one so small! Enraptured, I watched it moving along in its periwinkle shell. For something so small, that little guy could really go, and soon it was out of the water and marching across the Sahara-like sand dunes. So adventurous! Soon though, it returned to the safety of the water and I quietly retreated to leave it in peace. You'll see one picture showing it crossing the "Sahara Desert" and a collage which shows the closest images of this darling cutie pie. Thank You For Stopping By--My Thoughts Are Reaching Out to You… Always a humbling experience, I'm forever touched by your visits. You would be happy to know my delighted responses--smiles, snickers, outright laughter, sighs and nods of interest when you're telling me something to know. What a neat way for a community to interact, don't you think? I love it! And of course, I love the visits to all of you too, and all that I learn and become aware of. It can be difficult too, when we are grieving for dear friends in our community. In this case, Marie-Claire, my heart cries for you and your daughter. And Günter Klaus, my thoughts are with you too in your greatest challenge. Ipernity is a community with so many happy times, but there are sad times too…we pull together in good times and bad. May your week be a nice one and full of healing and strength. Explored on 11/28/21; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets) (Please click! Wonderful crow details await!) (Sscroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: The Elderly Gentleman On my walks I often encounter folks along the way, and sometimes I run into them again during the same stroll! One fellow brings a smile to myself when I think about him. One morning I was walking up North Harris Beach and I noticed a person standing stock still at the base of a craggy boulder where the waves were creeping up with the tide. Hands held at his side, he was staring intently at something where the water hit the rocks. As the waves sank back, he crept closer, penguin-style. If the waves got too close he waggled backwards. What a funny sight! By the time I made it to the rock he'd been scooting back and forth on, he'd backed away from his tenuous position and disappeared up the beach. I couldn't help wondering what he'd been looking at. Later I trekked up the trail that winds around and leads up to the small but impressive Harris Butte which overlooks the coast and boasts a fabulous view. (I shared a picture in my last presentation) On the way, who should I meet but the fellow I'd seen on the beach! As we passed, I had my opportunity to quell my curiosity and after wishing him a good morning, asked, "What were you looking at down there on the beach?" He smiled widely, remembering where he'd seen me and reported proudly, "I saw two starfish, one purple, the other orange! I thought there was another one but the waves kept coming in and I didn't want to get soaked." I congratulated him and told him that I might try looking myself another day. I would see him for three more days on this trail and each time we said hello as we passed one another. I loved that he was so active and interested in the beauty of Harris Beach and wondered how he came to be there and if he was a full-time traveler. It would have been fun to have a chat with him. In the end, I never did check out the side of that rock down at the edge of the water but I can picture the starfish that he saw. (I wish I'd gotten a picture of him at some point but it wasn't in the cards.) A Note to Introduce Today's Picture Harris Beach State Park is unique because it has two wonderful beaches: North and South. Between them sits a boulder-glutted area and a very large, healthy tide pool--all of which can be scrambled around when the tide is low. Further bi- and trisecting the beaches, a number of creeks empty out into the ocean in several places and create lagoons or busy streams which snake down to the water's edge. Crossing them to continue walking along the beach can be a simple wide stretch with some momentum, a careful hop or a running leap. Alternatively, one may choose to abandon any decorum whatsoever and splash across or, for those who really don't want to get soaked, the adventurous can climb over the cobbled driftwood and rocks that collect at the tops of the beaches where the streams come down the hillside. The streams running down to the ocean are very popular with the local birdlife and there are usually a cluster of seagulls hanging out, bathing, or hunting for a meal. Plovers, oyster-catchers, and sandpipers are also regular visitors too. Today's Picture One day I walked to the edge of one of the streams emptying out into the ocean and watched a crow with something in its beak. It would toss it in the water and then pick it up again. Then it would walk to another spot and do it again. I wasn't sure what it was up to but I think it was washing the sand off of its goody! The main picture shows this crow eying its morsel. (Please see this picture at full-size, it's best viewed large!) Today's Insets Along with the crow image, I'm including a few more: • a portrait of the crow that shows its treat (a slice of ham? Pastrami?) • a shining abstract of charred driftwood • the a driftwood still life that includes the charred driftwood • beautiful lines showing rippling stream water • a collage of images to show the pretty millipede I saw on the beach Thank You For Your Visit, Comments & Stars! What fun to read what you have to say about my latest presentation! It's so enjoyable to learn a tidbit that relates to you or if you have a favorite image. Likewise, I really love to hop around the world through the lenses of your cameras to see what you're sharing today, and to let you know what I think too! :) Hope you had a wonderful weekend and crossing your fingers that this coming week is great too! Explored on 11/21/21; highest placement #4.

