Winnebago Voyage: South on 101

We drove some of the coast highway from our campground at Waldport down to the end of the mountains just north of Florence.

We first pulled off at Devil's Churn which is a rocky inlet where the sea churns and boils as it rushes inland. It was low tide when we passed it the first time, so we stopped by again on our way back. We took the dogs on a hike through old-growth forests up to Cape Perpetua in the Siuslaw National Forest where there's a stone shelter built by the CCC in the 1930's. The views from there are magnificent!

Next, we stopped at the beach below Heceta Lighthouse and walked past the beach out on the rocks. They are made of the basalt left over from volcanic eruptions and have lots of caves. We also walked up to the keeper's cottage but not the lighthouse. The wind still made hiking in unprotected areas difficult.

As the mountains gave way to sand dunes we turned around and came back up to Newport so we could pick up some more of Mo's clam chowder for dinner. We stopped by some wood carving shops in Seal Rock.

After dinner in the motorhome, we went back to the bridge over the Alsea Bay, since we had been told that seals congregated on a sand bar there. We found a place to park and walked up the pedestrian walk to the highest part of the bridge. There were a few seals swimming and playing in the deep water, plus dozens wallowing on the sand bar and splashing in the water beside it. I took tons of pictures and videos. They are so clumsy-looking on land, and so graceful in the water!