Sunday, January 4, 2015

Oceanside














Scarf: Forever 21; Sweater: Gap (old); Jeans: Gap; Boots: Sperry Topsider (also love these and these)

It has been a busy holiday season and Ben and I haven't been outside of Portland-proper for a few months. In the last week or two, with no vacation from work over the holidays and the dreary weather, the grey in the city has been getting to me. After a while, you tire of seeing buildings and sidewalks and people people people as far as the eye can see. I usually need some pastoral landscape, or misty forest, to make me feel alive again.

So this blustery Sunday, we packed up our rain gear and headed for the sea. The coast is about two hours from Portland through farmland and then through the wet, winding coastal range. It's a gorgeous drive - lichen covered trees hang over the road, little waterfalls speckle every turn, the passing evergreen forests are dotted with creek and rushing river and little homes with wood fires glowing inside. It's magical to sit in the passenger seat and watch the forest fly by. Today we saw swollen rivers, a bald eagle, kestrel hunting prey, many a hawk, cows sheltering from the rain, iced over waterfalls and creek beds, and made our way through pouring rain to the ocean. 

We stopped in Tillamook for cheese cheese and more cheese and checked out a new brewery before making our way to Netarts and Oceanside, two damp, sleepy little towns along the coast. The Oregon coast is unlike any coast I've experienced - it's always raining, often blustery, never warm, and always breathtaking. The sand stretches for ages and the waves roll in steadily making long trails on the shore of kelp and foam. It looks moody, mysterious, and dotted with rock outcroppings home to their own mini forests and animals. I often catch my breath when I see the wide ocean, wide shores, and absolute loneliness of most of the beaches. A far cry from my Hawaii beaches.

When we stopped off at Oceanside and parked the car in a turn-around gravel spot, it was pouring. But we suited up, rain jacket over down jacket, rain boots, wool socks, gloves, hoods up. And clambered down a wet pile of rocks to this absolutely silent expanse of beach, dotted with seagulls but nothing else. The wind was absolutely pelting us with drops of rain so big and so violent that they hurt hitting our skin. Within minutes we were soaked through our rain jackets, through our jeans and it hurt to face the gale. But we ran around in circles in the sand and splashed boots in the surf and chased a flock of seagulls off their wet perches.

When you go to the Oregon coast, you plan on it being cold, wet, and windy. No matter the day, hour, season. I've been in summer in steady winds and mist and fog and rain and 50-60 degree weather. I've been in winter for the same. On the rare occasion, you'll get a crystal clear day that's bitingly cold. And I've heard that some people were once warm on the coast, on a freak day in August... but I don't believe it. Regardless, you go. To drive through a forest so untouched in places it feels as if you are Lewis and Clark exploring for the first time. To run on a beach that is silent except for your feet hitting sand. To see the Pacific in all its power rolling toward you. 

It's magic.

40 comments

  1. Oh heeeyyyy girl! You might remember me! I am totally back, well, back as of midnight my time. I am so thrilled to have been following along with you during the break. I am so happy that Ben and you got some time away! Oregon, although wet, looks like it is such a gorgeous place and I cannot wait to visit it some day!



    www.theadoredlife.com

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  2. oooo, these pictures are beyond beautiful! xx

    Fash Boulevard

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  3. love so much this pics!!!!!

    ❤️

    THE CIHC

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  4. Such gorgeous pictures!! Love it!

    xx,

    La Joie de Vivre

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  5. Haha, I can attest to once being warm on the coast...and yes, it was a freak day in August :)

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  6. What a great way to gear up before heading into the week!

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  7. We love Oceanside...it's one of the least touristy spots on the coast and the beach is small, but nice! When we think (dream) about a place on the coast, we think of Oceanside!

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  8. I love trips to the coast. Now you have be wanting to go back even though we were just there last week.

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  9. There is something about being on the Coast that makes Grey, wet, and windy much more fun and as you said, magical somehow!

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  10. I agree, the Coast is so soothing for the soul. I feel like the rain and grey is comforting and helps wash away stress and worries for just a moment. It is seriously one of my favorite places in live. Can't live without the ocean.

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  11. Beautiful pictures! I love the coast, and ALWAYS expect it to be windy and rainy, but it is perfect that way!

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  12. I would be sensitive skin. I am a little oily but too sensitive.

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  13. I would like to win the Dry line.

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  14. These pictures are truly breathtaking. Now I want to visit Oregon!

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  15. we love the coast, its the only place I tend to want to go. We rented a house in the Yachats area last February and would you believe for part of our days it was in the mid 60's, no wind, and crystal clear? It was AMAZING!

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  16. Michelle Igou KlingenJanuary 5, 2015 at 4:51 PM

    I would like to win the sensitive skin line

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  17. I would love to try the sensitive skin line.

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  18. http://www.okamurafarm.com/products/comfort-spray-aromatherapy-toner-2-oz-glass-bottle

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  19. Oily skin please!

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  20. I would choose the oily skin. I have some dry patches, but the products all sound like they would offer moisturizing properties.

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  21. Sensitive skin or oily would be the best for me.

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  22. I would choose the sensitive set.
    Mrsbrockavich48 (at) gmail (dot)com

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  23. Lovely oceanside pictures with you in it , It seems that you embrace the nature, I love nature as well. Fabulous outfit, amazing!!!


    xxx


    www.noragouma.com

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  24. I would pick sensitive skin or dry.

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  25. obsessed with those topsiders! great pics xo

    this + that

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  26. serums for sensitive skin or dry!

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  27. These photos are beyond beautiful! Such amazing photos! Ps. I think you would love our winter white outfit look we shared on the blog today!

    xo, Jennifer
    Seek Wander Share
    Follow Seek Wander Share on Instagram

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  28. The oily would be perfect for me,thanks.

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  29. I would pick sensitive skin.

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  30. I would pick oily skin

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  31. sensitive for me

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  32. Hard to choose - so many of the products sound amazing! I'd love to try the
    Rose City Mask!

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  33. Would love to win all and try all

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  34. I would probably like to win the dry skincare line!

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  35. I would love to try the clear cleanse and the entire dry skin line of products!

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  36. I think I would choose the sensitive skin items.

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  37. Beautiful photos, and I am in love with your scarf!!

    Recently discovered your blog, and I'm really liking it. :)

    x Mel
    melvinaduka.blogspot.com

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