IT WAS ONE WEEK FROM LABOR DAY
and I sat at the computer, frantically scrolling through hotel vacancies to
play a last minute getaway. We had only one criteria: go to the ocean. Sitting
on the sand, exploring driftwood beaches, and listening to the surf roll in and
out at night is our kind of thing. It’s self-centering. It’s freeing. Dismal rain
or breaking sun transforms the color of the sea and is endlessly fascinating to
watch. I’ve walked from one end of the beach to the other, passing families,
happy dogs, seagulls, and washed up sea creatures on my way. I’ve become ensnared
by the small things like glimmering polished stones that light up in the water
or daring myself to touch a slimy ring of kelp.
After scrolling through “No Vacancies
Available” on every Washington coastal town site, I had an epiphany that the
Oregon beaches were also the same distance away. One of my favorite beaches as child
was Cannon Beach. I am drawn to sea stacks and climbing every one that looks
like I won’t slip to my death on, and Cannon Beach is a treasure trove of
these. Particularly notable is Haystack Rock, which although you can’t climb,
is full of nesting seabirds (including puffins in late spring/early summer) and
has wonderful tidepools to explore.
As divine luck would have it,
there were two hotel rooms left in the neighboring town of Seaside—one was a
good rate, but looked like you were rolling the dice if the roof would collapse
on you at night—and the other was at Gilbert Inn, built in 1885 with an outdoor
firepit, a free breakfast that included omelets and waffles, and it was less
than 5 minutes from Seaside beach.
Well, the choice had already
been made for me. I splurged (my penance for planning a Labor Day trip so late)
and that Saturday, we jetted down south to Seaside.
Seaside was mobbed. Gilbert Inn
luckily has free parking, because cars and bikes were stashed anywhere with
pavement. Our receptionist was lovely; she was knowledgeable about the history of
the hotel and its founder, who had dedicated the Seaside beachfront to the
public for generations to enjoy. She also recommended the cheapest place to
score ice cream—inside the local mall at Seaside Candyman. Our room was everything
you could want with antique furnished charm plus a bathtub and creaky floors
that in any other hotel would be annoying, but here only served to enliven the
atmosphere. There was an old piano and wonderful little patio, too, where we
enjoyed breakfast outside. The food and coffee was fantastic. The garden side
firepit, too, was where we cozied up when the night brought the inevitable
rain. Great place for couples—the Inn can also can hook it up with bikes to
explore the beachside path.
The mall is right next door, as
is the main walk, where you can find any sort of indoor arcade adventure or
bumper cars. The beach itself was sprawling, windy, and crowded with families
and volleyball games. A seaside aquarium has seals flopping about as the main exhibit,
and kids were getting a kick out of feeding them (adults were, too).
The most memorable place we ate
at in Seaside was Sam’s Seaside Café because that Dungeness Crab Melt special was
killer. Simple: English muffin with succulent crab meat and dripping in cheese.
I had a clam chowder bread bowl which was nice, but let me tell you, my husband
ended up sharing that Melt with me. Very fresh seafood, and the place is open
late.
Cannon Beach is only fifteen minutes
away. We parked at Tolovana Beach State Recreation State and hiked up the beach
to the iconic Haystack Rock. There were droves of people from everywhere,
admiring the seabirds and exploring the tidepools. I was pleased to find starfish
had made a slight recovery, as a wasting disease had been hurting their numbers
in the Pacific Northwest. Some beaches I’ve traveled to which used to be full
of them now only have anemones, mussels, and limpets holding on. So it was a
relief to find purple and orange starfish peeking out from the sand and rocks.
We also visited Ecola State Park
which has phenomenal views of the sweeping bay studded with sea stacks, and
further out, Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. There are little hiking trails
everywhere in the woods. Unfortunately, here is where it didn’t pay to visit
during Labor Day. On the twisting road up to Ecola, we hit a large back up of
cars and spent an hour waiting to get to an overlook. To actually get down to
the beach required another wait, so at that point, we called it quits and decided
to try our luck at Hug Point down at the southern end of Cannon Beach. We did
spot an elk on the way out.
Hug Point was the best decision
we made. Small parking lot, so it limited the number of people, and it was an
absolute beach playground for children, dogs, and adults alike. There were
miles upon miles of sand to run on, and what really made it fun was the tide had
just receded enough to allow access to untold stretches of beach. There were
plenty of sea stacks for climbing, a waterfall, and sea caves to explore. Plus,
the sun was out. We actually had to park in a pull out a little bit earlier
than the turn off for the parking lot, but it was worth the hike. Highly
recommended!
We also stopped by Cannon Beach
History Museum in town to see the “original” cannon the beach was named after.
It’s a free museum that takes donations and has interesting stories, including
details on the high number of shipwrecks that have happened over the centuries.
All in all, a shorter adventure, but sometimes you’ve got to make the time for exploring
whenever you can, because you never know what is waiting for you around the next
corner.
This trip I’ll always remember
as the last happy moment of summer. Fall has brought a late stage colon cancer
diagnosis of an immediate family member which has turned all of our lives
upside down. It has been emotional. It has been humbling. We’ve gone from
believing there was no history of colon cancer in the family to learning that
it actually did exist in a second cousin. I’ve taken heart from the small
things: well-differentiated cells in the biopsy, the cancer not spreading to his
lungs, and an amazing surgeon and staff who performed a late night emergency
surgery to remove the tumor. We feel so thankful that our family member not
only survived but was able to return home, as opposed to going to a skilled
nursing home. I have seen the most eerie, miraculous timing happen—a while ago,
an aunt and myself just happened to plan our vacations for the very week the
diagnosis occurred, so we were fully available to jump in and help. When the first
round of a 48-hour chemotherapy treatment finished, it was suddenly discovered
that due to new lab results, an emergency surgery had to happen to remove the
tumor blockage now. This got more of the tumor out in a shorter period of time
than the chemo ever would have. It also meant he got in a first treatment round
just in time, since recovering from surgery takes weeks.
When my family member walked
back in the door of his home, he went straight to his favorite chair and gazed
outside, peace finally falling over his face for the first time after four
long, hard weeks of fighting.
Now it is a different fight in
front of us for his future. We’ve truly appreciated all of those who have
supported him. Colon cancer, as I’ve learned, is unfortunately very common but also
very curable when caught early during a colonoscopy at the polyp stage. As
such, I do want to share this story as I would encourage everyone to speak with
each other about any history of cancer in the family and to get a colonoscopy
done—as pleasant as it is. This family member had never had a colonoscopy due
to belief that there were no risk factors, and his doctor had agreed with him.
Unfortunately though, other alternative tests that are less invasive like stool
tests can’t substitute in place of the doctors actually being able to see
inside your digestive tract to catch the polyps early and remove them before
they become cancerous. Speak to your doctor about the frequency of
colonoscopies for you and make all the changes you can today to protect your
health.
For us, we are looking back on our
adventures, celebrating the good memories, and being thankful to God for every
single day. Running around on Cannon Beach as a kid and climbing the rocky sea stacks
was one of my favorite recollections as a family. It will be a marathon ahead
but this has taught me to never hold back: tell those you love how much they
mean to you now and always.
Disclaimer: The
above story is depicted as fiction and not fact.
