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"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in ideways, champagne in one hand--strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "Woo-Hoo,What a Ride !" " -- Unknown

416--Oregon: Exploring a ghost ship off the Oregon Coast @ CherieSpotting     Nov 01 2008 - 15:44 PST cherie writes: From a distance, it looked like a ghost ship. Greg and I climbed up and down the sand dunes of Coos Bay, Oregon searching for the wreck of the George L. Olson. We knew it was there—we found the GPS coordinates of the washed-up schooner on the internet. The lumber-carrying schooner ran aground on June 23, 1944. Forgotten for over 60-years, the ship was exposed in February 2008, after a series of violent winter storms removed her protective cover of sand. Greg and I were curious to explore the ship before she rusted away or was re-buried. Back in the 1944, the schooner smacked into the North Jetty in Coos Bay and went aground. No one died but the ship. After the wreck, the George L. Olson was towed out to sea, but expectedly she washed back ashore. Though her sailing days are over, she's an exciting destination hike for inquisitive travelers like us! If you’re not up for a hike, local ATV vendors have created tours to 4x4 out to the wreck. How long will she be there, no one knows. Perhaps this year's winter storms swallow the schooner again. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (1) | write comment| views: 5212    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Cherie near the wreck of the George L. Olson, which was exposed in the sand dunes off Coos Bay, Oregon in Feburary 2008 after a series of violent winter storms. They called it a "ghost ship" when it was first uncovered, but later the wreck was identified as the George L. Olsen which ran aground on June 23, 1944. Now the ship silently rusts away on Oregon's wild and lonely coast. Back in 1944, the George L. Olsen ferried lumber. She smacked into the North Jetty in Coos Bay and went aground. No one died but the ship. A closer view of Greg with the George L. Olson, revealed in Feb. 2008 when Pacific storms washed away the sand dune that had buried it for decades. Cherie props up one of the masts of the George L. Olson. Greg and Cherie used a GPS to navigate through the dunes and find the washed up schooner in Coos Bay. Greg captures the schooner on video. She used to sail, but now she rots and rusts on the Pacific Coast. Only a sign protects her from looters. Exposed after decades of being protected under the dunes, the George L. Olson quickly decomposes. This was once a towering mast. Buried for 64-years, the George L. Olson finally comes up for air. It's safe to say that her sailing days are over. She's now turned into a destination hike for curious travelers like us! What a piece of ship! George L. Olson in shadow. Will this year's winter storms swallow the ship again. All alone, but not lonely. Calamari in waiting. Greg with the cranes that dismanted the wreck of the New Carrisa. A shore of spinnach? Popeye's version of heaven (a beach filled with spinnach.) Don't forget to eat your greens--these ones might be a little salty. In the mood for a dark and stormy? On the road again. Do you feel like we're in a cage, or is it just me? Another charming bay on the Oregon Coast. We park Mookie, our RV, and explore another wild and rocky beach. Drift wood. Cherie runs to warm up. In October, we have the beaches to ourselves. Perhaps it's the wild surf that keeps people away. Life really is a day at the beach! The Sea Lion Caves are only the "jewel of the Oregon Coast" when there are sea lions inside. No Sea Lions today! *sad* The Haceta Head Lighthouse. Sharing the road with logging trucks. The green stops where the blue begins. The mist gathers on the mountains. Spooky. If I were a road, I'd want to hug the sea, too. Ocean collides with earth. Let's pick another surf spot, this one's a bit rocky. Cherie doesn't complain about the view. It's my own rock palace. The Devil's Churn. Sea weed. Not the kind that tastes good with raw fish. Mookie, our 2008 Itasca Navion, is not an off-roading vehicle.