The thought of winter weather at the beach on the Washington coast conjures up word associatons such as “cold, windy, rainy, stormy and inclement.” The truth is that if you’re prepared with the right clothing, a visit to the beach in winter can surprise and delight just as at any other time of year. One of the things we like about winter weather is that it’s often dramatic. We’ve also learned that if you’re willing to go out in the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning you might just catch some rare scenery. Take for example the scene at North Head Lighthouse during winter crab fishing season. The following photos were taken from about 4:30 to 6:30 a.m. in December.
David and I recently celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. It happened to be a sunny, though freezing winter day. We opted to dress warmly and pack a picnic. We drove to Ecola State Park, just under an hour from the Shelburne Inn, near Cannon Beach. Indian Beach can be found there and that was our location choice for the picnic. We took a walk on the beach, which is at the base of a very tall cliff. There is a small stream that empties onto the beach. The freezing weather formed icicles at the base of the stream.
Cannon Beach, Astoria, Ilwaco, Seaview, Long Beach and Ocean Park all have interesting Art Galleries, Museums and shops. After a day of sight-seeing and browsing you’ll find yourself in the perfect position to take advantage of the local cuisine. The Shelburne Restaurant & Pub’s winter menu is designed to comfort the weather-weary and feed the adventuresome soul. A new winter menu will be launched on Friday, February 5th, 2010.
Tags: beach, North Head Lighthouse, northwest beaches, winter