(+7 insets) (seeing larger shows some fun fence detail!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: You Never Know What You'll Find when Hiking! One day I was riding my bike around the campground loops when I saw what appeared to be a pet cat walking across the road. Couldn't be, I thought. I'd seen cats taken along on camping trips but they always had a harness and leash attached to a carefully attentive owner. And, anyone who's put a harness on a cat knows that such contraptions are mostly there for show…if a cat wants to escape, it can almost always contort its way easily out of a harness faster than Houdini! The reality of a missing cat on a road trip would be a total nightmare…just thinking about it makes me shudder. And yet, as I rode by, I confirmed what I saw: a lovely grey tabby strolling along with its tail held high over its back. I was amazed! Could there be a long-term host who had their cat with them? Something to ponder about. Later, Steve and I were walking around the loops with Pumpkin when we saw the cat again. Steve had seen it previously as well, and we both talked to it as we went by. The kitty was friendly enough that it didn't run away but couldn't be bothered to come over and visit. Fine by us, we had Pumpkin with us and didn't want it to approach anyway. The next morning I was on my walk, heading down the trail leading to North Harris Beach when I saw a couple of ladies with their dogs enjoying the view. Suddenly I saw a flash of movement--the cat! What was this?!! Was this their cat? A CAT going on a WALK?!! NO WAY!! I exclaimed in excitement, "I can't believe my eyes! Never in my life have I seen a CAT going on a WALK!" The two of them turned and laughed, nodding their heads. One said, "This is Whiskey! She really is amazing! Seriously--the first time we opened the door to let her out we thought, 'That's the last time we'll see the cat, she'll take off and never come back.' But she was fine!" I whooped my surprise as she continued, "She goes out and comes right back when we call! And when we go on walks, she comes with us! People are so surprised that they've been taking pictures of her and post them online--she's actually got her own Instagram account!" With another amazed, "WOW!!", I shook my head and stared in wonder as Whisky came running over when I knelt down to say hi. Running my hands over her soft, luxurious coat, I rubbed her ears and skritched under her chin as she rubbed up against me. I was in love--what a sweetheart! I learned that the ladies were sisters, traveling in their RV to Washington-one lived there, the other had joined her for this adventure from her home in California. "I always wanted to go on one of my sister's RV trips, and it's such fun that I'm going to figure out how to do it myself, full-time!" I told them about our adventures and plans, agreeing wholeheartedly that RV life is wonderful. Finally it was time to continue my walk, but before I did I asked them if I could take a picture of Whiskey and they couldn't be happier to say yes! :) What a wonderful encounter. :) Today's Picture We've been lucky enough to stay at a bunch of coastal campgrounds but Harris Beach is one of the best for dramatic, huge rocks. This battalion of boulders leading out to the sea also features unique and interesting shapes along with lovely coloring. And…what's that? There is a fence there, meant to keep curious kids off this sensitive and dangerous area. (The fence is at the beach-side of the park's day use parking area and includes a sign that asks people not to climb there.) Do you see the OTHER fence? This aerie's nest location marks the top of Harris Beach's little butte. It includes a jaw-dropping view of the coastline for all who make their way up the energizing trail to the top! (see inset!) Today's Insets The first inset shows the amazing view from the top of Harris Butte, featuring Goat Island, the largest island off the Oregon Coast and an important bird sanctuary. Other insets from my adventures here include: • A picture of Whisky for you to see--such a beautiful, dear cat! • An inviting beach driftwood fire on its way out (though the people left and should have doused it completely!) • South Harris Beach at low tide (that triangular rock is surrounded by waves at high tide!) • A picture of Steve enjoying photography on North Harris Beach • Extreme wind one day blew the tops of waves into a mist, shown here against a boulder off the coast • I saw a number of beautiful Yellow Spotted Millipedes on the beach and couldn't help getting this view, with my phone, no less! Thank You For Stopping By! It's sure been wonderful to get your blush-worthy comments and happy remarks--this never fails to make me feel very honored and lucky to be part of such a warm community of friends. When Steve and I are away in our RV, our internet is so inconsistent that trying to visit everyone is a trial in frustration, so I gave up. That being said, it's hard to be away and so now that we're home I've really enjoyed catching up with everyone! Here's hoping you guys have a lovely weekend! Explored on 11/20/21; highest placement #8.

