Bandon Sunset

Sun setting behind the rocks, with the light filtering through.

Beautiful ending to a beautiful day.

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Sunset Perch

Our first sunset in Bandon, we headed down the beach toward Face Rock, arriving a few minutes before the sun would set. Fellow photographers were lurking around every rock. I especially appreciated this guy, scrambling up an outcrop to stake out a high ground position above the rest of us. He stayed there for as long as I was on the beach. His rocky compatriot, the seagull on a distant chimney rock, took flight just as the sun was setting. I thought the two of them made a great pair.

Footprints

Change of pace for today, something more abstract. 

This was from our first evening at the beach, walking to Face Rock just before sunset. 

The sun was so low in the sky that the light sand ripples looked like zebra stripes. 

I think the tracks are probably from a playful pup, maybe even my own dog Clover. 

The Legend of Face Rock

This section of the beach in Bandon is named for Face Rock, which comes with a legend: Many tribes had gathered at the beach for a big potlatch to honor the gods. The visiting tribes were warned of an evil spirit in the ocean. But the daughter of a mountain tribe didn't listen. By the light of the moon, she snuck to the ocean with her dog, and her basket of baby racoons (I've also heard kittens, but I like the idea of a basket of racoons).  She was enticed into the glimmering water, swimming out further and further in the moonlight, her dog barking frantically.  Suddenly a black shadow passed over the moon, and the evil spirit of the water grabbed hold of her, her basket of racoons, and her trusty dog. The next morning the tribes looked in vane for the girl. As the mist cleared, a series of rocks became visible in the water: the daughter, her face gazing toward the setting moon, the basket of racoons (there is a rocky outcropping just to the right of her, I hadn't heard the legend when I took this shot or I would have included it), and her dog barking on the shore (I'm not sure which rock this would be, but it doesn't looks like I got that one either). It's a good legend, I think, with all the proper lessons: healthy fear of the water, listen to your wise elders, and the moon has something to do with the tide. That's it in summary. If you're interested in reading more detailed (and better written) versions, an online search should provide you with some entertaining reading.

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Doorway to Cathedral Rock

Cool passageway through this rock, with a glimpse of the much larger rock outcropping called Cathedral Rock. My son found a web of tunnels and passages through Cathedral Rock and had fun mapping it out during low tide. So much to explore at this beach in Bandon, Oregon.

Tide Pools

It was a half mile walk down the beach from our hotel to Face Rock, and because the labyrinth drawing always coincides with low tide (and we were heading to the labyrinth), we got to see lots of interesting tide pools along the way.  The biggest tide pools form around the rock formations, but these little pools had such an interesting pattern and texture that I wanted to include them in a beach scene. 

Back to Bandon

Just returning, relaxed and refreshed, from a family vacation in Bandon, Oregon. 

Warning: at a photo a day, this could be a long series!

For starters, Friday's beach labyrinth washing away with the tide.

As the Tide Comes In

Bandon, Oregon on the southern Oregon coast is known for its otherworldly rock formations and also its wonderful sand. I blogged yesterday about an early morning photo just before low tide. Today's photo is from later in the morning when the clouds were clearing out. The tide started coming in by mid morning, creating the great reflection I love so much on the wet Pacific Northwest sand. I was just starting to hone in on the photo I was looking for when I lost this good light. It's hard to get a good reflection when the sun is too high in the sky. Still, a fabulous morning on the coast! This water felt so refreshing. Wish I were still there!

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

Low Tide

Early morning in Bandon, Oregon.  

This was the view to the south, clouds finally starting to part, low tide, 

a peaceful morning, and a lovely day to walk along the shoreline 

for some beach-combing and photo-taking. 

Circles in the Sand

Here's the overhead view of the sand labyrinth in Bandon, Oregon that I blogged about yesterday.  When I got to the beach in Bandon early Friday morning I had to make the classic beach choice, walk to the right or the left.  I picked left because it was still very overcast early in the morning, and the light was better to the left (photographer criterion) even though the rocks did look more interesting to the right.  I think the labyrinth was probably under construction when I started my walk, because it would have been just before low tide.  And the labyrinth was, of course, to the right.  So it goes.  I would have loved to see the construction.  Still, it was really such a fun surprise to happen upon later in the morning when I made my way to this side of the beach.  One update I want to make from yesterday's post though.  I said that they create a labyrinth everyday, but that's not correct.  Sand conditions have to be right, and there might be other factors that determine dates as well, perhaps low tide timing.  So today, I'm including a link to the same website, but this time to the schedule page.  The next labyrinth constructions are scheduled for August 5th and 6th. 

 Labyrinth schedule

Beach Circles

In Bandon, Oregon, which is a truly magical stretch of coastline in southern Oregon, there's this guy who comes out to the beach everyday at low tide and draws a huge walkable labyrinth, different everyday. On the day of my visit, I was walking along the beach, enjoying the rocks and the waves, when I came upon a crowd of people all gathered in one place.  What a surprise to find this amazing labyrinth!  It takes 45 minutes for the artist to carve out the labyrinth path, and then he has volunteer beach "groomers" who use rakes to fill in the patterns.  Everyday the tide washes away his labyrinth, and the next day he creates another. I'll post an overhead view tomorrow.  If you're curious to see more though, here's a link to his website, Circles in the Sand. It includes some videos of the labyrinth constructions.