How do Two Wanderers Celebrate a 40th Anniversary?

Because we get to see and do so many neat things on a daily basis, how do two wanderers like us find something special to celebrate a special occasion? That is the question we have been asking ourselves this year, as we got closer and closer to our 40th wedding anniversary. We were waiting to see where our wanderings would take us, and we finally made the decision to head to the Oregon coast.

From traveling here four years ago, Denisa had very pleasant memories of the beaches at Bandon, Oregon. So because Mark is a wonderful husband, he drove his wife in the motor home all the way to Bandon for our 40th wedding anniversary.

Actually, it was a very good practical decision as well. As the smoke was getting worse in central Oregon, it was also heating up there. We were seeing forecast highs over 100 degrees on our intended travel itinerary in the center of the state. On the other hand, the coast was smoke-free with highs in the 60s and 70s. So it seemed a romantic no-brainer to head across the state to the coast. The morning of our anniversary found us driving through the last of the Oregon forests on a narrow winding road straight west to the ocean.

We arrived in Bandon in time to check into our site at Robbin's Nest RV, and still get to the beach. We had fish and chips at a little cafe on the water, and then we hit the beaches with their wonderful display of towering rocks called sea stacks.

Last time we camped at Bullard Beach State Park, but on such short notice they were full. But we made the drive out to the state park to visit the Coquille River Lighthouse.

It was really windy at this driftwood-lined beach at the state park. The wind made it "keep-your-hands-in-your-pockets" cold as we were beach-combing. That certainly is a switch from 100 degrees in central Oregon!

As we followed this beach, we found many clear gelatinous clumps shimmering in the sand. When we googled "clear jelly stuff on beach" we got several possibilities. So we'll just include the interesting picture and let your imagination race with what it could be.

We have found that Oregon beaches have few sea shells. But Denisa managed to find a crab shell and some pretty beach stones to make a "40" in the sand to commemorate our 40th anniversary.

We had planned to eat another meal on the beach this evening, but we found that the little cafes in Bandon close early on a windy Sunday. So we opted for ice cream instead, at the yummy Face Rock Creamery.  This delicious shop is named after one of the rocks we saw today at the beach. Of all the uniquely-shaped sea stacks on the Bandon Beach, this one that looks like a tilted face looking to the sky is probably the most famous. Can you see the face of Face Rock?

When people find out that we have been traveling for over six years, they often ask where our favorite place has been. While that can't seem to be answered with only one place, Denisa's short list will always include the Oregon coast. We love it that this state has kept all the shore line public, and it is accessible to everyone. 

One of Denisa's anniversary wishes was to be at Bandon beach during low tide. When we checked the tide schedule, we found that would be at 7 p.m. So of course, Mark got her to the beach on time. Low tide means that those big sea stacks that are normally in the water, are now high and dry.

The incoming sea waves have eroded caves in this large sea stack.  During low tide we can walk into these caves for cool pictures. Can you see Mark inside the cave in the first opening?

Some of the openings into the sea caves are tall slits that make for interesting silhouettes.

Normally the water would be flowing through this cave.

As the water recedes, we can see the base of these big sea stacks that are usually covered with water.

That lets us see the sea creatures that live on the base of the rocks. We love the orange and purple sea stars!

For the best views, one must follow the tide out for a quick view, and then be ready to run to higher ground when a big wave comes in.

It was a great evening of finding green anemones with their slippery fingers . . .

and uniquely striped mussels clinging to the damp rocks.

Some people were going on a horseback ride on the beach,

but we rather preferred our stroll on the beach after they left with only horse shoe prints in the sand.

The sun was sinking lower in the sky, making dark silhouettes toward the water, 

and lighting up the unique-shaped rocks further from the water.

We took a couple more pictures of Face Rock, looking up towards the setting sun . ..

To stretch this 40th anniversary even further, we took the time to head to another beach closer to our RV park for another sunset view.

The wind has calmed, and it was a tranquil picture here at our new beach.

This is a more secluded beach that requires a climb up through the dunes and grass. 

That seclusion also allowed us to surprise this young fawn in the grass.

We enjoyed another long walk on the beach as the setting sun lengthened our shadows. Forty years ago, our wedding invitation read: "This day I will marry my best friend, the one I laugh with, pray for, dream with . . . love." It's been forty years of laughter, with many prayers answered, and dreams that have come true. So that's the way two wanderers celebrate a 40th Anniversary!