Peter Iredale Shipwreck - Sunset of my dreams

While on Vacation with my family in June - we made a stop at the Peter Iredale Shipwreck and played in the sand and explored the remains for a while during the day...then my wonderful husband sent me off on my own with my camera after all the kids were settled in their bunks back at the cabin - so I could go see if I could get the kind of sunset photos I have always hoped for...and wow...did I ever!

Not only was it the perfect weather (stormy with sun patches) but I got a sunset AND something rusty...all in one shot! I spent a good hour out there and watched the sky go from bright oranges, to deep purples and amazing yellows. I couldnt get over how different the sky looked from one minute to the next and when I turned around away from the wreckage toward the shore, I was taken aback by the incredible misty purple and pink of the sky. Here are some of my absolute favorite shots from the evening. I took over 600 pictures just of this sunset...let me tell ya, it was hard to pick just a handful...let alone pick out ONE favorite. But the first photo (above) ended up being the favorite of 8 of the 10 people I emailed for input and they all picked the winner!

I entered it in the Northwest Washington Fair this year - and when I rounded the corner of the arts building entrance, I saw my photo next to a giant ribbon (its bigger than the 11x14 photo I submitted!) for a "Best in Show" and first place for my division prize! Im always coming in second or getting honorable mentions - so I was super excited to finally have a first place ribbon to display. Its a great feeling. :)

I couldnt resist trying out a filter in my editing program that makes water shots look like they were shot during a bright moonlit night...this last one is titled "Ghost Ship" and has a totally different feel to it than it does in its original version.

If you are interested in purchasing any of these photos - please visit my online store.

Peter Iredale Shipwreck - 2008

*Family Photo by random stranger - thank you random stranger!*

When I was younger - we would occasionally visit my father's hometown of Hammond Oregon and then head down the coast a ways to Seaside. I dont have many actual memories of those trips.... but I do remember visiting this old ship from time to time.

It's changed alot over the past 30ish years and it was one of the stops I wanted to make when we took our kids down to the Oregon Coast for our family vacation this year. I wasnt disappointed! I got to spend a week with my family, at the beach, with beautiful sunsets and RUST! I couldnt have asked for a more perfect vacation!

According to Wikipedia - "The Peter Iredale was a 4 masted steel barque sailing vessel that ran ashore on October 25, 1906...it was abandoned on Clatsop Spit near Fort Stevens. The ship was named after Peter Iredale, who not only owned the vessel as part of his shipping fleet, but was also a well known figure in Liverpool, England where his business was headquartered...Sailing from Salina Cruz, Mexico...they were bound for Portland Oregon with 1000 pounds of Ballast and a crew of 27 including 2 stow aways..." Needless to say, it was swept ashore in some knarly winds and remains there today. You can read more about it here.

Now that you know some of the history behind this beauty, here are some of my favorite "Daytime" shots of her and the wonderous power of the ocean to reclaim the ship. You can see the barnacles that thrive on her skeleton, you can see where the waves have carved their names into the steel beams...its a wonderful experience and I encourage you to make a stop there to see her before shes consumed completely in the next few years.

I loved crawling inside her - looking out at the sky and the ocean from within the skeleton of the hull. Its quite awe inspiring to be standing in the shell of what used to be a great ship - that housed various human lives...and to sit and reflect on all of the stories that must have been created inside the walls that used to be there...who were they? I always get a little lost in thought when I visit old houses and places that used to be inhabited by people, years before me...

I went back later in the evening when the kids were all settled in bed and my husband hurried me out the door of the cabin to send me off to get some sunset pictures...Im SO glad I did! I got to take some of the best sunset shots of my life thus far - though Im sure someday Ill find another amazing opportunity.

Ill save those for a seperate blog...They have their own story to tell.