I had a site visit in southern Washington on a Monday morning and decided to visit the Oregon coast the weekend before. I wound up in Astoria on a cold, rainy night and fell asleep in a waterfront hotel to the sound of rain on the roof and waves hitting up against the breakwater. The next morning I went for an early walk.

Astoria is the first permanent US settlement on the Pacific coast and is near on of the wintering sites of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Near Astoria is Fort Stevens State Parks a great place to walk, learn about history and explore.

Near Fort Stevens is the wreck of the Peter Iredale. She wrecked in a storm in 1906 with no loss of life and her bones remain. The day I was there the weather was freezing and the wind blew like crazy; I could easily imagine a ship being forced ashore.