Skynnard's Lens Photography by Linda Aaron

Seal Rock, Oregon has become one of my favorite spots along the Central Oregon Coast.  The rock stack form interesting patterns on both sides of the basalt bluff and are home to a number of Harbor Seals.  Seal Rock beach also offers very interesting tide pooling at low tide.

The largest rock is called “Elephant Rock” and creates some dramatic backgrounds for photography.

Can you spot the seals in this image?

What is it about Lighthouses that people find so romantic?  Visions of crashing ships? the sound of a fog horn? All of these come to mind when I see one. This image was taken at dusk and you can just see the light.

This particular lighthouse is at Heceta Head (pronounced “He See Tah”).  It sits high above the Pacific Ocean in one of the most picturesque areas,  north of Florence, Oregon along the Central Oregon Coast.

Built in 1894 this automated working lighthouse is in the National Registry of Historic places, it is said to be the most photograph lighthouse in the United States.

One mile north of Depoe Bay, Oregon is the rugged and wild Boiler Bay State Park. Boiler Bay was named for a ship  the J. Marhoffer which sank in 1910.  The Marhoffer was on its way to Portland and after running aground sank, you can still see the boiler which is visible at low tide.

The wave are very dramatic at this picturesque  location and you will definitely want to make it a stop when you find yourself on the Oregon Coast.

Cape Perpetua is located about 2 miles south of Yachats, Oregon and is one of the places where the Siuslaw National forest meets the sea.  This is one of my favorite areas along the Central Oregon Coast.  Our family has been visiting this area for the past 30 years and I never tire of seeing it.  The coastline in this particular area is spectacular especially during a winter storm or at low tide.  Just a little south of Cape Perpetua is a state park called Strawberry Hill which is home to a colony of  sea lions living there year round.

The morning I was there started out very sunny but it wasn’t long before the storm moved in and I barely made it to the top of the trail before the skies opened and the road was quickly covered with sleet.  You can see the streaks of grey in the sky as the storm approached.

Mother Nature does some very creative artwork. This image was taken at Seal Rock Beach on the Oregon Coast. I was walking around the tide pools and spotted this pattern in the sand, as I got closer it looked just like a forest of winter trees.

What do you see?

One of my favorite places to spend time is on the Central Oregon Coast. Every year I try my best to get down there for some nature time and to photograph this amazing coastline.

I was fortunate to be able to be there the week between Christmas and New Year, it was a typical winter week on the Oregon Coast which can included every extreme of weather.  The second day I was there, it rained 2.83 inches and then the following day it was sunny and in the high 50′s. You really never know what to expect. This photograph was the view from the house where I stayed. Not a bad way to ring in the New Year wouldn’t you agree?