“Looking at this, you can’t tell
me we do not live in an absolutely beautiful place.”
I glance over at Andy, wondering
if he’s just talking out loud, or posing a statement, or a question. Turns out,
it doesn’t really matter. Standing on the edge of the beach, watching the
pounding surf, the wind raging, he’s completely at home, content, relaxed. That
goofy grin I get in the alpine? He has it here, surrounded by sea foam, and
sand and salty air that permeates everything.
 |
| Andy, looking small next to Elephant Rock (Seal Rock beach) |
Curious harbor seals poke their heads
out of the surf zone, watching us like bobbing apples. The world is all silver
and grey, monotone, poised between the weather holding off and the promised
deluge’s arrival.
My husband is a coastal guy. I’m a mountain
girl. Compromise, compromise, compromise.
 |
| contemplating the tide at Yachats |
No, not really. I actually do
adore our coastline, I just happen to be drawn more to the mountains. But yes,
I do love it. And yes, this to me (to us) is beauty. Not warm, white sand
beaches stretching as far as the eye can see, but storm beaten, wild coastline
where you have to work to get down to stretches of beach frequently only
exposed at lower tides.
This. This is Oregon. This is
home.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Andy hasn’t had a vacation in almost two years. House *stuff* kaboshed
our anniversary trip (kayaking in the San Juans). He just had a birthday; mine
is just around the corner. A three day beach rental in Yachats is on the
ticket- a sort of birthday/due-for-a-break/anniversary/date trip.
Somehow, the weather held. Oh, it wasn’t sunny, and yes, it rained (it
is, after all, the Oregon Coast in November). But the deluge held off, and you
really can’t hope for more than that. We had strong winds, cool temps and dark
skies. Puffy coats, rain coats, fleece hats, gloves were in order. But we also
had entire beaches
all to ourselves.
The pace of the coast is markedly slower during the off season.
 |
| just him & the kelp |
 |
| sunset at Tenmile |
I arrived in Oregon in 1996, fresh-faced from humid Georgia, visiting
colleges and universities with my dad. Still, I remember that he and I took an
entire day to drive the 101 down the Oregon coastline, Seaside to Newport
before heading back to Portland. That trip may have sealed the deal: I remember
the intense green, the permanent, alluring fog, the damp, the cleanness of the air; I remember a coastline that felt
positively wild and untamed compared to our east coast villas and frat party
domains; I remember feeling like I loved
this place, that I found somewhere I belonged.
During Andy and I’s initial college years (we are both on second
careers/degrees…sigh), we visited the coast often, frequently heading to the
Three Capes area, with Cape Kiwanda being our favorite. The central coast is
just a little too far to do as a day trip from Portland, or at least to do very
often. Newport has the aquarium. Florence has the Oregon Dunes- we’ve been to
Florence exactly once, perhaps 15 years ago: five cheap college kids renting a
rundown beach house for a weekend, playing in dune buggies, visiting the
Sea Lion Caves. Fantastic memories.
But never to
Yachats.
Or
Cape
Perpetua. And it may now be one of Andy and I’s favorite places on the
coast.
At three hours from Portland, horseshoe-shaped Yachats straddles the
101, the town curling around a small inlet where a fresh water river meets the
salty, foaming Pacific. Cape Perpetua looms south. Yachats is tiny and charming
and absolutely lovely.
 |
| Yachats reflections |
We stayed south of town, past
Tenmile creek. The
cabin was ten feet from the beach- we watched the high tide roll in from the living
room, a gray and teal surf play against a silver sky. Saturday we spent the
afternoon roaming the beach- small, private, and often only seen at low tide or
in the absence of storms. That night we drove into Yachats for dinner at
Ona.
 |
| husband and dog stretching their legs |
 |
| details at Tenmile |
 |
| Rocky shores. Rainbows. <3 |
So here’s the thing about Yachats. I’ve stayed at several places on the
coast, or mountain towns. The only thing that I ever find semi-disappointing
(first world problem here, beware) is that when I don’t want to actually cook,
good restaurant food is lacking. I did NOT find this to be the case with
Yachats. Which tells me this place is a zoo in the summer.
Ona was delish. Andy had the crab cakes…although not to his exact and
*picky* expectations (he would say here it has nothing to do with flavor or
preparation, simply personal preference), the crab was fresh, sweet, and the
cakes were predominantly crab,
not filler:
flaky and delicious. I had albacore steak, sashimi grade, wrapped in bacon. I
don’t think this really needs more explanation regarding how good it actually
was. Point(s) to Ona.
 |
| albacore steak wrapped in bacon |
The Green Salmon
Coffee house was another discovery. I am not a food critic, nor do I
consider myself to be a true “foodie” or food blogger. But damn. This place was
amaze-balls. [Reemphasizing the point: again, I rarely write food reviews. This
trip might have a few in them. Go. To. Green. Salmon.]
