East Texan Reflections: Table Rock

Bandon with the evening sun

The sea He made belongs to Him, along with the dry land

that his hands formed. Come! Let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel in the presence of the Lord who made us.

--Psalm 95:5-6

Recently, I visited Bandon, Oregon. My husband was working temporarily in nearby Medford, so travel was just a few hours by car. The entire trip was refreshing and unbelievable. The people of Bandon are so blessed to see this coastline year-round.

Table Rock formation
where sea gulls, tufted puffins and other sea birds nest

The weather was clear, sunny, and comfortable this May day. I stayed at the Table Rock Hotel where I walked around above the beach on the cliffs. I saw spectacular views of rock formations including Table Rock (pictured), an endless blue ocean, and the inviting shoreline. The waves made their way through the rock formations to the sandy shore. The gulls, unruffled by my presence, found snacks along the shore and in the water. They glided by me with the wind currents and landed atop the distant rocks where they were nesting. Small boats and fishing vessels slowly made their way through the protected channel in the distance coming in for the night. Beyond that stood the historic Coquille River Lighthouse. Standing on the cliffs with my camera on a tripod and snuggled in a jacket, I watched the sun slowly disappear on the blue horizon. I lingered for more color in the sky and the hope that the longer I stayed the more of these moments I could soak in and remember. I hated to end this day, but the best was yet to come. Tomorrow I planned to walk on the shores of the Pacific Ocean!

The last of the day's sun rays warm the Bandon coastline.

The sun has set and this day is ending.

The next morning was cool, so I put on my jacket and a hat and grabbed the camera bag. I could hardly wait to explore. I descended several feet on stairs to reach the sand and cold ocean water. I climbed over driftwood and around large rock formations and across the sandy beach. I watched sea gulls fighting for food -- an orange starfish to be exact. I ran toward the gull to make it drop the starfish, but it would not let go of its captive. Other orange and purple starfish, called Ochre, clung to rocks on a large rock formation in front of me. Seals, with cute faces and whiskers, rested and sunned on the lower rocks. Occasionally, one would slip in the water and swim around. You could tell the seal pups by their smaller size and proximity to their parents. Colorful sea urchins let out their tentacles to sway in the shallow water. Much of the lower rock was covered with barnacles, mussels and seaweed forming a rough protective surface.

View of beach from the cliffs in Bandon at low tide.

I had worked up an appetite walking and exploring the beach, so I drove to Old Town Bandon and enjoyed delicious Clam Chowder with fresh bread and butter at one of the local restaurants. I walked around this shopping district and Boardwalk area and discovered a statue of a colorful 15-foot fish sculpture made out of debris from the sea by an organization called Washed Ashore. The fish is called Henry and he will remain in Bandon for the admiration and education of all visitors.

Henry, made out of debris from the ocean

I met a professional photographer, Gary Edmiston, at Art by the Sea Gallery, who shared some of his work, a few photography tips, and his business card. We both enjoyed photography talk for a while, and I learned so much from his experiences. After saying our goodbyes, I stepped out into the sunny street once more. Oh, to have more time to photograph the fishing vessels and other boats lined up at the marina or visit each of the specialty shops! However, after talking with Mr. Edmiston, I decided to go back to the beach and see some of the features and sites he mentioned to me.

At the beach, the tide was low, so I was able to get closer to the large rocks (called "sea stacks") and see more things up close. I removed my shoes and waded in the cold water. Park rangers had roped off some areas to protect the seals as they rested and enjoyed the sun. Visitors could look but not touch or walk on the rocks in an effort to leave the birds, seals, and marine life undisturbed. The park rangers explained that they were also there to count starfish. There had been a disease that decreased their population and they needed to count whatever starfish they could see for researchers. Hoping to be of help, I tattled on the sea gulls from that morning, saying that I saw them fighting over and eating a starfish. I pointed out the rock where several were clinging at the waterline. I also reported that one of the seals was injured and showed them a picture on my camera. I think I would like to be a park ranger on this beach!

Injured seal on the left

Purple and Orange Starfish (Ochre)

There is so much more of Bandon to see such as the lighthouse, caves, the marina, and other rock formations further down the beach. I was just too tired to continue and vowed to come back. Would love to watch and photograph the stars from this beach. I wish everyone I know could have a chance to renew your spirits in this majestic place. This is a different kind of beach than this Texas girl is used to!