Related stories: The Garage • The Lighthouse • The Museum

☞ Pay-to-use binoculars were on a stand at the Umpqua River Whale Watching Station. Notice a compass ring around the stand so that one could record one's direction of view after spotting a whale. ☞ Sand Dunes owned by the Coast Guard lay just below the whale watching station. ☞ The jaw bone of a sperm whale was mounted on a stand next to the whale watching station. Sadly, the sign describing the jaw bone was missing. ☞ A sign in a wooden frame indicated, "Welcome to Umpqua River whale watching station." ☞ The Pacific Ocean lay just beyond the sand dunes. From this high whale watching station, one could spot whales well off shore. View all

Related stories: The Garage • The Museum • Umpqua River Whale Watching Station

☞ A sign next to the fence surrounding the lighthouse described its history and gave its particulars. The lighthouse's original cost was $50,000 back in 1894. ☞ A round mirror reflected the group being taken on a tour of the lighthouse. The lighthouse looked distant and small in the mirror. ☞ A "Linen Cleaning Smock" was displayed on the wall inside the lighthouse. This was the kind of smock, "Worn while cleaning the Lens." ☞ A tour approached the lighthouse, excited to climb the stairs inside. View all

Related stories: The Lighthouse • The Museum • Umpqua River Whale Watching Station

☞ An old rescue boat was on display between the museum and the garage. ☞ Inside the garage, an engine hoist still hung from the ceiling. Along the back, green shutters appeared to be repainted to ready them for winter. ☞ Highway cones on white posts prevented cars from being driven to the garage. ☞ The garage lay between the museum (former residence) and the lighthouse. The garage was large with lots of windows. Five garage doors faced the Pacific Ocean. A single human sized door faced the museum. ☞ An often painted red bell was mounted on the wall outside the garage over the middle garage door. View all

Related stories: The Garage • The Lighthouse • Umpqua River Whale Watching Station

☞ A bronze plaque was attached to stones on the side of the Museum. It read, in part, "Coastal Visitor Center." ☞ The building was two story with gables. It was the former residence for the lighthouse workers that had been converted into a museum and gift shop. ☞ A poem was posted over an example of an old wooden bread box. It read: The Bread Box ☞ A display in the museum showed the original fort, a Fort Umpqua, occupying what is today the town of Winchester Bay. ☞ The plans for the lighthouse were posted on a wall. They showed the details of its construction for those interested in such things. View all

Related stories: Shore • Signs

☞ Water striders created tiny ripples near the shore of Lake Marie. The lake was very shallow at this place and protected from wind. ☞ Dead or disease weakenen trees fell into the lake. Such fallen trees create habitat for young fish and other creatures. Although unsightly, they should not be removed. ☞ A modest sized lake, only 1 mile around, lay placid in the early morning sunlight. Forest surrounded the lake and grew tightly against the shore. ☞ A view across the lake at dense forest. A path, just inside the forest, paralleled the lake. That path was invisible. ☞ Reflection of the opposite shore created the impression of a bow and arrow. View all

Related stories: Signs • The Lake

☞ A one mile long dirt trail encircled the lake. It appeared narrow here, but widened most of the way to allow comfortable side-by-side walking. ☞ Lichen and plants grew around the base of a tree on shore. ☞ Wild huckleberry grew on the shore of the lake. We knew it was huckleberry because of a sign below the plant. ☞ A concrete and wood picnic table was set up in a cutout just in-shore from the lake. The table was covered in a few fallen leaves, but otherwise appeared ready for a family to enjoy a meal together. ☞ A tree grew just off shore with the base of its trunk in the lake. Technically, this tiny spot of lake was a swamp. View all

Related stories: Shore • The Lake

☞ A box containing free dog poop bags was labeled, "Woof Waste Disposal" and "Please pick up after your pet." ☞ A "Courtesy Guide" was posted at the entrance and listed the rule of conduct for visitors. ☞ Years ago someone had written on the sliced off part of a tree that bordered the trail around Lake Marie. Whatever the writing said, it may have begun with, "Ja." ☞ Another sliced off log had writing on it too. This writing was newer and thus more legible. It read: "JMA + ALF + Baby Kash 7-22-15." View all

