Dec 27 at the Oregon Coast

We left early this morning to go whale watching at the coast. This is the prime migration from north to south by 30,000 gray whales. They come in close enough to the coast to see them from high vantage points. We headed to Lincoln City and then south toward Depot Bay which is situated between two very high points in the road (US 101). We stopped at the northernmost vantage point and saw lots of activity...as in lots of spouting and blowing, but little more than a side or two flowing under water; no flukes. We were close enough to see with the unaided eye, but Aleene had the binoculars when the most action took place.

We proceeded to Newport...about 15 miles south...to visit the sea lions that literally lounge around the boat docks. There are many...100 or more...in the bay and some come up to sleep in the sun...it was very sunny today. They bark and spat. The second picture is a big bull with a radio locator stitched on his back. I think you can see that. The other picture is of an old timer running a young buck off. They are very territorial. The young guy jumped back in the water and swam up to the other dock and launched himself onto the dock without a problem. The old guy let him go this time.

On the way back we went through Corvallis which is the home of Oregon State. Corvallis has 55K folks living there and the campus is very close to the main highway that goes into the city, so we just slowed down and looked. It is about 50 miles south of us. We...or I...may go down sometime and walk the campus, just for fun. The football field is only two blocks or so from down town...not unlike Purdue or Northwesern, or even Michigan for that matter. When Gary comes back we can go down and stand on the turf at Resser Stadium so he can add that one to his list.

When we got back the framers had the stud walls of the addition up...woo, woo. They will sheet it tomorrow. Aleene and I went out and stood in the new area and tried to imagine how big our new bedroom would be... 13x22 is an abstract area until you stand in it. The new BR is small, but will be great. It is all piped in so we know where the shower, vanity and "terlit" will go. More pictures, perhaps tomorrow.