Category: nature

Exploring Oregon Coast: A Family Road Trip Adventure

On July 1 we pointed our rig north for a road trip up the Oregon coast with the destination of Whidbey Island, where we would join family for a reunion. We had marked out 17 days to give us time to explore part of the Oregon coast and time to visit with family and to have a leisurely return drive.

For our first night we had reservations for Abalone Campground at Sue-Meg State Park, site 40. We arrived shortly before 6 pm, logging 295 miles over six hours.

The next morning, we woke up to fog and overcast and took our time getting started. We had reservations for Fern Canyon, a popular hike, just a short drive from our camp. The drive out to Fern Canyon is a one lane dirt road for the most part, and not a road I’d want to drive with much traffic, since passing oncoming traffic can be an issue in some places.

The hike up Fern Canyon is well worth the effort. The canyon walls are graced with ferns. We were advised to wear water shoes, since you are walking up the creek and likely to get your feet wet. We wore our regular walking shoes and carried our water shoes. There were plenty of boards to walk on and rocks to hop and we managed the hike without getting our feet wet. We logged 1.4 miles. Not bad for my gimpy knees. In hindsight I would have gotten an earlier start. The trail gets quite busy in the late morning which means that getting photos of the canyon without people is a challenge, and the light is a bit softer earlier in the morning. I carried my iPhone 14 and my Sony RX100 with a tripod. I was anticipating long exposures in the confines of the canyon. The canyon opens at 9:00 am.

Following two nights at Sue-Meg, on July 3 we were off to Bullards Beach State Park on the Oregon Coast, a well-established campground. From our camp we walked out to the beach to watch the sunset. It was very windy on the beach, so we took refuge in a makeshift driftwood shelter somebody had made.

The next day we explored the Coquille River Lighthouse and took a short walk on the beach. The wind and blowing sand discouraged us from spending much time on the beach. Bullards Beach State Park has over 100 camp sites and caters to equestrians and bicyclists. More photos from this trip are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Day 8

May 4. We are up before sunrise. At 6:00 AM we board the pangas for a wet landing on Isla Mosquera, a small island just north of Isla Seymour. Here we find some very curious young sea lions that come to check us out.

One of the young sea lions came right up to my toe. There were also a number of mother sea lions with pups.

Then it’s time to say goodbye to the Galapagos. One week seems like too short a time. Our days were packed with activities from dawn to dusk, and yet there is so much to see. At 10:00 We’re on the plane to Quito.

Galapagos: Day 6

May 2. We awake to find we are anchored off the northeast end of Isla Santiago near Puerto Ergas. At 8:45 we are in the pangas heading to the beach for a wet landing. After getting our feet wet, we put our walking shoes on for a hike around the northwestern tip of the island.

Our walk takes us past volcanic tidepools with sea lions, and we see a number of birds including Oystercatchers along with the colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs.

After our walk it’s back to the ship and then off for another snorkeling adventure. The underwater world is just so amazing with brightly colored angel fish and parrot fish.

Lunch is at 12:30, and at 3:00 we’re snorkeling again. At 4:30 we get our chance to kayak, paddling around the little bay in which the Passion is anchored.

We paddle past some amazing formations of volcanic rock. One of the formations is called The Apostle. At 6:40 we have a briefing reviewing the day’s events and hearing about tomorrow’s adventures. At 7:00 dinner is served.

More photos of the day’s adventures are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Day 5

May 1. Another early start. At 6:45 we’re in the water snorkeling with penguins. The penguins feed in the morning, hence, swimming with them requires an early start. Our swim took us around the ship looking for penguins under the ship. I wasn’t lucky enough to catch a photo of the penguins.

Breakfast was served at 8:15. At 9:15 we were back in the pangas for a short ride to Tagus Cove on Isla Isabela for a dry landing. From there we take a short hike up the mountainside to a view of Darwin Lake.

It’s always a delight to return to the ship where we’re handed cool washcloths and refreshing juice after hiking in the sun. If we’ve been in the water, it’s a hot shower on the deck and hot chocolate. We don’t dally around much though.

At 10:00 we’re back in the pangas exploring the coast, watching iguanas, penguins, blue footed boobies and poking into sea caves.

At noon we are back in the water snorkeling with marine iguanas and turtles.

Back onboard, lunch is a delicious soup, coleslaw, lasagna, grilled octopus and avocado salad. Hot soup hits the spot after being in the water.

3:00 we’re on another panga ride. This time we land on Isla Fernandina near Espinosa Point, where we walk among the iguanas, sea lions and some unusual lava cactus.

We’re back onboard at 5:30 with a briefing at 6:40 and dinner at 7:00. After dinner we’re underway heading towards the north end of Isla Isabela. At 8:08 PM we cross the equator. A number of us assembled in the pilot house to watch the GPS count down to zero degrees of latitude. More photos of the day’s adventures are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Day 3

April 29. Wakeup call is 7:20am with breakfast at 7:40. I’m getting quite used to the fresh fruit for breakfast: watermelon, pineapple and papaya, not to mention a variety of other selections including pancakes, rolls, yogurt, granola, eggs and sausage.

