Haystack Rock, Oregon, taken by Pijavice.
Beautiful shot capturing exactly what the Pacific Ocean is like here: cold as hell. Wild. And kind of lonely.
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Having spent a god chunk of my life in and around the Seattle area, I confess I was a little surprised to learn about the solid paddling opportunities at a place called SIlver lake near Mt. St. Helens.
Yes, THAT Mt. St. Helens. The one that blew her top way back when on May 18, 1980 (my birthday, btw, for those playing at home). Now when most people think about paddling in the Northwest, they think of drawing strokes through the cool, crisp waters of Puget Sound, or perhaps up by the San Juans. That was me as well, so imagine how pleased I was to find some new waters to try out. This piece in the Seattle Times takes you there. By the way, since we’re talking volcanoes, this one might blow soon. Just a heads up.
It rains here all the time, it really does. Do not move here, you will regret it! At least that’s what the locals want you to think. The more people move here, the more developed and expensive the city will become. While the “transplants” generally like that idea, a lot of locals dread it.
In terms of quality of life, Portland consistently ranks near the top of all American cities. Oregon seems to have it all — vibrant urban life, mountains, beach, desert, woods… without the prices of California. Not yet at least. I am actually in Portland this week and loving it. Since living here in the late nineties, the city has grown and changed a lot. The once edgy and artsy Pearl District–however fun and chic it still is–has become a sanctuary of rich white people, it seems.
In terms of rainfall, I am here to tell you that it really is not bad. I would take Portland over New York any time. According to a recent study, the Top 10 wettest cities are all in the Southeast. However, Olympia, WA ranks first in the number of rainy days each year (63). Olympia is only two hours north of Portland. See? Believe the locals, you don’t want to live here. Especially, I hear, if you are from California.
When I was researching information for my tidepooling post, I came across a term I hadn’t heard before and it’s an important one to know–Sneaker waves.
Sneaker waves are the waves that appear in the ocean when you least expect them. According to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Web site, this type of wave often has a “deadly force” and sand mixed in with the water. Once sand laden water covers you, the sand adds weight to your clothes and can bog you down, thus making it hard to escape the wave’s force. Here’s a more detailed description. Of note, in the United States, Oregon, Washington and Northern California, sneaker waves occur daily. In the rest of the United States, they are not as common.
For this reason, never turn your back on the ocean. Also recommended, avoid hanging around large logs and debris and stay off of jetties, particularly when there is a storm coming in or during the peak of changing tides. Read more about coast hazards here.
Last weekend, Kent Couch, an Oregon-based gas station owner, lifted into the sky on a lawn chair tethered to 105 helium-filled balloons. With a few snacks, a pellet gun, and a parachute, the chair lifted off and traveled over 193 miles at 13,000 feet before landing nine hours later in eastern Oregon.
“Even at two miles high, Couch said, he could hear cattle lowing and children talking,” according to the AP. “He heard gunshots, which worried him. A black butterfly flew past. He passed through clouds. He said they were fluffy.”
I have a fear of heights, and this is pretty much the ultimate anxiety-inducing situation I could find myself in. Planes don’t bother me, but hot air balloons sure do — even looking at them makes me dizzy. There’s something about standing in a wicker basket tied to some helium-filled fabric with giant torch in the middle that really stresses me. Hanging from some weather balloons in a lawn chair doesn’t sound too much better.
The AP story mentions another lawn chair pilot: Larry Walters, who — in 1982 — rose over 15,000 feet over Los Angeles. Like Couch, Walters used a BB gun to shoot the balloons when he wanted to descend, much to the dismay of a passing pilot. “Walters surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair with a gun.” [via]