The story behind the story, Part 2
All laborers in and around Dutch Harbor in Unalaska, Alaska have a home base. For some, visiting their original jump-off point is low on their priorities. Many live on the fishing boats they serve and rarely see the lower forty-eight. For others, leaving the ice, snow, and the constant pressure to catch more fish is a welcomed reprieve.
I chose Newport, Oregon for my story’s place of origin. A small, coastal, tourist town, Newport sits at the Pacific Ocean’s shore surrounding Yaquina Bay in northern Oregon. Beneath the historic Yaquina Bay Bridge lies the Bayfront district with many piers, and walkways along the wharf surrounding the bay.
Several government agencies line Marine Shore Drive including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration( NOAA), Hatfield Marine Science Center, and the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Not far away is the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Science lingers in the air wherever you turn.
An artsy section known as Nye Beach nestles in the northern part of the city. Artisans and their shops fill the area, gifted individuals eking out a living capturing the beauty of the Oregon coast with paint, watercolor, sculpture, and camera lens. Tourists can visit and walk away with a one-of-a-kind treasure they found in one of the many boutiques.
Not far away is South Beach and Beachside State Park as well as the Heceta Head Lighthouse. All offer beach access. hiking, and playing in the Pacific surf. For someone seeking refuge, Newport will soothe their soul. Here is where my story begins.
Psalm 104:24-25: “Oh Lord, how manifold are your works, In wisdom you have made them all, The earth is full of your possessions—This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great.”