Who knew?

 I had expected rugged shores,

magnificent boulders,

miles of sand,

fog and mist -

oh, and signs of fishing;

those fish don't beach themselves 

and offer themselves up for lunch, ya know!

Check.

What I didn't know about were the rain forests -

and the trees -

and the Spanish moss!

It was breathtaking - 

in a "I wish I could bottle the smell and the stillness to keep forever"

kind of way.

 

There is even a sitka pine referred to as The Octopus tree:

whose unique shape has been debated about for years.

 

The tree measures more than 46 feet in circumference and has no central trunk.

The limbs extend horizontally from the base by as much as 16 feet before turning upward.

It is estimated to be between 250-300 years old.

 

Whether 'natural events' shaped the tree

or it was modified over centuries by Native Americans 

for ceremonial purposes

is still unknown.

It was designated an Oregon Heritage Tree in 2009.

Definitely worth seeing in the context of the other sitka trees in the area.

I also have to hand it to the Oregon Park System,

both on a County and State level:

the park system is beautifully maintained

and handicapped accessible wherever possible.