Sibling Assignment 2015.17: Yachats Ocean Memories #3Siblings

After spending some time on the Oregon Coast last month, a flood of memories came back to previous visits, so I posed this assignment to my two siblings:

Write about some of the memories you have when we all gathered at the Oregon Coast and share those memories and stories in your next post.

Christy's memories are share on her blog here, and Bill's memories are shared here.

We have stayed many places on the Oregon coast over the years, but I think the one that is the most near and dear to my heart is the first place I experienced time on the coast, and that is Yachats.

The first time we went was the summer of 1982, the year after my first year in college.

We stayed in a small ocean front cabin in Yachats.  My brother knew the owners and made arrangements for us to rent this cabin.

That first year included a six hour trip on a fishing boat, that you can read more about on a former blog post here, playing Monopoly and singing "New York, New York" everytime someone landed on that place on the board, and doing a lot of exploring in the tide pools on the beach in front of our cabin.

We returned again the next summer, the summer of 1983.

This summer I apparently bought a kite to do some kite flying.  I also remember writing a message to Paul in the sand and photographing the message.  (This way WAY before the days of digital photography you could instantly text or post on social media.)

It was fun being on the coast with Dad, the "Old Man and the Sea".

The next time I visited Yachats was with Paul, and it was the summer of 1986, on our honeymoon.  It was wonderful to share this special place with my husband.  We enjoyed a few wonderful days on the beach, including smelt fishing.

Paul standing in front of the cabin.

Paul cleaning the smelt we caught.



Paul enjoying being out in the surf.

As our family grew, we outgrew the cabin, and also visited other towns on the coast.

But I have been fortunate to visit Yachats recently.

During the fall of 2013 I had the privilege of visiting my brother and his wife Debbie before they moved to their new home in Maryland.  On one of the days I was there, Bill and I took a trip to Yachats and took some time to walk around the cabin we used to stay at I Yachats.

Bill enjoying the view from the lawn of the cabin.

Here is Bill in front of the special little cabin, full of so many memories.

 This last summer, Paul and I were able to show two of our daughters the beach at Yachats, and we also took a stroll by the little cabin where we used to stay.

Zoe, Coco and I on the Yachats beach.

Paul and the girls exploring the beach.

The front of the cabin in now red, but much is still the same.

Paul and I in front of the cabin.

The memories started in this place back in 1982.  I was 19 years old.  Not only was this my first summer of many summers in Yachats and the Oregon Coast, but it was the summer Paul and I fell in love.

Four years later, we spent some of our first days of our married life in Yachats.

And now, it is 2015.  Paul and I have been together 33 years, and celebrated our 29th anniversary this summer.  We were able to spend some time on this special beach in Yachats, and, for me, it stirred up many fond memories of family vacations spent at that special little cabin overlooking the ocean.

As I reflect on these past 33 years, I realize how blessed the times on the coast have been, and how blessed I have been to have Paul by my side, helping me make and share those memories.