Day 26: Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Portland

We sleep in, David wakes up just before 8 o'clock and Erik also sleeps until half past 8. After breakfast, we pack everything up and hit the road. Originally, we only expect a short stop at Yaquina Head Lighthouse, but are positively surprised. We save the $7 entry fee due to our annual pass and first visit the exhibition before hiking the short trail to the lighthouse. From the rocks, you can see birds and seals on small islands. It smells like fish, probably from the bird droppings. We look out at the sea and spot a gray whale. I thought they were only here in winter. But the ranger says that a small group stays in the waters because they find enough food. There is no reason to migrate north or south. We are thrilled. Afterwards, we take the stairs down to the beach, where it is possible to observe tidepools. We see anemones, sea urchins, and many seashells. The tide is slowly coming in, so we retreat after a while. Young seals are also visible. Once back on top, we look through a ranger's binoculars and see baby birds. Simply amazing. We could have skipped the aquarium in Newport, because here, nature is live. It's already lunchtime and we grab a quick snack. Now it's a 3-hour, 130-mile drive to Portland. Along the way, we see a lot of agriculture, including walnut orchards. The area is more populated and the drive goes quickly. Just before Portland, we stop at Walmart to do one last big shopping trip. It's already 4:30 PM and we still have to cover the last 13 miles. Unfortunately, it's rush hour and we're driving at a snail's pace, taking an hour and a half to complete the distance. Now we just need to check in, but someone is already occupying our spot. So we go back to the entrance to resolve the issue. David is hungry and the food takes forever. Erik really wants to go to the pool and the piles of laundry are waiting for the washing machine. After dinner, we head out. But then we realize that we don't have enough change for the laundry. Erik insists on going to the pool, so we all go there first. Erik is not allowed to wear floaties in the pool, as they could break and cause him to drown. But swimming without floaties is also not an option, it's hard to understand. So Erik splashes around in the shallow children's pool. Meanwhile, I go to exchange some money. There is a shopping center nearby. At a kind of electronics store, I have to purchase something in order to receive $14 in quarters. Then I go back and throw the rest into the washing machine. At the fenced-in pool, Rene is waiting with David in front of the barrier. David always wants to swim. We are told that an adult must supervise the child, so I wait inside the barrier for Erik.
Eventually, at around 10 PM, the laundry is finished. Luckily, because now we are exhausted and ready for bed.