Everything I Tell You is Hearsay

The smoke in the sky had been relentless for weeks by the time I decided to try to run away from it; at least for the day. 

If you’ve been paying the slightest bit of attention, you know that a huge portion of the PNW is on fire. The atmosphere is oppressive, the heat punishing, and leaving the house a chore.

In an attempt to escape the smoke, and find some clear air to breathe, I decided to pack up the puppy and head to the coast. There’s usually a steady breeze, and the forecast was for 20 degrees cooler than here in town, so I was optimistic I might find respite there.

When trying to decide which part of the coast to visit, I decided on Astoria. My logic wasn’t so great, because Astoria is a good bit north of us, and the smoke was coming from British Columbia which is – as it happens – also north.

By the time we arrived, the smoke in Astoria was markedly heavier than inland. I knew we’d have to go further south to try and find a place the smoke might have dissipated. Cannon Beach is always a favorite, but nothing compares to my favorite spot on the Oregon coast; Hug Point

A popular spot, the park was sparsely populated on a weekday. The breeze was strong, and though there was smoke in the air, it was thin, mixed with a heavy mist, and overall much easier to breathe.

Though the tide was coming in, I thought we could risk sneaking around the rocks to the waterfall cove. The water was up to my ankles, but Enzo hates getting wet, so I carried him.

We explored the cove and scampered over rocks. Coaxing him into posing in front of the waterfall – at this time of year, more a trickle – was a bit of a challenge, but eventually captured a good shot.

Digging in the sand featured heavily in the remainder of the beach time. Nothing quite like letting the puppy wear himself out.

We continued south on the coast until we reached Tillamook. I kept hoping to encounter clear blue smokeless skies, but to no avail. We came inland and had burgers at Skyline Restaurant to console ourselves.