(+5 insets) (seeing larger is better!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: Morning Light at Harris Beach State Park It's hard to beat that gorgeous golden glow from Magic Hour. It gets me up and out of the trailer in anticipation of marvelous oohs and ahhs as I walk along, discovering one lovely sight after another. I was heading towards the far end of the campground loops when I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw. Some folks had started a campfire and the smoke was drifting softly through the trees. The sun shone down through the branches and created those magical beams of light we all love so much. In front of me was the dappled shadows on the pavement and grass and the star of the show was a camper van tucked under a tree at the side of the magical beams of light. I thought to myself, "WOW! That looks like an ad for Reserve America Campgrounds!" What a beautiful sight! I stood and stared for a moment when I noticed a bit of movement next to the van. I'd missed spotting a picnic table there but now I could see a woman, bundled up and contentedly reading a book, puffs of chilly breath rising up around her. Normally I would pass by quietly so as to not disturb her reverie but this time I had to intrude. "Good morning!" I called, and stepped close enough that she could see me around the bushes obscuring the table and campsite. She looked up in surprise and said, "Oh! Good morning!" "I'm sorry to disturb you but if you enjoy taking pictures of your campsites, there is a very magical view here from where I'm standing. The sunlight is creating beautiful shafts of light which make your van and campsite look amazing!" She put her book down, stood and turned to smile in excitement. "YES! Oh, THANK YOU! I'll go get my camera!" She clapped her mitten-covered hands and rushed to get into her van. Grinning back at her I departed with, "ENJOY! And have a lovely day!" She called back, "YOU TOO!!" As I continued my walk I felt so happy that I was able to share that moment! Today's Picture My main image shows the photo I took on my walk that I described above. Sometimes everything is just right and you are lucky enough to have a camera with you to capture the magic moment! Today's Insets I'm also including another group of images showing some of the neat things I've found on my morning walk… * Another view of the rugged coast at one of the Sunset Trail's benches… * The gorgeous dappling on the trail that leads down to South Harris Beach… * A collage of bunny pictures that show the fluffy little friend who I frequented on that path down to South Harris Beach… * A man enjoying a walk on South Harris Beach with his two very boisterous buddies… * And finally, the silly face I spotted on a tree trunk along Sunset Trail! Thank You For Stopping By! It is very humbling to get so many kind remarks from all of you who take the time to visit my pictures! There's no feeling like the waves of joy I feel, knowing that I've accomplished my goal: to make people happy with a gift I am so fortunate to have. At the same time, it's a very powerful experience to visit all of the incredible photography that you all share with us here on ipernity. I'm so glad to be part of this community. You're my online family and I couldn't be luckier to be a part of this fine group! Hope all of you are doing well on "Hump Day"! :) Explored on 11/17/21; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets) (Please view large!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written During our Trip: Houston, We Have a Problem!! Whenever you go on an adventure, it's best to go with the understanding that things are bound to go wrong at some point. After all, how can you possibly be prepared for stuff you aren't even aware of? We've learned that taking care of problems as they arise without getting freaked out is the best policy and this has made our lives so much happier when we're out on the road. Case in Point: Um, the TV Isn't Supposed to Look Like That… Every night, Steve and I curl up in bed with Pumpkin and watch an episode of a tv show or part of a movie. Pumpkin gets a chance to settle down, preen her feathers and cuddle with us before we tuck her into her sleeping tent. On our first night away from home at lovely Harris Beach, I was getting things put away in the kitchen when I heard Steve call from his bedroom, "Janet, we have a problem." I walked back to find out what was going on and he pointed at our tv screen on the wall. What I saw made me cringe. Instead of having a lovely image to look at, abstract rays of lines criss-crossed the screen, originating from a single impact point. Somehow in the midst of one of Steve's many projects around the trailer he must have smacked the screen with something pointed. We stared at the screen for a moment with rather amazed expressions on our faces. Just to put an obvious point on the situation, one of us said, "Well, that tv is toast." Thankfully, televisions don't cost much these days so it wouldn't be expensive to replace. The bigger problem was getting our hands on a new one. Given our location, this presented an issue because we were hours from a Costco (big warehouse store) or any place that might carry a tv that didn't break the bank. If you're thinking, "Big deal, just read a book!", that wasn't