Warm orange light fades into rosy pink as dusk settles over the Oregon coast. In the center, Haystack Rock stands tall, its dark basalt edges kissed by the last rays of sun. A satin ribbon of water left by the retreating tide mirrors the monolith so perfectly that sky and sea appear to meet. Soft, rippling sand leads the eye forward, while tiny silhouettes of evening beachgoers give a sense of vastness.