Seal Rock

When the valley is hot, the air along the Oregon coast can be nearly cold with a heavy fog blanket overhead, but today on one of the last days of summer, it was pleasantly warm. The rivers on the way down were full of boats with fishermen trying for the salmon as they return. The sidewalks in old Newport were crowded with tourists and families down for the last long week-end before school starts.

Here at Seal Rock State Wayside, there were not many people-- somewhat helped along by a small parking lot. A few lovers strolled hand in hand along the edge of the water. One family had built a fire to roast hot dogs while the kids and their father (grown up kid) got a kite high in the sky.

As the fog burned off, the sunshine was almost hot and full of the cries of gulls and cormorants, the bark of the seals hunting just offshore. The waves crashed against the rocks, and the air had that wonderful smell of salt. Some say it's also full of ozone and that's why it's so relaxing to be along the ocean. It was a day to wade in the surf, sit on the warm sand and just be.

I have had many days along this coast. There were those when I was a little girl, my father holding my hand in a wind storm when I was afraid I'd blow away. Then with my own children, brushing tarry sand from little feet, watching sand castles grow along the edge of the sea. And now the world changes again and I'm growing old; but the sea and me, we are still both here-- for awhile.