Home From the Sea - Part 1

Last Monday we made the long drive to Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast.

Overlook from Neakanie Mountain on Hwy 101

We arrived at the family cabin expecting to be in a construction zone, but work had not progressed beyond raising the cabin. This is preparation for pouring concrete pillars to elevate the old cabin, recently added on to, above the tidal storm surge.

You can see the cabin as it used to be on my side bar.

It was mid-afternoon when we arrived, and Jill and the kids were just behind us. We got moved in and then went out on the beach to walk and play and run around.

 Our part of the beach was in fog when we arrived, but cleared off as we played.

We cooked dinner and then came back outside in evening for a stroll and to enjoy the golden hour.

Back inside some of us spent the evening playing games.

 Tuesday we went into Tillamook to shop for groceries and school clothes on sale at Fred Meyer. We used up the morning,  so after lunch we got back out on the beach.

 The kids played in the creek and dug in the sand.

 Jill walked to the Tillamook Bay jetty and back

After a dinner of take-out fish and chips, we took our evening stroll.

With clear weather at the beach, we had the typical north wind that comes up in the afternoons.  It kept us inside in the evenings, so we played games and read and fiddled with electronics, of course.

Wednesday morning the Bayfront Bakery in Garibaldi was finally open, and that's where we went for a late breakfast.  Jill was up to her normal standard of indulging.

That's my favorite apple fritter in the front.  Jill's dish is the one behind mine.↑

After all that we needed to walk so we went to the Garibaldi Marina to walk on the docks.  It was warm and still calm, and just lovely.

Looking for fish ↑

 Shrimp boats ↑

 An oyster boat ↑

 Look, Grandma Andrea.  Your boat is still here! ↑

There's more eating and more playing to come in Part 2. 

Stand by!

See You Later

I will be unavailable for blogging for the next five days or so.  Catch you all later.
Or some of you might see me on Facebook! I am addicted to my iPhone.

Seafair Weekend

August has arrived.  That means Seafair in Seattle.  Last weekend there was the Torchlight Parade downtown. This weekend it's the Seafair Cup Hydroplane Races and Airshow on Lake Washington.

The arrival of August also signals to me that the big projects are done and it's time to go into vacation mode.  It's the Dog Days of Summer, and a certain amount of laziness is required.

Today Tom and I sat for many hours in the shade on the shore of Lake Washington.  We honored the Dog Days and the Seafair tradition.

While the actual racing will be held Saturday and Sunday, the air show goes on in practice sessions and the big boats get out on the water to qualify on Friday.  Saturday and Sunday you pay admission.  Friday is free.

We went to breakfast as usual first this morning, and then we grabbed chairs and a small lunch, cameras and electronic readers and iPhones, parked at the airport where we got a special rate and took the light rail to Columbia City Station where we caught a free shuttle bus to Lake Washington.

There were already many people lining the shore, lots of families with kids, mostly to see the Blue Angels part of the air show.  We found a spot in the shade with a view of the hydroplane pits and settled in.

 First up was the Patriot Jet Team.

 Then the Marines arrived! This helicopter deposited a raft and men into the water.

 The men collected themselves into the raft. What they did then I don't know.

 My attention was drawn by the Harrier, and vertical take off, hover and landing airplane that can fly too.

 After hovering at a standstill it went almost straight up before flying off. Very powerful, and very cool.

 More helicopters arrived, with Mt Baker in the background.

 And a refueling tanker.

 And remember those guys in the raft?  They got a lift home!

 Then the Osprey arrived.  They can do vertical take off and landing and hovering too with props that change position.

 Everyone on the packed shore was enjoying the show.

 Just about the time the thunder storms were moving in, the Blue Angels arrived.

 These amazing aerobatics are accompanied by the most powerful roar of engines and afterburners.  I love the noise of that power most of all.

 After the Blue Angels show, the squall line of clouds had moved in, there was a bit of rain, and the wind came up and raised white caps on the lake.  Many of the watchers packed up and left.

We went to check out the exhibits and find ice cream.  Those Marines had put on quite a show earlier, and even their band was awesome.

Back on the lake several vintage hydros took some laps.  Seattle folks will remember the Atlas Van Lines, Bill Muncie's "Blue Blaster",

 driven today by Chip Hanauer to honor his mentor, Muncie, who died driving this boat,

 and the stiff competition of Bernie Little's Miss Budweiser. The Bud took some good laps but came home in a cloud of smoke, not a good sign for these old piston boats.

 After the lake settled down it was finally time for the current competition to run their qualifying laps.  To qualify for the race they have to average 130 MPH over three laps.

 These boats, with their helicopter turbine engines, are not as loud as the old piston thunder boats, but the water they throw up in their rooster tails is just as impressive.

 The beach was pretty empty by the time we left at 5:00.

 It was safe for the ducks again. But it will all happen again Saturday and Sunday.

I'll stay home and watch the race on TV, but my kids and grandkids will be on the shore. It's a Seattle tradition.