Museum Days

On a particularly rainy day we decided to check out some local museums.  First was the amazing Maritime Museum in Astoria.  I was fascinated by the bridge you have to cross to get to Astoria.  These pictures were through the car window on the way back. . .don’t really do it justice, but this is an amazing bridge.  When you are coming from Washington, you start really low and close to the water and about halfway across, you start to climb, and climb, and climb!  It ends high enough for big ships to get through.  One of the kids saw a big vessel far off in the water and asked if it was a boat or a ship and Garth answered that it was “bo-ship” which made me giggle and now the little ones say that ALL the time!

Carter was intrigued by this boat they had propped up to look like it was going up a swell in the ocean.  You can tell by all the pictures he took!  You could also listen to the story of some rescues that were made by the coast guard on this very boat!

I loved reading about this Japanese boat that went missing during the tsunami in Japan and how it washed ashore in Cape Disappointment!

The girls got to race and see who could put the coast guard suits on fastest!

After the museum, we got to head out to the dock and tour an old coast guard boat.  It was very fascinating!

The climb down was pretty steep!

Next stop was the Cranberry Museum.  We got to see a bunch of old harvesting tools, pictures of the harvest, and learn about how they harvest them now. 

The cranberries were obviously not in season but we went out to see the fields.  It’s incredible how they fill these fields with water till the berries float then they gather them and load them in trucks.  (I’m sure it’s much more complicated but a cool process).

We walked the boardwalk in Long Beach to see these whale bones (no live whale sightings though).

Lastly was Oysterville where we hoped to go to the museum and find some fresh clams for dinner.  The museum was closed and we couldn’t find anywhere but the grocery store to get clams.  We did get a couple of cool pictures of the clam shell hills that are EVERYWHERE!  But after a few falls and finger slices, we decided it was time to head back to camp!

Long Beach

Well, the amazing weather did not last.  As we hung around the next day waiting for Tim & Karie Ike and kids, it kept raining and raining.  That did not stop us from doing what we planned.  We helped the Ike’s set up then headed to the beach for a walk.  Check out the view from our campsite picnic table!  Talk about an ocean view!!

Derek, Sam, and Sydney

While we were walking on the beach, we got to watch this coast guard helicopter practicing a rescue from the side of this hill.  It was really amazing!  There were a couple of coast guard guys scattered on the rocks below the lighthouse and one hanging from the helicopter.  It was like something you see on a movie!

The rain didn’t stop these kids from having a grand time!

What?

Later we took a wet walk to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.

This is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Columbia River.  The end of the journey for Lewis & Clark. 

The next day after museums, the older kids decided the ocean was calling for them!  It was freezing and they just kept getting braver and braver.  To the point that the moms had to make them come back to shore so we didn’t lose one of them. 

Carter, Derek, Isaac, and Sydney

Olivia and Sam had a better idea. . .stay dry and make a sand castle!

There was a state wide burn ban when we arrived in Long Beach.  Unfortunately we had planned a lot of our cooking on a campfire so we snuck a small fire for a couple of nights.  Then on the last day, the burn ban was lifted so we kept a fire going for a LONG time!  Garth did not want to haul any of our firewood home!

Sydney had fun playing beauty shop with Tim’s long hair.  She was working on the perfect ponytail!