RVing “Caravan Style” Part 2

Sunday, June 19, Father’s Day found us driving north and into Oregon. One would think that the geography would be similar as we were only 43 or so miles from our last camp in California, but it was different. Northern California was mostly forest and a lot of overgrowth. Oregon opened up to rolling hills, manicured lawns, grand views of a rocky coast and warmer temps. Brookings – in the Banana belt – is the warmest place in Oregon according to one tourist guide I read.

Our park was pretty nice and we were just a short walk from the beach. Dave and I walked down on the first night. I found a few rocks and the beach was littered everywhere with driftwood. When we returned we noticed we had wild calla lilies and wild fuchsia growing on the hillside behind our camper.

On the 20th, as a group, we visited Lone Ranch Beach less than 5 miles up the highway. The tide had just went out and we were able to “tidepool.” I had never done this before, so after doing my research on Google, I simply watched everyone else as they discovered sea life left behind from high tide. We saw starfish, blue mussels, lots of seaweed and sea anemone. Suddenly, I have a new hobby! It was so cool to discover the “tidepool critters” in their natural habitat.

On another day while in Brookings, we went back to Pebble Beach, CA (Crescent City) for more tidepooling, agate hunting and to see the Battery Point Lighthouse. The day was warm, but the wind was cool and strong, making it difficult to stand upright at times.

I found quite a few “tidepool critters” as pictured below and we heard the seals barking but could never find them.

The lighthouse is inaccessible when it is high tide and if so desired, you can volunteer to be a lighthouse keeper for a month! Half the day you offer tours with another couple of volunteers and when the tide is up, you have your own island! Pretty sweet, not to mention the fabulous views. Crescent City has experienced two tsunamis with the most recent in 2011 following the quake in Japan. The lighthouse was safe but the workers could only watch as the waves rolled in and destroyed part of the town.

The lighthouse has been in operation since 1856, sits 45 feet high and has underwent several renovations including an indoor kitchen and bathroom. The light is called a Fourth Order Fresnel and whether a candle or light bulb is used, it is designed to shine light out 14 miles through a series of prisms and glass, limited only by the curvature of the earth.

Caravanning is a fun option for RVing. We are making new friends and learning so much. Our next stop is in Gold Beach Oregon at Driftwood RV, literally feet from the Pacific and then Coos Bay/North Bend where we will spend July 4th. Watch for our next post, complete with fireworks, coming soon!