At 8:30 we climb into the pangas for a ride to the beach. We’re going to the Post Office. This is not your ordinary post office. In 1793 James Colnett, a British sea captain put up a barrel. The idea was that lonely sailors could deposit mail here and passersby would pick up mail they could deliver at their convenience. No postage required.

We dropped off three postcards and picked up three postcards we could deliver. One card with an address in Benicia caught my attention. I have a good friend in Benicia, and I thought this would be a good excuse to get together. So, once we’re back home I send my friend Dan an email saying I have a piece of mail from the Galapagos Post Office to deliver to somebody in Benica. Dan writes back and asks if it is addressed to Jane. Sure enough! Jane is his granddaughter and Dan had deposited the card on a recent trip to the Galapagos. What a funny coincidence.

Our panga ride included traveling along the shoreline to watch for wildlife.

Pelicans, sea lions, crabs, blue footed boobies and iguanas. I was also intrigued by the cactus which looked half Saguaro and half prickly pear, the Galapagos prickly pear.

At 10:30 we were back in the water snorkeling. We were hoping to find turtles, but we did not have much luck.

After lunch the ship weighed anchor and we made way for Isla Isabela. More photos for the day are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Day 2

April 28. We awake to find that we are anchored just off the north end of Isla Floreana at Punta Cormorant. After a hearty breakfast we board the pangas for a short ride to a beach. This is a wet landing, meaning your feet get wet when you step out of the panga onto the beach. Once on the beach we have our first encounter with Blue Footed Boobies. It just seems so odd to see birds with blue feet, to watch their antics as they prance around, and sky point as they carry out their mating rituals. We’re able to get quite close, but Rafa, our guide cautions us be aware of sea turtle nests that are also on the upper reaches of the beach. Then it’s off to a short walk to a lagoon to see Flamingos. The flamingos are a fair distance from the viewing area so I’m happy I have my big Nikon D850 and a 200-500mm lens.

While we’re walking along the beach Rafa is alerted to a sea turtle nest. The giveaway is the Frigate birds that are wheeling around overhead. The birds are attracted to the turtles as they emerge from the sand. You can see Rafa in the photo pointing to a baby sea turtle just emerging from the nest. Walking along the beach and the rocks we see a number of brightly colored Sally Lightfoot Crabs.

We’re back on board by mid-morning and at 10:30 we’re in the water with mask and snorkel swimming with a multitude of brightly colored fish.

After our adventure with the fish, it’s lunch time. Lunch is served on the upper deck with a panoramic view of the azure waters and islands in the distance. After lunch we weigh anchor and move to the west side of the Floreana. We go ashore at Puerto Velazco Ibarra where we climb on an open-air bus for a bumpy ride up the mountain to a tortoise breeding preserve.

We see a number of tortoises on the preserve and then we hike up the mountain a short distance to explore some caves carved by early visitors to the islands. The bus returns us to the small town of Puerto Velazco Ibarra where be buy popsicles before climbing back in the pangas for the ride back to our ship. Back onboard we have lovely dinner and view of the sunset.

After dinner Rafa shifts into story telling mode regaling us with the mystery of Floreana. More photos of our adventures for the day are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Day 1

April 27. Our day begins early. At 5 am the twelve of us on the tour assemble in the lobby of the Patio Andaluz hotel in Quito for a van ride to the airport. We land at the Seymore Airport on the tiny island of Baltra. By noon or thereabouts, we arrive at the El Chato Ranch Giant Tortoise Preserve in the highlands. It’s lush and green here, a contrast from the more arid lowlands. After a delightful lunch we trade our shoes for rubber boots for a walking tour of the preserve.

We spend an engrossing afternoon walking around the preserve, learning about the natural history of the tortoises, and exploring a lava tube.

Then it’s back in the van to drive to Puerto Aroya where we have a look at some baby tortoises. Then we hop in a panga for a ride to out to the Passion, our floating home for the next week.

After a safety drill where we learn out to don our life jackets we are introduced to the crew before our first dinner onboard. More photos are available in an online gallery.

Galapagos: Summary

From April 27 through May 4 we participated in a Wilderness Travel tour of the Galapagos Islands. The tour started with a day exploring Quito and on April 28 we flew to the Galapagos. With many stories to tell and adventures to share I’ll start with a brief summary.

Those of us on board the Passion for our Galapagos adventure were in unanimous agreement that the highlight of our tour was our guide Rafael Pesantes whom we called Rafa. His depth of knowledge, passion and concern for the guests made for an extraordinary experience. Rafa is a native to the Galapagos, having fished the waters with his uncle when he was a kid. He brings 30 years of experience as a tour guide, having guided tours all over the world including National Geographic tours. He also worked with David Attenborough. His knowledge of the natural history and the cultural history of The Galapagos is extraordinary.

