23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Where the Ocean Remembers the Dawn

As the first light spreads across Cannon Beach, sea stacks emerge from the mist like ancient guardians. The tide moves in slow, rhythmic breaths, revealing a coastline where time softens and the ocean quietly tells its stories.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States of America
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © HI LEE