Yesterday Joe and I were meandering along the Oregon Coast and being a rock-hound and obsessed with the lure of Oregon agates, we stopped at several beaches where I patiently and unsuccessfully looked for agates that weather out of the host rock and make their way via rivers down to the beach.  I know from my readings that they are most likely to be found after the winter storms, so early spring is the best time to find them.  Being mid-summer, I'm not surprised to have found nothing, but sad, nonetheless! 

We walked a trail through a field and along the river.  The field had several bovines (cows) and apparently they were friendly since we were not gored by any upset bulls. It was a little unnerving walking through the field though since I didn't know what kind of disposition they had.  I just kept remembering a kid's cartoon I had seen about some cartoon character being pursued vigorously by a really mad and very big bull.  I kept them in sight until we were safely out of range. 

This unsuccessful search for agates also seems to have had other repercussions - my camera fell out of my pocket into about an inch of water.  I quickly picked it up but apparently water did get into the workings.  We tried to dry it out and recharged it last night in hopes of resurrecting it.  It did turn on this morning and I did take pictures with it on a trip we took today on the Rogue River. The pictures showed in the viewing window of the camera so it seemed to be working.  Alas, the computer could not detect the camera when I tried to load the photos.  I will try again tomorrow, but I am pretty sure the camera is shot and I'll need to get another one.

Joe and I spent the night in Gold Beach, OR which was named for numerous gold claims where the Rogue River joins the ocean.

On to the story of today's trip (without photos, I am sad to say):

Joe and I went on a 104 mile trip down the Rogue River from Gold Beach, OR, on a Jet Boat from Jerry's Jet Boats.  If you ever have the opportunity to make this trip, DO NOT PASS IT UP!!!!  This was one of the most exciting things we have ever done!

We were in a jet boat with about 30 people and the guides, Hugh and Court were humorous, knowledgeable about the river and experts at navigating among the rocks, the history of the Rogue River and its early inhabitants and quick to point out local wildlife.  We saw several Bald Eagles, several osprey, Kingfishers, a couple of different kinds of ducks, a mother deer and fawn, a couple of jumping fish, and a seal and several minks playing among some rocks and shrubs right at the edge of the water.  Minks are really small (only about 6 inches long) so you can see how many little minks it would take to make a coat - hence the expensive price.

We shared the entry to the river with numerous small fishing boats with people hoping to catch steelheads (a type of trout).  Once into the river itself, our guide began his commentary with pointing out the minks playing along the side of the river, followed by doing "wheelies or donuts" with the boat.  In case you have never been in a boat doing "wheelies", you scream and getting R-E-A-L-L-Y   W-E-T !!!  I was sitting on the right side, row 2 - right where the spray (really high, really wet and really cool, and did I mention, really WET, comes in.  There is no way anyone comes out of a Jerry's Jet Boat trip without a "bad hair day"!

Our trip continued with more commentary on wildlife, the geology of the Rogue River, more "left turns" at speed - resulting in more high sprays.  The whole trip was like this - the only times we really went slow was when wildlife had been spotted or in the upper portions of the trip when we slowed down for kayakers and float boats.   We had lunch up river then made the return trip in much the same fashion as the trip up river - commentary, slowing for wildlife, speeding up for "wheelies' and left and right turns at high speed just missing rocks and giving us ample opportunities for wet hair, wet shirts, wet jeans and water dripping from our noses and eyelashes.

We met a family who were doing the trip for the 3rd time - Jerry Bolton from Salem, OR.  He identified with us as we parked as he has had Model T's in the past.     

If you get the chance, take the trip down the Rogue River.