an option. Our nightly routine with Pumpkin is set in stone and something we can't just not do--she would never understand! For the time-being, setting up a laptop on the bed between us would suffice, so that's what we did. To our great relief, it worked out fine! Pumpkin was able to do her nightly preening and cuddling with us before settling down for bed, and we were able to watch a show like we normally do. An Unfortunate Situation Met with a Great Attitude! Before we watched our show though, we did some research online. We wondered how far Steve would have to go to find a store with a proper tv. Unfortunately, we determined with groans of unhappiness, that it would require a 2.5 hour drive all the way back to Medford. There just wasn't enough need for big stores that carried appliances on the Oregon coast. BUMMER. Instead of getting upset about this unforeseen catastrophe, Steve was good with it. Problems are bound to come up and the drive back is beautiful. Plus, if there were any items we forgot at home, he would swing by and pick them up. All good. What a trooper. The next day Steve departed after breakfast, leaving me at the trailer to hang out and be with Pumpkin. Calling with updates, I learned the drive was sunny and beautiful. Later, he arrived at Costco and found a very nice replacement for our tv that was the same size and cost less than the one we had! How nice that electronics prices are so much better these days--I still remember paying $800 for my first 30-inch television (more than twice the price of our new huge wall-mounted tv)! It was also nice that he could stop by the house because we'd forgotten our griddle (pancakes!!!) and a few other things. We could have lived without them but now we didn't have to…yay! It would be nearly 6pm before Steve pulled up at the trailer and he was absolutely done for after his adventure. Before we had dinner, Steve had the tv set up and it was perfect. Hooray! It's safe to say that we got to bed extra early and Steve slept in late the next morning! Today's Picture This is my second set of tide pool pictures and today's main image shows a cluster of goose-necked barnacles, retracted at low tide When the tide comes in they extend their long "goose neck" stalks which help them reach more food. Aren't they bizarre-looking?! I was really happy when I found this photogenic group. The angle and position was just right to get some background bokeh along with crisp details of these crazy barnacles! Did you know they are edible? In fact, these extremely expensive crustaceans are supposed to taste like a cross between lobsters and clams…YUMM!! Today's Insets I have some other neat pictures to share today, naturally! There's a really interesting translucent seaweed macro that almost looks like some strange creature. A cluster of Bay Mussels sitting on a rock encrusted with barnacles A pair of starfish in tones of red and purple. A marvelous still life featuring anemones, whelks, barnacles, limpets and a bit of kelp. Finally, another view of this incredible tidal zone, brimming with life and at the lowest tidal point. Thank You For Stopping By! It's wonderful to read your comments and find out what you liked the most. I am very touched and humbled because I find your photography so incredible! What fun to explore the world through each other's photos, to see through your eyes and to learn so many things we didn't know about. I hope your weekend has been wonderful! Enjoy the day/night/morning! :) Explored on 11/13/21; highest placement #2.

(+5 insets) (clicking on this picture is recommended! :D) Lovely Walks at Harris Beach State Park My morning routine is to get up, shower, have my coffee and vitamin mix, and pop out the door for a walk which is ideally three miles or longer. Yet another reason this park is so perfect is that I designed a walk which is 3.5 miles and full of plenty of cardio, along with jaw-dropping scenery. I almost always take my phone with me, but sometimes I bring my Canon with 100mm 2.8L lens for some macro fun, and other times I bring my Sony bridge camera for zooming in on wildlife or fun activities that I find along the way. Today's Picture This lovely unfurling fern was just one of the masses of glowing spring growth that I saw everywhere on my walks. It's November as I post this, but it was the beginning of April when we started our trip and I really enjoyed seeing what budding springtime was like out on the coast. Today's Insets I got so many wonderful pictures with all three of my cameras while we were here! Today's handful of insets include a lovely mushroom, a pair of colorful ivy leaves, a playful collage showing a Mountain Chickadee, a bunny that I saw many times on my walks, and finally, a weathered whale skull mounted on a stand visible along one of the campground loops. Thank You For the Visits and Welcoming Home! I hope everyone is doing well! I have really enjoyed your visits and comments, and I'm making my rounds as time permits. Wow, it's so nice to be back!! I'm going to try to post every couple of days so I can get more pictures posted…there are so many that I've processed, and so so so many that are waiting for my attention! I hope I'll be able to share lots and lots, and I hope also to catch up with everyone too! Explored on 11/3/21; highest placement #1.

