Waves in Boiler Bay

I decided to post this picture of waves in in Boiler Bay, because of International Mermaid Day.  I am sure, if one looked closely enough--a mermaid could be seen in this splash of the sea.

Boiler Bay is located just North of Depoe Bay--a beautiful little town along the Central Oregon Coast.  It is named after what remains of one of the most spectacular shipwrecks in American history. The J. Marhoffer was a 175-foot, 600-ton steam schooner built at John Lindstrom’s shipyard in Aberdeen, in Washington's Grays Harbor, in 1907. On May 18, 1910, she was still practically brand-new and was coming back to her home port in Portland from a run to San Francisco when an assistant engineer accidentally over-pressurized it.

By the time ship's Captain Gustave Peterson asked someone to open the valves and flood the engine room, the heat of the fire had made the valve handles too hot to touch, and the fire had spread. Since the engineer could not get into the engine room to shut the power off, the ship was still steaming along at a steady nine knots and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Three miles off shore Captain Peterson got gave the order to abandon ship. Though there were no casualties from the J. Marhoffer, a cook from a boat assisting the survivors, drowned. 

As for the J. Marhoffer, now thoroughly and spectacularly on fire, she was heading straight for the rocky shoreline.  She hit with an enormous crash and explosion. 

The stranded vessel keeled over and burned fiercely for a time; then she was ripped apart by a massive steam explosion that threw chunks of wood and iron in all directions. Fortunately, none of the spectators were hit, although today there’s still a piece of iron pipe sticking out of the bluff above that probably came from the wreck.

Today, the ship’s boiler can still be seen from the highway at low tide--I have seen this for myself at low tide.  You can hike a rough trail leading down from Highway 101 just north of the entrance to Boiler Bay State Park when the tide is extremely low.  It is because of this rusty remnant the little bay, formerly known as Briggs Landing, is now called Boiler Bay.

Have a lovely day.

NOTE:  Sweet Wendy--if you get this--the link you sent won't allow me to comment because it says my account on bethniquette@gmail.com doesn't have permission for access.  I'd sure love to see your lovely valentine! 

Ocean Song

When we visited the beach for a week this past January, we were in for a treat.  It was shirtsleeve weather--sunny with temperatures in the mid-60's.  I sat for hours on the beach watching the waves of the Pacific Ocean, listening to their song.

I have only captured its beauty in part here--the waves were magnificently huge offshore, rushing upon the beach to splash in a playful fury at my feet.

I can imagine all kinds of things in this beautiful wave...what do you see?  I love the idea that the ocean claps its hands in glee.  If you watch and listen closely, you can see the dance and hear their songs of joy as they sing to their Creator. 

Psalm 98:8, 9  Let the waves clap their hands in glee and the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the world with perfect justice.

Exquisite Sunset

I was visiting my best buddy's new home in Lincoln City a little over a month ago.  There was an incredibly low tide that evening, so we walked for hours along the beach--picked up wonderful agates and shells--and then came the sunset.  As you can see, it was incredibly beautiful.

Here the sun's rays were captured in a molten glow along the edges of the sea.

Such beauty.  When I see a scene like this, I am SO grateful to the creativity of our Creator.

Have a lovely week dear friends.  

Gorgeous Heart -Guest Heart Thursday

We were climbing the rocks along the bottom of the cliffs.  It was an especially low tide, so I'm sure that is why I found this vibrantly beautiful heart--the sun was in just the right place.

The waves were amazing--though this was taken at the same spot a few years ago, it brings back memories of this year's lovely time at the beach.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Wild Weather - Guest Heart Thursday

We are driving over the mountains to spend a few days at the Coast. Snow levels have lifted.  Mumsie and I stop to walk in the snow.  It is melting into the thick mosses covering the long tall trees like fat green coats...

An uneasy calm fills the air.  They think a storm might be coming--but for some reason they do not know for sure.

A lost bit of blue skies before the purple cloud of storms.

The sea begins to thrash and crash--great billows of water froth with white foam as though a giant egg beater whips the surface of the sea.

The weather guys are right--a storm has embraced the Oregon coast with Hurricane force winds.  We light candles and listen to the storm scream around the sea cliffs to beat upon the protecting walls and double paned windows of our hotel room.

The waves turn green and black.  Day turns into night.

The high winds did not abate for two days and two nights.  The last day our electricity finally gave out.  We sought a way back home over the mountains.

All routes along the Oregon Coast, clear to the California border were closed because of flooding, slippery snow conditions and falling trees.  Only one thin road winding through the mountains was open.  We drove along the Coast to Tillamook to find our way home.

You are probably wondering where the heart I found might be--look through the windshield at the tree.  

A perfect heart.  It wasn't surprising to find a heart in the middle of our great adventure!  That is the way of hearts. 

As we traveled through the mountains we saw gushing streams and great fields of softly melting snow.

After arriving home safely, with a good night's sleep under our belts, we awoke to a world flooded with high waters.  Here you see a view of our park from the town waterfront.

There is something deceptively calm and lovely about the curve of  high water in the park amphitheater.  The floods had already covered three levels.

The dock and playground appeared to be lost in the middle of the Willamette River.

A close up of the playground where my darling niece and I often play.

The dock floats by itself in the middle of the seething currents.

As of this afternoon, it is flooding everywhere around us.  Thankfully, if history repeats itself, the flood waters will not reach to our home.  100 years ago, a flood swept the original town of Independence away.  It missed our house then--by one block.

We've had nearly 10 inches of rain this month--most of it in the past week or so.  We know so many folks who have been flooded out of their homes.  Our hearts and prayers go out to them.

Good night and God bless everyone.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.