Is a picture really worth a thousand words?

Most of us have heard the saying, 'A picture is worth a 1,000 words'.  I've always thought there was truth to this, that is, until I shared some of my pictures of our recent trip to the Oregon Coast and read the different responses.  It was then that I realized that a picture is only worth 1,000 words...if you already know the story.  What really got me thinking about this was the reaction of one person who hadn't been there.  It went something along the lines of, thanks for the pictures, nice to see them. Now I don't have to leave the warm comfort of my home, I've seen it already..etc.  My instant reaction was....WHAT?  Really?  But you can't smell the air, hear the roar of the waves, hear the birds, see the sunshine on the waves just as the sun comes up, or the moonlight in the sand.  By comparison, the people who had been to the Oregon Coast all responded with an, I remember the sounds, smells, sights etc., and I want to go back!  This was when I realized you need to know the story, to be able to get the value of the 1,000 words.
I could have spent hours watching the waves crash on the rocks around Haystack Rock.  And I love the sound.

Every sunset was so breathtaking that I made it a point every afternoon to be outside to watch.

The sun coming over the horizon and catching the foam on the breakers.

It was so warm on our last day there, that the kids went into the water.

Haystack Rock!  You know what I mean, if you've been there.

Close to dusk there is a mist that hangs over the water, and it turns the whole scene into a dreamy landscape.

No picture can capture the feeling of the sand shifting under your feet as the waves roll in.

Sunset at Twin Rocks.

What you can't see from this picture is the whale spouts in the distance.  The gray whales were migrating south, and we could see them spouting at regular intervals.

A beautiful sunset once again, I just wish I could add the sound of the waves to it. 

 Brilliantly bright sun on the beach.

Although it's hard to see, there are two groups of sea lions frolicking in the water.  I'm so glad one of the neighbors noticed it and gave me a heads up.

 

And of course, after looking through my pictures once again, I want to go back.  But for now, I'll just look through them and remember the story behind each one.