Sunshine!
Despite the predictions of overcast skies until afternoon, we woke up to bright sunshine and blue skies. After we recovered from the shock, we grabbed a quick breakfast and drove to the Bandon Beach. We had missed golden light by several hours, but it was still a huge improvement compared the last last two weeks. Most of the sea stacks and formations were either side-lit or front-lit.
We hiked down to the beach and wandered around the formations as the tide continued to come in. As the waves receded, we shot reflections in the wet sand--while also keeping an eye out for sneaker waves. We managed to stay dry, but we had to make a couple of quick escapes.
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We found a very cool cave in Cathedral Rock that included a view of the sea stacks to the south of the Grave Point. Our friend Don Ridgway had found the same cave and included it in images he sent us. It was very cool. We also found a viewpoint out another side of the rock with a view toward the Kittens with the sky reflected in a pool.
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After we photographed down on the beach for a couple of hours, we climbed back up to the parking lot and drove toward Old Town Bandon. On the way, we found our favorite house from the trip. It sat on a cliff with views of the Coquillle River and Coquille Point.
We were going to eat lunch in Old Town Bandon, but the area was packed and we didn't feel like waiting. We had lunch in camp but returned to The Wheelhouse Restaurant for dinner. Our salmon and prawns entrees were great, but the rest of the dinner was only Ok.
We drove back to camp to change clothes and check out the lighting. It was nearly 7:00, and it looked like we might even have a sunset. We drove out the the Coquille Point to get the warm light on the lighthouse and the grasses that surround it. There was no breeze and the grasses provided the perfect foreground.
From the lighthouse, we dashed back to Face Rock, and I hustled back down to the beach. Carol initially decided to shoot from above. We got good images of golden reflections in the sand and waves crashing on the rocks. But at the last moment--just 15 minutes before sunset--the cloud bank swallowed up the sun and there was no sunset. ARGH!
I continued to shoot another half hour after sunset to shoot the color in the clouds reflected into the surf and the fog that surrounded the sea stacks in the blue hour.
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For the first time in weeks, we got a full day of photography.
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