We went for breakfast/lunch- sometime when we basically got hungry. Due
to the phenomenon that is daylight savings, I needed more coffee. I ordered a
mocha. Why? I don’t know, because quite frankly, mochas mostly annoy me now,
being somewhere between too sweet and chocolate milk generic. Maybe I’ve just
outgrown them.
Not THIS mocha.
Designated a *Sea-Salty-Mocha* on their chalkboard menu, I was
intrigued. I like sweet-salty combos (insert salted caramel fan [here]).
Upon first taste, I looked at Andy and said flat out: “You need to try
this.”
Him: “Why?”
Me: “You just do. Trust me.”
Him (eyeballing me): “Okay, but you know that a) I’m lactose intolerant
and b) not the biggest fan of mochas.”
Me: “Yes. Andrew. I’ve taken all that information into account.”
Gathering said mocha cup into hand, he continued to eyeball me as he
took his first sip. Closed his eyes. Opened them to reassess me. Took another
sip. Got a look on his face. Possessively gathered my mocha mug close to his chest.
Him: “Mine.”
Me [grinning]: “Told you so. Hand it back.”
Him (grinning back, continuing to clutch the mocha, off to an angle
now): “This might just be a life-altering mocha.”
Me: “Yes. I know, it’s incredible, right? Now give it back. The counter
is over there. Order your own, buddy.”
 |
| the artsy mocha that caused all the fuss |
Their sea-salty-mocha is something I’m going to *hope* to replicate in
my house and will most likely utterly fail at. It had that really, really good
quality espresso/chocolate balance to it, and you can tell they use a dark
chocolate cocoa powder (almost Baker’s chocolate, but with an edge of sweetness
to it) which makes the drink unforgettable. The milk is fluffed and steamed
perfectly. Then? Then they add black Hawaiian sea salt to the foam.
Jesus. The sweet-slightly salty edge combo/burst on your taste buds…I’m
not a food critic, and I do not claim to be one. For me though? Bomb. I
got another one the next day, and I’m not one to seek out expensive coffee,
especially not anymore.
Sound weird? Deal. I told my mom about this mocha, and I don’t talk
coffee shop with my mom. She was basically like “I dunno, sounds odd, honey.”
So, next time my mom comes to Portland, we’re going to Yachats for a mocha.
That said, the food at Green Salmon is also on par.
I won’t replicate their menu here because I
suspect it changes depending on the season…but just….GO.
 |
| Roasted yukon & sweet potatoes, garden sausage, smoked serranos, organic egg, chipotle wrap- with rosmary & garlic infused ketchup. Hello breakfast. |
Beyond the food, Yachats continued to impress, despite being far from
Portland. Cape Perpetua, a stone’s throw from the town, is probably the main
draw, especially in summer.
I don’t think I have been (yet) anywhere on the Oregon coast with such
incredible and diverse tidepools.
We had them on the *private* beach outside our rental past Tenmile.
Strawberry Hill, although two miles south of Cape Perpetua, ended up being one
of our favorite places. Here, harbor seals bobbed in the surf, curious and
playful, watching us watch them. We walked the length of Strawberry Hill, and
although we weren’t there at low tide, it still has to be one of the more
interesting and intricate coastline areas I’ve seen in some time.
 |
| harbor seals bob in the surf at Strawberry Hill |
Sunday night, the promised deluge arrived, and we made our way back
into Yachats for some fresh fish and chips at the
Luna Sea Fish House. A simple,
unpretentious hole-in-the-wall along the 101, nothing fancy, just a few tables
set up in a room but some decent and very, very fresh fish & chips.
 |
| the ballpoint pen details are hilarious |
 |
| The classics: fish & chips & chowder |
An 11 am Monday morning checkout found us driving up the 101 with no particular
agenda, save to enjoy the scenery. Somehow, the rain holds off. Not the gray,
or the wind- the world is clouded over, the wind heralding the coming storm,
but still no rain. We’ve been lucky this weekend. We duck in and out of both
old and new haunts: Seal Rock beach, Yaquina Head, the historic bayfront in
Newport, Devil’s Punchbowl, Cape Foulweather.
 |
| Seal Rock beach |
 |
| Andy's having hat issues |
