Cannon Beach

From our hotel balcony, we see Haystack Rock. In the distance it just looks like a big rock jutting from the Pacific Ocean. But, when the tide goes out, you can get up close and see that there is a whole ecosystem on and surrounding the rock. On the rock there are many colonies of birds - including lots of seagulls, muirs, nesting puffins and eagles. In the tidal pools exposed at low tide, hundreds of sea stars, anemones, mussels, barnacles, hermit crabs, and tiny fish live. It is teeming with life that has adapted to living both under and above the ocean - as the tides change. Just fascinating - and so beautiful. After the tide started coming in we headed north to Seaside and then to Astoria to see where the Lewis and Clark Expedition came to its conclusion. Today it didn't rain - so one of the volunteers at the tidal pools told us Oregonians call a day without rain a "drought."