I spent a few days camping on the Oregon Coast recently, staying at Sunset Bay State Park, west of Coos Bay. Honestly I was a bit glum about the stormy weather, but between heavy squalls I decided to grab my trusty Fuji X-E1 and 18-55mm lens and head out for a hike.
Thirty foot seas crash into towering cliffs along the Oregon coast during a winter storm.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @18mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 200 ]
The two mile trail to Shore Acres State Park winds around a number of small bays and capes, offering one incredible view after another. I realized I had stumbled onto something magnificent that day, with 30 foot seas breaking against one hundred foot cliffs, driven on by highway speed winds. Certainly the most incredible hike I have had on the Oregon Coast. And, to think, I almost stayed inside!
A two hundred foot plume dwarfs hikers along the Oregon Coast Trail during a winter storm.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @18mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 200 ]
Shore Acres State Park.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @43mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 200 ]
The Oregon Coast Trail near Shore Acres State Park provides a stunning display of the ocean's power.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @41mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 200 ]
Oregon Coast Trail, between Shore Acres and Sunset Bay State Parks.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @55mm, f/11, 1/125s, ISO 200 ]
Cape Arago Lighthouse, Charleston, Oregon.
[ Fujifilm X-E1, XF18-55mm @55mm, f/16, 1/60s, ISO 200 ]
I grabbed my iPhone at a few points to capture some (rough) video...
If you find yourself traveling along Highway 101 near Coos Bay, take a jaunt toward Charleston and out to Shore Acres State Park. It is well worth the time - stormy or not, this is a beautiful hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest!