Yurt Summit 2017: Very Wet, Very Sunny, Very Cold, Very Happy

 Last year March 2017, I headed out to the beach with 8 year old Amy, and two friends to join a Yurt Summit at Nehalem Bay State Park. Because we are adventurous and to save on costs, we decided to camp in tents. We drove on a Friday evening through the unrelenting cold rain to the coast. When we got to the camp we set up tent on the edges of the flooded campsite we had been assigned.

Three of us made it through the night semi dry. Amy's clothes got partially wet on the side of the tent. However, our fourth friend had a completely flooded tent. She ended up finding the community yurt and warming up around 2am.

Having made it through the very rainy night, the sun came out and we were able to enjoy the beach and the community at the yurt summit.

The kids and adults played a game where a group was blindfolded and followed the sound of a moving drummer through the sand as a mindfulness, sensory activity. I helped string a tarp up and the kids dug canals to drain the puddle in the fire pit which we were able to use later for a campfire.

Wearing my snow pants and jacket to stay warm and dry, I dipped my toes in the water and enjoyed the sunshine.

The spring sunshine on the beach was wonderful and warmed our spirits as well.

We enjoyed communal food and conversation and were very grateful for the offer of a yurt spot for those of us whose stuff had not dried out during the very wet night. My friend Corrine and I were able to dry tents out enough to enjoy a rather cold but clear night in our tents.

This was quite the car camping adventure, but we were glad for the time together.

Can't wait for some upcoming spring adventures. A word of wisdom- be prepared for a wet night if camping on the coast in late March in Oregon.