The drive from Crescent City to Winchester Bay, Oregon followed US 101 north to the Coos Bay area. Spectacular ride over roads that are in constant repair. Slides, yes. But the road is caving in or sliding down the hill in many spots and the patchwork fixes will not last. Douglas commented that it would be a wonder if this portion of 101 survives another decade. This week we were at the Winchester Bay RV Resort, a beautiful park directly on the Umpqua River. The view out of B&S front window:
Our stay here was marked by high winds, cold and some rain though it was a beautiful resort right on the Bay.
Fishing and the Oregon Dunes are the local draw. The Dunes offer spectacular views and exciting ATV riding. D&R hosted an old colleague, Bill Tass, and his wife Maggie; they brought in their many toys towed with their new 2016 Newmar Bay Star Sport and off they went with D&R to ride the dunes. .
We of course had to try the local oysters; Kumamotos from Coos Bay and Umpqua Triangle oysters farmed locally. The Kumamotos won the flavor contest by a small margin but the cost difference was marked. The Umpquas were a GREAT deal and they were farmed less than a mile away. Yup, the beds formed a triangle right off the mouth of the Umpqua river.
Clam chowder and Dungeness crabs were also on the menu. We dined on them at home and in local restaurants. Home seems to always win since Douglas and Bob shuck the oysters and our trusty Weber grills and Renee’s toppings produce the best grilled/roasted oysters. Bob found a jumbo oyster that he had to be cut to eat. Pretty good considering its size.
We have noted that every restaurant claims award-winning clam chowder but we found Fisherman’s Seafood Market, a small three table restaurant right on the dock in Coos Bay was the best in the area. Perfectly cooked whole clams, minimal potatoes and a creamy broth that was to die for. A must try if you ever visit.
We walked around beautiful Lake Marie and visited a world-renowned sea lion wintering place, the Sea Lion Cave, just north of Florence, OR. One of the largest in the world. It was well worth the time and climb.
On May 8th, we packed it up and headed north to the Long Beach Peninsula in southwestern Washington.
Tallman Travelers 