An essay on living in Florence, Oregon...

Florence, Oregon

I grew up in Florence, Oregon. It is a really small town located an hour west (on HWY 126) from Eugene. Living there you don't appreciate all that it has to offer. Florence is a retirement town and a tourist trap. Being located right on the Pacific Ocean makes it even more appealing to the eye. I guess you could say Florence is one of those places where if you live there, you hate it. But once you leave the place you miss it. I can't really say I miss being there, but I do miss being so close to the ocean, and all the nature and beauty around it.

When I first moved there, my parents took me to Sea Lion Caves about eleven miles north of Florence, and it is one of the biggest sea caves in the world. I went there in the summer of 89, and I saw thousands of these fury creatures.

Florence

Florence

Florence

I didn't know what they were until I went down into the cave. The cave smelled so bad, like rotten fish, and ocean air, I wanted to get out of there. The stench was overwhelming.

When I returned to the place as an adult just a couple years ago, I was able to appreciate the beauty of it. The ocean's smell that which I missed since graduating high school and moving to Seattle. The sound of the waves crashing against the walls of the cave that made a roar so loud, it could frighten a little child. That was all soothing to me now. I was beginning to realize what I missed as a child growing up.

Florence is famous for its dunes. When I say they are famous for it, I mean it. I lived no more then two...