Our next day trip with Mae, Helen & Terry was to Port Orford. This time Mae & I rode with Helen and Terry rode with Dick. I had found some information about the area and we had a couple of stops to make on the way. Our first stop was the historic Hughes house & ranch. Patrick and Jane Hughes arrived here in the early 1860’s. They had 9 children born between 1860 and 1876.
The drive to the house went past the location of the dairy barn and creamery; to the right of this road next to the Sixes River.
We went on the tour of the inside and learned about the Hughes. family that lived here. After 30 years of hard work they had this large modern house built.
That is their pictures on the mantle.
A very ornate organ made in Portland OR.
What became of the 9 children you ask well let me tell you. Edward, Thomas and Francis lived their entire lives on the ranch. James was a lifelong keeper at the nearby Cape Blanco Lighthouse and John became the second native-born Oregonian to be ordained a Roman Catholic Priest. The 2 girls married local men and left the ranch. 2 boys died during childhood.
Next stop was the Cape Blanco Lighthouse.
This is the oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast. They have tours of the lighthouse but none of us were inclined to climb to the top.
I enjoy going to marinas, walking the docks, and looking at boats. So when we got to the Port Orford Marina we were in for a surprise. This port has no sheltered bay and therefore no floating docks. All boats are launched by crane directly into the ocean.
When you drive down to the marina you find that it is a large parking lot with the fishing fleet on trailers and this day there were a number of empty trailers. This parking lot/dock is very high off the water.
Here is a commercial fishing boat coming in to the dock. They get her tied up and unload the catch of the day.
They secure the lines to her.
And start to hoist her out of the water.
Once she is clear of the pier she is swung over and set gently on the trailer.
If they are late getting in or the weather turns bad and the seas become rough these fishermen have to spend the night out on the water.
Lunch was next on the agenda and with all this fresh air we were all starved. I had found a restaurant online with good reviews so we headed there.
The Crazy Norwegian Café was as good as they said. We had a great seafood lunch.
Dick ordered desert which he shared with all of us. A fitting end to a wonderful day.
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