Newport, Oregon Lighthouses

There are two lighthouses in Newport, Oregon.  The Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Oregon's tallest and second oldest continually active lighthouse is located north of Newport.  The tower is 93 feet tall and stands 162 feet above sea level.  The light has been active since August 1873.  Today the fully automated Fresnel lens runs on commercial power and flashes a unique pattern. Yaquina Head Lighthouse is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area which is managed by BLM. Below the lighthouse is an observation deck with views of the coast, sea lions and a large rock called Colony Rock.  Several varieties of seabirds cluster on the rock.  There is a large Interpretive Center as you enter the park that has exhibits on the lighthouse, birds, whales, tidepools, etc.
The second lighthouse is the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.  It was built on a wooded bluff above the mouth of the Yaquina River, overlooking the Newport bayfront and the Pacific Ocean.  It was built in 1871and was the only lighthouse in Oregon in which the living quarters are housed in the same building as the light.  It is also the only wood lighthouse in Oregon and is listed on the National Historic Register.  The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1874, just 3 years after it was built. While visiting the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse we saw the Tall ships coming back into the harbor.

The Yaquina Head Lighthouse

 Colony Rock

 Sea Lions sleeping on the rocks

Hundreds of Common Murre Sea Birds on Colony Rock

  

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.

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 The view of the ocean from inside the lighthouse

 The Tall Ships returning to the Yaquina Bay

Newport, Oregon

We arrived at Whaler's Rest Thousand Trails Park Thursday afternoon.  The park is located  just south of Newport on the Oregon coast.  It is a nice park and we've enjoyed our stay and will be coming back.

Couldn't see the ocean, but could hear the waves and saw a couple beautiful sunsets.

We did explore Newport and saw some beautiful sights.  We went to the Historic Bay front, home of the largest fishing fleet in Oregon, saw several barking sea lions, walked on the boardwalk where crabs were being sold and saw the fishing boats unloading the buckets of fish. The biggest surprise was to see two Tall Ships docked on the boardwalk. They are here through 28 May.  They are Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain.  We were able to walk on both the ships.  

 The Hawaiian Chieftain

 Lady Washington

A few of the barking sea lions on the rocks in the harbor

This boxer is enjoying watching the people go by!

Lake of the Springs Thousand Trails Park

We spent 11 days at Lake of the Springs (LOTS) Thousand Trails Park at Oregon House, California.  This is the park where my sister Paulette and husband Fred have a leased lot so they spend a lot of time here.  Their kids, grandkids, great grandbabies and friends live in Yuba City & Marysville so it is close for them to visit.  Besides Paulette and Fred at LOTS my cousin Stan and wife Sally recently leased a lot.  So it was like a family reunion.  We were able to visit our uncles in Sacramento.  Our mom's brother Charlie and brother-in-law Dick are both in Home Care.  It was good to be able to see them.  We did a lot of eating, visiting and even some line dancing.  Mother's Day we spent at Paulette and Fred's friends Bev and Eldon's house.  Fred BBQ'ed ribs and everyone brought salads, beans, dessert, etc.  Everything was delicious.  There were 19 people there including the children - Paulette, Fred, son Mike, his girlfriend Marjorie and her son Ray, daughter Veronica, husband Matt, son Hunter, daughter Chelsea, her 2 month old twins Mya and Ava, cousin Stan and his wife Sally, their son Gary and wife Patty, Bev and Eldon, and Ray and I.  

We are now in Grants Pass, Oregon parked at Siskiyou RV World.  We stopped to have some warranty work done on our trailer.  They have water and electric hook-up and let you stay here on the lots.  They gave us a key to the gate so we can go in and out after they close.  They should finish up the work in the morning.  We will be spending the next 10 days on the Oregon coast.

 Paulette & Fred's trailer at LOTS

 Our trailer at LOTS

Stan & Sally's motorhome at LOTS

 Dinner at Cool Hand Lukes.  Sandy feeding Ave and Paulette holding Mya

 Great Grand Uncle Ray holding Mya

 Sandy & Paulette with their Uncle Bud

 Ray, Sandy, Bud, Paulette & Fred

Sandy & Paulette with Uncle Dick

 The Tennis cousins - Paulette, Stan & Sandy

 The Tennis cousins spouses - Ray, Sally & Fred

 Mother's Day - Sandy with nephew Michael

 Fred cooking the ribs

 Paulette with granddaughter Chelsea, daughter Veronica and great granddaughters Mya & Ava

 Chelsea with her 2 month old twin daughters Ava & Mya 

 Veronica & Marjorie with the twins, Ava & Mya

The Shaw family- Patty, Gary, Stan & Sally

Santa Cruz, California

We are at Lake of the Springs Thousand Trail Park for the next 10 days.  After we left Vandenberg AFB we spent 3 days at the Morgan Hill Thousand Trails Park.  We stopped here so Sandy could work on her family tree.  Her dad's mother and her family were all from the Santa Cruz area.  She was able to get information back to her 3rd great grandparents by visiting the cemetery where most of the family is buried and working with a genealogist at the Santa Cruz Genealogy Library.  Santa Cruz is an interesting city to visit.  Lots of history.

Morgan Hill, California Thousand Trails Park

 Toby very interested in watching....

 the wild turkey's that roamed the park!

 The Santa Cruz pier

Photos of just a couple of the beautiful old buildings downtown Santa Cruz