Sunday, Sept 24, 2017 (Oregon)

Siuslaw National Forest to Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

We retraced our path southward a few miles to visit the Heceta Head Lighthouse. Built in 1894 on a 200-foot-high bluff, the 56-foot-tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles, making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast. We hiked the 1-mile trail from the beach to the lighthouse, and farther up the hill to get level with the top of the lighthouse. Although it wasn’t as exciting as Cape Blanco where we stood inches away from the lens, it was still a great vantage point for an eye-level view of the lens. It took a few tries, but Chris managed to get a picture of me with the light in the background, just as it swept past on its non-stop circular journey. And as we headed out, we stopped in the gift shop (near the Lightkeeper’s House) where we bought our second Christmas tree ornament of the trip (a cute pair of sea lions, just in case they didn’t have one I liked at the Sea Lion Caves, and it was a good call).

We stopped to get some photos of reflections in the sand where the shallow beach exposed a nice stretch of wet sand while the tide was out. And we stopped again to admire the Cape Creek Bridge designed by noted bridge engineer Conde McCullough, who designed most of the interesting bridges along the Oregon coast, many with architectural details such as Gothic spires, art deco obelisks, and Romanesque arches. This bridge was patterned after a Roman aqueduct, with two lower viaduct sections supporting a taller open-spandrel arch. Then it was back to the coach for a quick lunch before heading on to our next adventure nearby.