Yaquina Bay Oregon
Yaquina Bay is on the 101 highway along the Oregon coast at Newport. The highbridge is characteristic of the many interesting bridges along the west coast due to almost all of them being designed by the same man. He had no real architectual formal training but used his position as the chief engineer of highway systems to get the job done. This one looks like it should have Gargoyles positioned on the Gothic towers.
This harbor is 'musical' with the sound of barking Sea Lions, night is no deterence to them. The harbor bouy sounds its fog horn every 23 seconds. I counted it last night between the Sea Lions barking.
I met an interesting man yesterday. His name is Keith, 57 years old and has been at sea all of his adult life. Keith lives on his 40 foot single masted sailboat with his young Samoan wife. Keith says since they have lived here the last three years she is spoiled and he can't feed her fish heads and rice anymore. She likes to go shopping now and wears shoes. Keith said she has lost her island survival skills and now he is worried about her. Keith said if he dies, his friends will take him to sea for his burial, but then she will be at the mercy of the cruel world. It sounds like Keith is getting domestic. He told me of the load of school supplies he was to deliver to Pitcairn Island, (Mutiny on the Bounty) the storms were so bad that he was riding out the waves offshore for three days with no sleeep. Finally he radioed that he could take no more and sailed for Easter Island. He never did get to Pitcairn.
Keith told me all of those small islands are populated with people that have been marrying their close relatives for so many years, there is some serious noticeable heredity defects. Keith has supported himself since a very young man, at sea you learn to be self sufficient. No one else is there to care for you. I could see this confidence in his eyes as we spoke. This is the longest he has stayed at one place for many years. Keith sells boats, patrols the docks as security, and knows the history of each and every one at this port. I was very impressed at his many stories about his life at sea. I tried to get him interested in a Blog to tell the world of his adventures. One old power boat caught my attention. It looked like one that a famous film star of days gone past, may have owned. It is now forgotten and abondoned and left at the dock to waste away until some person takes it under their care with tens of thousands of dollars in renovation. Many old boats catch my attention along this coast, ...Oh the stories they could tell.
This harbor is 'musical' with the sound of barking Sea Lions, night is no deterence to them. The harbor bouy sounds its fog horn every 23 seconds. I counted it last night between the Sea Lions barking.
I met an interesting man yesterday. His name is Keith, 57 years old and has been at sea all of his adult life. Keith lives on his 40 foot single masted sailboat with his young Samoan wife. Keith says since they have lived here the last three years she is spoiled and he can't feed her fish heads and rice anymore. She likes to go shopping now and wears shoes. Keith said she has lost her island survival skills and now he is worried about her. Keith said if he dies, his friends will take him to sea for his burial, but then she will be at the mercy of the cruel world. It sounds like Keith is getting domestic. He told me of the load of school supplies he was to deliver to Pitcairn Island, (Mutiny on the Bounty) the storms were so bad that he was riding out the waves offshore for three days with no sleeep. Finally he radioed that he could take no more and sailed for Easter Island. He never did get to Pitcairn.
Keith told me all of those small islands are populated with people that have been marrying their close relatives for so many years, there is some serious noticeable heredity defects. Keith has supported himself since a very young man, at sea you learn to be self sufficient. No one else is there to care for you. I could see this confidence in his eyes as we spoke. This is the longest he has stayed at one place for many years. Keith sells boats, patrols the docks as security, and knows the history of each and every one at this port. I was very impressed at his many stories about his life at sea. I tried to get him interested in a Blog to tell the world of his adventures. One old power boat caught my attention. It looked like one that a famous film star of days gone past, may have owned. It is now forgotten and abondoned and left at the dock to waste away until some person takes it under their care with tens of thousands of dollars in renovation. Many old boats catch my attention along this coast, ...Oh the stories they could tell.
posted by Blogengeezer at Monday, August 21, 2006
1 Comments:
This Motorhome traveling stuff is almost as interesting as 'background acting'. The Sea Lions were slightly less vocal last night. Maybe we are just getting used to them. The two lighthouses on this Yaquina Bay Harbor, are still operating along with the electronic navigation aids that have replaced most lighthouses. They are public accessable as most are. West coast lighthouses are fun to investigate, as most lighthouses are. Tourism has replaced commercial fishing for the most part. Yesterday I was informed that the 'Crabbing' is the best it has been for years. The last 5 years have been getting better and better. The warming trend in the southern areas (accompanied by the rise in acidic water in the southern coastline) have made for excellent conditions in these waters. A shellfish license is 16.50 yearly (9.00 for three day) for non-resident. The crab is just as great right off the dock using a heavy rod, reel in combination with a couple of various little traps available for about 60.00 as a total package...as in the offshore areas. Now isn't that an interesting way to spend a vacation, along with other fun stuff of course. I still want to get a canoe ......
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