Here he is using the scull of a sea turtle to talk about how the turtles navigate and how they can return to the exact spot where they hatched. You can also see him enticing a giant tortoise to extend his neck by mimicking a fluttering bird. In the third photo he’s pointing out baby sea turtles that are just emerging from a nest.

Our base for our Galapagos adventures was the Passion, a 160 foot yacht, chartered by Wilderness Travel. We were on board the passion for a week, with daily trips by panga to snorkeling and hiking location. There were twelve of us and we became one happy family shortly into the adventure. Meals were prepared by a gourmet chef with lunch served on the upper deck.

Our cruise took us from Isla Santa Cruz, to Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina and Santiago. Among the highlights of the trip were tortoises, swimming with marine iguanas, watching Blue Footed Bobbies and watching molten lava spew into the ocean on Fernandina.

Each day was a rich adventure. I’ll be posting blog entries for each day of the trip so stay tuned.

Cactus and Red Rock

We recently returned from a 19-day road trip that took us to the heart of the Sonoran Desert near Ajo Arizona, and then north into the red rocks of the Vermillion Cliffs. We covered 1778 miles leaving on February 8 and returning on February 26. The focus of our trip was to travel a bit off the beaten track, to see some natural wonders and to visit places that were dog friendly. Dog friendly meaning, when we park the rig for the night, we can let Carson run free, off-leash. Here’s a glimpse of some of the highlights of our trip. I’ll be posting more about specific portions of the trip so stay tuned.

The Saguaro cactus is the keystone species in the Sonoran Desert, it’s just amazing to see these huge plants growing like they do, up to 50 feet tall.

One of our camping locations near Ajo was on the Barry M Goldwater Range. The range consists of 1.9 million acres of relatively undisturbed Sonoran Desert. While this is a military range, there are some areas that are open to the public. We found this site through iOverlander, one of the resources we use for locating camping.

Camping here requires a permit which is easy to obtain online. Once you have successfully obtained the permit you are given a gate code to unlock a gate. We accessed this location through Gate 15, area B. We boondocked here for two nights. A beautiful spot, although the silence was occasionally punctuated by the sound of fighter jets.

After a few days in the Ajo area we drove north to the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. There are no paved roads in the Monument, and we put our four-wheel drive to good use driving through deep sand and rough roads. We drove into the Monument to explore the White Pocket, and amazing geologic formation of twisted colorful sandstone. We also explored the Maze Rock Art Site, with several large panels of rock art.

From the Vermillion Hills we made a quick foray into the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument to explore the old Paria Townsite.

Over the course of the trip, we managed to vary our accommodations a bit. We spent four nights with family and friends, one night in a motel, four nights in paid camp sites, although one of those was essentially dry camping on private property, with a location we found on Hipcamp and we spent 11 nights boondocking. It was refreshing to visit places of natural wonder away from the crowds of so many of the popular locations. While most of the driving was on paved roads we did put our four-wheel drive to good use in several locations. Temperatures ranged from a low of 28 degrees near Joshua Tree to 79 degrees at the visitor center in Death Valley National Park.

White Pocket

One of the destinations for our trip is the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in Northern Arizona. The website the monument says This remote and unspoiled 280,000-acre monument is a geologic treasure with some of the most spectacular trails and views in the world. We spent several days here. The first night we found an amazing spot to boondock in Marble Canyon right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Colorado River. This is a location we found using iOverlander.

This is one of those situations where when you think you’ve found a good spot to camp, it’s nice to see what’s further down the road. We had this place all to ourselves. In fact, we felt so isolated I fired up the water heater and hooked up the outside shower.

There are no paved roads within the monument and with deep sand, high clearance and four-wheel drive is essential. I was intrigued with the area called White Pocket so we set off the explore that area.

From US Highway 89A, which skirts the southern edge of the preserve we left the paved road and headed north on House Rock Road. Our first stop along this route was a condor viewing station. We scanned the skies. No Condors. Driving on we found the White Pocket Road. I had downloaded the maps for GaiaGPS, my favorite app for navigation, and we found this quite useful in navigating. We followed the dirt road, and it wasn’t long before we put the Tacoma in four-wheel low and dialed the Multi-Terrain control for sand. That provided a confident ride through the sand.

It was a bumpy. When we opened the back door of the camper to fix lunch, we discovered that all of our silverware had disappeared, and even the drawer which is designed to stay secure had bounced out of the cabinet.

Hiking around White Pocket is basically walking over slick rock. There are no trails, but we had no problem hiking around and exploring various features. These formations consist of twisted and convoluted layers of colorful sandstone which are simply astounding.

After exploring the White Pocket, we found an alternate route, a route that was marked one-way on some maps. I wouldn’t want to meet somebody on these narrow deep sand roads. As the sun was getting lower in the sky, we started to look for a place to boon dock and we found a suitable place to pull the rig off the road and set up camp.

More photos are available in an online gallery.