Continued from Part One

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=000931

We crossed the Columbia River and entered Astoria, Oregon (home of the Goonies- in fact the 20th Anniversary Celebration had just occurred the previous weekend. Just in case it doesn't ring a bell The Goonies was a children's movie that came out in 1985).

Here was our next stop the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Unfortunately, it was already closed for the day. fortunately this didn't stop us from getting a look at the Lightship Columbia- we could ahve toured it if we got there a bit earlier but you just can't do everything (Do I hear my Wacko status slipping away?)

Here's a photo of the Lightship. I'm hoping someone can give me the proper name for the item just to the left of the Lightship. It looks like some type of aid to navigation. It isn't shown in this photo but it is sitting on a large round platform.

Lightship Columbia


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I noticed a tower standing out of the trees across the way in Astoria so I took a photo of it. Here's what I learned on the web earlier today-

Astoria Column
Climb the 125 foot high Astoria Column, patterned after Trajan's Column in Rome by architect Electus Ritchfield. The column was dedicated in 1926. Once on top, you will have a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, and Saddle Mountain and the Clatsop Plain.

Here's the photo-

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We continued south and it was getting fairly late as we got closer to Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. We drove down to Ecola State Park but I could not find the spots where the Lighthouse was visible from. It was getting more and more misty and cloudy so it might have been hidden from our view. We gave up and continued on our way.

We were staying in Tillamook, OR which contrary to what you might think is not very close to Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. We pulled into the Shilo Inn at about 9 PM. It was actually still light at this point (it gets dark much later due to being further North. It was still partially light in Seatle at almost 10 PM)

I really was impressed with the Shilo Inn. All the rooms ahve a microwave and a refrigerator in them, high speed internet, a nice restaurant connected to the motel and if you are a fisherman the one in Tillamook even has a fish house where you can clean your fish. The price wasn't bad- just about $70 a night with AAA discount.

This brings us to the end of Day One. Trip to be continued on Day 2.

Dennis

I didn't get a chance to hit the lightship in Astoria (pretty town, eh?!) - I actually kind of forgot about it after seeing that USCG exercise with the chopper in the river...

In Ecola SP, did you get a chance to get all the way to the ticket booth and then park at the overlook? It's a ways back in...I actually drove past Ecola and went down to Indian Head Beach - wish I'd had more time to shoot there. I wanted to get my hiney down to Cannon Beach and shoot the seastacks there, also, and had to cut that out...there is so much to see!!

Jen,

We went all the way down the road at Ecola and to the main parking lot. I looked around at the map on the bulliten board and it looked to me like it was a two mile hike to where the Lighthouse was.

We were running late already and I didn't think we would find it before it got dark and we had a distance still to drive to the motel in Tillamook.

I wasn't too upset about skipping it or Cape Arago since they are at best distant views.

Dennis

When you hit the main parking lot, there is a path that goes along the bluffs overlooking the ocean, but it's not two miles..perhaps 1/4 mile in length total. That's the best view of Tillamook, but if it was foggy or overcast, you probably couldn't see it, as it is a mile offshore. This was the best I did at 448mm with my camera from the same spot as you were...

The item next to the Columbia is the bouy that replaced the ship. It has sinced been replaced.

Bob,

Thanks. I thought that might be what it was- just thought there was a more specialized name for it.

There wasn't anything explaining that info- or I just missed it in my short stay there.

Dennis

Jen,

It was just about dusk at the time a bit misty and not quite foggy and the trail seemed to indicate it was up to 2 miles away from where I was.

I knew the best I could get with my 12x Digital zoom was probably a little worse than the picture you posted so I made a command decision and decided to truck on down the road to the motel. If I made this trip 3-4 years ago I would have driven around or hiked in the dark to get it- I'm not as Wacko as I used to be.

Dennis