It was the Wednesday before Labor Day weekend (28 Aug 2019), and we were very fortunate to have a campsite for five nights. Barview Jetty County Campground is a huge and busy campground in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. The Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer, as far as camping goes. Every site was reserved through the weekend, and there was a lot of traffic, activity, and noise. Margaret and I are both lovers of peace and quiet, and our campsite was right at the entrance of the campground. Even though we were both relieved to have a place to stay and appreciated the amenities, it wasn't our ideal camping experience.
The Roadtrek in our roadside campsite at Barview Jetty County Campground. Photo by Virginia.
During our first evening, there was some sort of kerfuffle at the entrance to the campground, and law enforcement must have been called. So for a couple of hours or so there were flashing lights and people speaking loudly very close to us. It didn't appear to be a serious problem, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. It was a relief when everyone cleared out and it quieted down.
It was shortly after midnight when lights and loud noises of the natural kind erupted as a thunderstorm. For all of the drama, there was only spotty rain, and the humidity lingered into the next day.
On Thursday morning, a little after 8:00, there was a magnitude-6.3 earthquake about 180 miles off the Oregon Coast. What there wasn't was a tsunami warning. So we decided to go ahead with our walk through the campground with the goal of seeing the jetty and beach. The campground roads are paved, but the campsites are gravel. There are water spigots located sporadically about. There are restrooms and showers, trash and recycling, and an RV area with full hookups. Each campsite is fairly level and has a picnic table and a fire ring. We also had a decent cell signal, which was a treat and a rarity. Since our visit, the campground has added fee-based Wi-Fi.
A tent site at Barview Jetty County Campground. Photo by Virginia.
The weather was in the high 60s and overcast when we started, but it was a pleasant walk of about 2-1/2 miles in total.
The RV area of Barview Jetty County Campground. Photo by Virginia.
We were both impressed by Tillamook North Jetty (just north of Tillamook Bay), which had immense stones with huge logs and entire trees on them. (The jetty was repaired in 2010 with over 1,000 stones weighing 25 to 50 tons each.) The presence of those logs and trees is evidence of the power of the tides and waves in the area.
Near Tillamook North Jetty looking south. Photo by Margaret.
The Coast Guard Tower overlooking Tillamook North Jetty. Photo by Virginia.
Near Tillamook North Jetty looking south. Photo by Margaret.
There were danger signs stating the jetty was not for public use and to proceed at your own risk. Sadly, there were four memorial crosses just beyond those signs.
Memorial crosses on Tillamook North Jetty. Photo by Virginia.
Tillamook North Jetty. Photo by Virginia.
The mouth of Tillamook Bay. Photo by Margaret.
Barview Jetty Beach was gorgeous! To the north, there were mountains and trees right up to the shore. We walked over sand dunes, rocks, and lovely white sand. There was very little litter and hardly any people. The wind was fairly strong, but the temperature was in the low 70s, which was very pleasant.
Barview Jetty Beach. Photo by Margaret.
Barview Jetty Beach. Photo by Margaret.
Seagulls at Barview Jetty Beach. Photo by Virginia.
Sand dune at Barview Jetty Beach. Photo by Margaret.
Peaches at Barview Jetty Beach. Photo by Virginia.
Wildflowers at Barview Jetty County Campground. Photo by Margaret.
At noon on Friday, we drove north to the town of Rockaway Beach, and Margaret treated us to a ride on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad to Garibaldi and back. (That adventure will be the subject of our next post!) We browsed the shops along U.S. Highway 101, stopping in a bakery and a gift shop for goodies. We returned to the campground just in time for campers arriving for the 3:30 PM check-in time. That madness continued late into the night.
I very much enjoy sitting outside during the day, weather permitting; but with noisy, cursing crowds of people next door, children running through our campsite, and people washing their dishes at the spigot five feet from the Roadtrek...well, I stayed inside to do my reading, watching, and listening. We made a few special meals during our stay. Margaret continued planning our trip down the Oregon Coast. We each took short walks after our trek to the beach.
At noon on 02 September, we left Barview Jetty Campground for our next campground, which was up in the mountains and a lot quieter! Ahhh...
NOTE: Clicking on the photos in the post will open them in a larger view (recommended!). If you want to see more photos of the beautiful places we've shared, we have them in this Flickr Collection: Over the Hill Sisters Photo Collection.
No comments:
Post a Comment