Sufficiently Enraptured

Sufficiently Enraptured

Sufficiently enraptured sums up what your feel daydreaming along the Beach Loop Drive in Bandon-by-the-sea, Oregon.
Wayside and Bandon State Park, all have beach access and spectacular views of sea stacks, as the huge rock formations in the ocean are called.
Crisp blue water and clear blue skies you can’t tell where the sea ends and the sky begins.
The old saying you can see for miles is very true here.
All along the coast the sea stacks, or rocks, have names and legends to go with them.
Your Bandon experience includes one of the most loved legends.
I am calling your attention to Face Rock, along this beach loop drive.
Look carefully and you can make out a profile of the uplifted face of the beautiful Indian Princess Ewanua .
The ledged if from the Nah-So- Mah tribes.
Ewanua was visiting tribes on the coast with her Father, so the story goes.
There was an evil spirit of the ocean called Seatka that local tribes feared.
Ewanua was not afraid of any such spirit, so caring her dog Komax and her cat and kittens, all in a basket; she wandered to the ocean beach.
She played and ran on the beach with her favorite animals by her side. She laughed and danced with them.
Unaware of any danger she soon swam far out into the water, leaving her dog to watch the cat and kittens on the sand.
Suddenly she was grabbed by the fearsome creature, Seatka.
Komax, knowing his masters was in danger and fearing the cats would follow him and drowned, he put them in the basket and swam out to Ewanua.
This fearless little dog bit the creature as hard as he could. Screaming with rage the monster kicked off the dog, grabbed the basket of cats and threw them into the sea..
The monster tried to get the princess to look him in the eye so he could control her. She refused to do so.
Now the beautiful Indian Princess Ewanua lies in the ocean looking skyward, refusing to look at the monster Seatka, who sits nearby.
Her beloved dog, cat and kittens, lie to the west, waiting in vain for their mistress to arise.
Looking at the Beautiful face rock it is possible to believe the ledged. It is something you will want to see for your self.
Beach visitors can enjoy exploring the tide pools among the sea stacks, picking up beach rock, shells and driftwood.
What a relaxing, peaceful time we had. A place where time almost stands still, they call it being on Bandon time.

Master of Disguise

Tufted Puffins are the size of a crow, but they weigh twice as much.

Having short wings and a round body they are odd looking birds.

As puffins prepare for spring breeding, their colors become more decorative. Presumably to attract a mate. Males and female look alike.

When mating season comes they transform into an almost different kind of bird in looks.

They sport a shinny black body, with white feathers lining the underside of the wings.

A white face with tufts of yellow feathers flowing back like pigtails on either side of their heads.

The big, bright, red-orange bill has yellow and sometimes green markings on it.

When mating season is over and their one chick has been raised, off comes the mask of disguise.

The big orange bill is now smaller and a dull reddish brown, the tufts are gone. The shinny black body with white feathers have turned to all dull black.  

Only the reddish feet remain as proof they are the same birds.

Spending thee majority of the year out to sea, coming to land only to breed makes this a truly unique bird.

With waterproof feathers and ability to drink salt water there is no need to come ashore.

Tufted Puffins are able to get everything they need from the ocean,diving up to 200 feet they appear to fly through the water with strong pointed wings, as they chase their next meal.

Come spring, they will put on the mask of disguise and come ashore once again.

  

 

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Tide Pooling

My new ambition in life is to be a beachcomber.
Bandon, Oregon has the most beautiful beaches on the West coast.
Massive sea stacks,crackling breakers and miles and miles of clean white sand. The uncrowded beach is just a plus for any beachcomber.
With my treasure bag in hand, camera around my neck- I was ready for a day of adventure.
You can walk for miles and not even feel it, picking up rocks, agates, shells, and driftwood. Decluttering your mind while looking for that Japanese glass float, blown in by the storms.
Tide pool around the sea stack rocks are especially interesting.
Sea Stars in orange and purple clinging by the hundreds to offshore rocks. The bright orange and purple against the green of the Anemone's make for some fantastic pictures,
We found several Sea Stars lying on the sand,out of the water and birds trying to get them. We picked them up and put them back in the tide pools.
We were surprised to see the Sea lions, unaffected by us taking a dozen pictures of them resting on the rocks, toasting in the sun.
This is as close as you could hope to get to a seal in the wild.
A wonderful, educational an relaxing, "Bandon Time day."
When we returned home I made a memories bottle for the shells and rocks we had found. Every time I see it a smile comes to my face as I reflect on the slow days of Bandon.




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The Ledgend of the Sand Dollar

 

There is a pretty little ledgend that I would like to tell

of the birth and death of Jeasus

found in this lowly shell.

 

If you examine closely, you will see that you find here

four nail holes and a fifth one,

made by a Roman's spear.

 

One side the Easter lilly,its center is the star,that appeared

unto shepherds and lead

them from afar.

 

The Christmas poinsettia etched on the other side, reminds

us of His birthday.

our happy Christmastide.

 

Now break the center open and here you will release the five

white doves awaiting to spread

good will and peace.

 

This simple little symbol, Christ left for you and me, to help

us spread His Gospel

through all eternity.

 

Walking along the beach's of Oregon where we have just returned, we were so thrilled to find several of these sand dollars to bring home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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