(+5 Insets!) (Sorry this is really long...scroll down to "Today's Picture" for info about my presentation today) What a Difference a Year Makes Last year we'd just started to seriously plan our upcoming RV trip when Covid hit. We would eventually leave three months later and had a fabulous season of adventures. This year we didn't have to wait! A couple of months ago the state park reservation system changed to allow bookings six months ahead and we jumped on the opportunity. It took hours that day but we locked in nearly 3.5 months of our season! From then on, we slowly prepared and began packing a few things. Steve worked on upgrade projects as weather permitted--it gets very cold here in the winter and our shop isn't heated so he worked on days that were warmer. Steve kept last year's preparations in mind and this year he didn't hurt himself just as we were about to leave. Both of us were very careful because we learned what a total bummer it was to be trailer-ridden and unable to hike, cycle or enjoy the beautiful setting we were in. We Could Hardly Wait to Leave on our Adventure As April rounded the corner, we got increasingly excited because our first reservation would be on April 6 at a hugely popular campground we never thought we'd get into--Harris Beach State Park. Amazingly, we got a full two weeks at a perfect site for our large rig! Steve and I worked very hard all the way until the very moment we left and then it was showtime! Our live-in house guest arrived--just as excited to move in as we were to move out! He loves staying at our place and we don't blame him--the outdoor activities and beauty of this area are so nice. But traveling around in a "home on wheels" is even better! :D Topping this with a win-win situation is so perfect, isn't it?! Off and Away! I walked down to the gate, opened it up and waited for Steve to make his way through. As our rig passed by, I couldn't help but watch and think of the past fun we'd had in the last couple of years. This season we were set up for almost six months of camping, YIPPEE!! NO MORE WAITING! It was time to GO!!! I pulled the gate shut, locked it and trotted across the road to hop into our fabulous truck. Steve and I shared a face-to-face grin and high-fived. LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!! What a Wonderful Drive Driving out to the Oregon coast, we took a route that many RV and trailer owners have openly worried about online. The two-way road gets very narrow in places and at a few points there are some very tight curves combined with rocky walls which encroach on the road. To make matters even worse, there were areas where trees used to lean over the road with branches that hung low enough to be a real concern. We were happy to learn that the trees were gone and it turned out that we had no problems with the curves or the rock walls, though we did go cautiously through those spots. We enjoyed a beautiful three hour drive through redwoods, past verdant meadows and farmland, and finally we reached the gorgeous coast! All the while Steve and I chatted about our trip and Pumpkin supervised from her Lucite travel cage braced between my knees. Munching on her food and whistling joyfully, she couldn't be happier either----she adores travelling and camping too! Once we arrived at the campground, Steve had no problems backing into our site. We'd learned to make sure the sites we reserved would be easy to get into--we've had our share of stressful parking memories! Upon parking, we hopped out of our truck to congratulate each other with a big hug. Our happy Cheshire Cat smiles couldn't be bigger! Our very first site was HARRIS BEACH!!! YAHOO!!! What a way to start our 2021 camping trip! Today's Picture We arrived and set up early enough that we could walk a quick 5-minutes out to one of the nearby vistas to take sunset pictures! Can you say "drop-dead gorgeous"? WOWZERS!! You can see a silhouette of Goat Island offshore--it happens to be Oregon's largest island, though a mere 21 acres. It's been a National Wildlife Refuge since 1936 and is one of the largest nesting sites in the state, home to 11 species and over 100,000 seabirds during breeding season! Today's Insets Looking south is rugged coastline including tide pools and lots of driftwood. I couldn't stop appreciating the huge boulders around us and then Steve pointed out a plane above us complete with jet trails! I also got a picture of the evening's warm sunlight showing of the side of a pair of large boulders beyond which one can see both a small butte and a sliver of beach with drift wood at the top of the beach. The second row of pictures show a panorama I took the next morning from the shore of North Harris Beach. Finally, the butte shown in my third inset has a trail that emerges out to a jaw-dropping view... my last panorama is a view up the coast from Harris Butte. :) I hope everyone is doing well! Steve and I got our first vaccine shot yesterday, hooray!! Explored on 4/17/21; highest placement #2.