(Click on photos to enlarge)
It was about 9:30 when we headed out in the truck, manned with a map of the park. We decided to drive north up to the very tip of Clatsop Spit and work our way back. Our first stop was at 'Beach Access lot D'. It was a cloudy, cool start to the day. That's Washington State in the distance...
Fishermen fishing from shore...
Mouth of the Columbia River...
This is on the other side of the parking lot...a boardwalk lead to a wildlife viewing bunker on Trestle Bay...
Our next stop was on the other side of the spit, the ocean side...
I have such a pained look on my face! Steve was waiting to capture a picture with the waves hitting the jetty...I waited and waited for him to take the picture! He took a few and of course, the best picture of the waves breaking on the jetty happened to be the worst one of me...haha!
Not very busy here today but by the size of all of the parking lots, it is a very popular area in the summer time.
Our third stop was at 'Beach access lot B'. We had a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the ocean...we have to climb over that sand dune behind me...
Then it was time to walk back up the steep sandy trail...see me in the distance?
This is the view east at the top of the dune. That's Trestle Bay...our first stop this morning.
We decided to leave our last "beach stop" (the wreck of the Peter Iredale) until later this afternoon when hopefully the sun would be out. It was now time to check out one of the artillery gun batteries.
Battery Russell was constructed between 1903 and 1904. Named for Brigadier General David A. Russell killed in action during the civil war. On June 21, 1942 the long-range I -class Japanese submarine I-25 surfaced 10 miles outside of Fort Stevens and began firing it's 5.5 inch deck gun in the direction of the fort for 16 minutes. Approximately seventeen shells landed harmlessly in the isolated swamp and beach areas. For unknown reasons the fort never returned fire. This was the first mainland military base to be fired on by a foreign power since the war of 1812.
"After 40 years of protecting the harbor, Battery Russell fired its last shells on December 29, 1944 in a closing ceremony as it was replaced by the more modern Battery 245 to the northeast. Shortly after World War II, all the guns at Fort Stevens were removed, and the property was turned over to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Battery Russell became part of Oregon State Parks in 1975."
Once we were finished wandering around Battery Russell, we were off to see the main attraction. Fort Stevens State Historical Site, named for Territorial Governor General Isaac Ingalls Stevens who was killed at Chantilly, Virginia, in 1862, was constructed during the civil war.
We started our walking tour in front of what was the War Game Building, now it houses the Military Museum (we will go through it later). Look! The sun has come out!
These interpretation boards along the way (they are hard to read but hopefully, once you click on the picture, you'll be able to read it)
Battery Pratt Command Station...
Battery Pratt...the Steam Plant is on the left (yellow bldg.)...
Nice view from the top of the battery...
Looking towards the mouth of the Columbia River across Trestle Bay...
West Battery Commander Station and Mine Observation Station...
Looking across, over Battery Pratt...
After walking the big loop, we ended back at the Museum...time to check it out.
After the army coast artillery abandoned Fort Stevens, many of the buildings in the fort area were demolished. To get a sense of what the fort looked like when it was an active military post, a scale model had been built and was on display in the museum...
We watched a short documentary and then it was time to check out the rest of the Fort.
Looking east towards Washington State across the Columbia River...
Looking west towards the mouth of the Columbia River...
We walked around the site of Battery Freeman and The Earthwork...
Note the tree stump in the door way of the Post Chapel...
Battery Clark...
By the time we had finished at Fort Stevens, we were exhausted...that was enough walking for today! We drove through a residential area near the Fort..
Before going home, we had one final stop...back at the beach to see the ship wreck...
Unfortunately, the clouds and fog had rolled back in...wow, what a fast change!
On the way back to our campsite, we drove through the parking lot of Coffenbury Lake...pretty foggy here too. It's funny that there's a lake in the park, so close to the ocean.
Once we got home, we thought we would have one more go at trying to get a satellite signal. Steve moved the satellite to a totally new spot...and voila! we latched onto a signal! Yay...full hook-ups, internet signal AND now satellite TV...life is good!
Yes, life is good, especially yours!!! Love your blog and pictures. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Glad you are enjoying our adventures!
Delete