One of the signature sea stacks on the Oregon Coast, the Haystack Rock towers 235 feet above the beach, seemingly reaching out to the sky from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Along with its proximity to the city of Portland, this rock formation has contributed in making Cannon Beach a tourist destination. It is accessible from the beach and can be walked to during low tide. The saying, "you can look but you better not touch" applies to this iconic rock formation. It is protected, as it is a national wildlife refuge and one of seven protected intertidal areas along the Oregon coast.
My first visit to Cannon Beach was back in 2004 and I was able to shoot it in excellent lighting conditions. Unfortunately, the resulting JPG file was edited poorly and the original was lost. I have been back many times since then and have had poor weather conditions every time. I was able to take this photo on my last visit and had to shoot in in the rain. I am determined to get to capture this rock in the golden sunrise or sunset light next week.