Related stories: Some Art

☞ The sign read: Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Carving Championship Carved by Hikara [sic] Kodama 2014 Water World Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce ☞ The carving positioned facing the street, with entrance to the Public Dock behind. The art was strapped to the sidewalk to keep it from wandering off. ☞ A closer view of the woman's face. She looked serious, as if worried about the world at which she gazed. ☞ A chair upon which tourists could sit with horses on either side and a woman behind. This sculpture was carved from a single piece of wood using a chainsaw. View all

Related stories: Art • Homes • Keel Park • Lake Marie • Marina • Shops • Signs • Winchester Bay Litter

☞ A rope, used to separate the parking lot from the sidewalk, was covered in a thick layer of moss. The moss was so thick that was almost impossible to determine the knot used to tie the rope to the wooden post. View all

Related stories: Art • Homes • Keel Park • Lake Marie • Marina • Rope • Shops • Signs

☞ A 5 gallon pail lay upside down on the ground near the wharf. That pail was surround by cigarette butts. Near the pail was a beer can and a blue plastic bag. The pail might have served as a chair sat upon by someone while fishing. ☞ Two liners from jars or from pharmaceuticals lay on the scenic path which surrounded Lake Marie. Part of one liner read, "Not for human or pet consumption." Could it be that someone was poisoned nearby? View all

Related stories: Art • Homes • Lake Marie • Marina • Rope • Shops • Signs • Winchester Bay Litter

☞ The lawn was surrounded by green bollards arranged to prevent cars and truck from driving over the grass. ☞ A rusted anchor was on display inside the park. One could think of that anchor either as art, or an indication of the maritime activities that surrounded the park. ☞ A path ran through the park, past the sign for "Salmon Harbor" and past a rose bush filled with pink roses. ☞ The sign was made of copper and was heavily stained with corrosion. It specified the name as,"Keel Park." ☞ A house with blue flowers out front faced the park. Beyond that house a forest rose over nearby hills. View all

Related stories: Art • Homes • Keel Park • Lake Marie • Marina • Rope • Shops • Winchester Bay Litter

☞ A fish was leaned against a wall in front of a store. Words on the fish said, "Fishing Licenses Sold Here." Unfortunately the arrow indicated that the licenses were sold in the mouth of the fish. ☞ A "Slow" sign was on the side of a kid shaped sign next to the road. ☞ A "Dead End" sign faced the neighborhood and was a warning to cars going up the hill. The back of a Stop sign was behind the dead end. That stop sign faced the cars coming down the hill. ☞ A sign, between the harbor and a road next to the harbor, was labeled, "Boat Wash." View all

Related stories: Art • Homes • Keel Park • Lake Marie • Rope • Shops • Signs • Winchester Bay Litter

☞ Several boats had been pulled from the water and were set on blocks. This modest dry dock shared its expanse with a few restaurants (not shown). ☞ Two boat ramps were parallel to each other and each had its own floating dock to prepare a just-launched boat. ☞ A single boat was moored to a floating dock. This dock was was old and in the process of being decommissioned. ☞ The Public Dock was without boats on a calm summer morning. The water in the marina was glass smooth. ☞ Dozens of vultures flew next to the boat launch ramps. They darted in and out of trees lining the shore. View all

Related stories: Art • Keel Park • Lake Marie • Marina • Rope • Shops • Signs • Winchester Bay Litter

☞ A view looking down Clearlake Avenue at a typical suburban street. Truck and cars parked on the street, on driveways, and unseen in garages. ☞ A wooden seagull sat on a gate post at the front of a home at Eighth Street and Clearlake Avenue in Winchester Bay Oregon. ☞ A fire station stood at the corner of 6th Street and Broadway Avenue in Winchester Bay, Oregon. ☞ Homes built on Clearlake Avenue all were constructed in close contact to a forest. ☞ One home had a front yard filled with either junk or collectables. A school bus was parked out front, along with a black car. View all