Oregon Coast Real Estate Blog - Living on the Oregon Coast » Oregon Beaches

Oregon Beach Cleanup: One Man’s Daily Mission

Dean — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:06:58 +0000

I would like to introduce you to my neighbor, Bob. Bob is a retired gentleman in his 80’s who appears to be extremely fit. In fact, up until the past few years, Bob was an avid runner. Well, hip problems have slowed him down some so now he does a daily beach walk of at least 5 miles per day regardless of weather. During his walk he travels from Theil Creek, about 4 miles South of Newport, to Seal Rock. He carries a plastic bag which he fills with all sorts of debris like plastic bottles, cans, bags and broken fishing floats. These items go to either the recycling bin or trash — at home.

It’s not all about clean up, as Bob is a trained observer for Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (read more about Bob’s work). One of the things he does is to report any dead sea birds and mammals on the beach. ODF&W uses this information to help track the well being of birds. In the case of marine mammals like seals, ODF&W works with The Hatfield Marine Science Center to determine cause of death and uses this to expand their knowledge base. This is an example of how citizen volunteers can make a difference and enjoy the beach at the same time.

Whether you’re able to attend one of this year’s Fall or Spring beach cleanups sponsored by SOLV, take a hint from Bob, and bring one of those dreaded plastic grocery sacks with you every time you walk an Oregon Beach! If we all do our part, the Oregon Coast will be an even more spectacular place to live.

Oregon Coast Beach Cleanup 2010

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:01:19 +0000

This year’s Spring beach cleanup is slated for March 20th. Volunteers come on their own or form up in teams on beaches from Astoria to the California border under the leadership of SOLV. This effort brings nearly 4,000 Oregonians out to help keep our beaches in pristine condition for residents and visitors alike. Consider forming a group amongst your friends, family or co-workers this year! This effort, which began in 1984, has expanded to a statewide effort and has helped make Oregon a great place to live.

This year, they’ve divided the coastline up into 43 Check-in Locations in 14 Zones. Zones 6, 7 and 8 correspond to the Central Oregon Coast where I live (and play). Each zone has a coordinator who will actually pre-assign a location to groups of 20 or more, so get in touch early if you’re putting together a team.

Zone 6 (Lincoln City & Depoe Bay)
Mark Saelens 541-574-1285 (w)
msaelens@co.lincoln.or.us

Zone 7 (Newport)
Charlie Plybon 541-961-8143 (w)
cplybon@surfrider.org

Zone 8 (South Beach through Yachats)
Doug Sestrich 541-867-7451 (w)
doug.sestrich@state.or.us

If you’d rather go to another part of the Coast, here’s the complete list of the check-in sites and zones. Either way, plan to pre-register online this year (a new feature) to streamline the check-in process.

And while you’re in the neighborhood lending a hand, take time to check out some significant buys here on the Central Oregon Coast. E-mail or give me a call to set up a time to meet.

Myrtle & Maude Leave the Oregon Coast Aquarium for San Deigo

Dean — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:05:54 +0000

As a Founding Member of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, I take a special pride in their efforts. It was very gratifying to learn that they had managed to restore enough health to two rescued sea turtles that they could be moved to their next level of rehabilitation in San Diego. Maude, a green sea turtle and Myrtle, an Olive Ridley sea turtle were rescued in November along the southwest Washington coast and in nearby Agate Beach .

The search and rescue functions of the Coast Guard include the use of infrared imaging as well as radar. It has been reported that sea turtles are sometimes confused with humans as they bask on the surface and wave their flippers in the air. According to the co-pilot of the HC-130, Lt. Antone Alongi, “we see turtles from the air but this is the first time we’ve had any aboard.” The Sacramento-based Coast Guard crew transported the turtles to San Diego for further rehabilitation and hopefully eventual release into the wild.

Read the full story about Myrtle and Maude’s rescues.

More information about their trip to San Diego.

The Aquarium is one of many really fascinating places to visit here on the Oregon Coast. Plan to include it on your next visit. You will not be sorry that you did.

Winter on the Oregon Coast

Dean — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:59:20 +0000

Winter is a spectacular time to visit the Oregon Coast. High winds and high tides combine to make some really awesome beach scenes. A word of caution is advised however, as waves can reach much farther onshore than in nice weather and many times carry big logs in the process. The conventional wisdom is that you never, ever turn your back on the surf. One never knows what might be propelled onto the beach in a big wave. The best places to safely observe and photograph this wild show is from road side turn outs and rocky promontories. The great temptation is to climb out on the rocks to capture that special shot. Careful, the rocks are wet and slippery and the water is really cold. The scene accompanying this post was taken on 12/16/09 at Seal Rock. The area in the close foreground is a favorite location for tide pooling in Summer and in this picture is under an estimated 20 feet of water.

Go Fly a Kite! Seriously… at Lincoln City this Weekend

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:25:02 +0000

The Fall Kite Festival returns this weekend, October 10th & 11th. This is Lincoln City’s “original” kite festival — it’s 31st to be exact! Come observe demonstrations by expert fliers, let the kids learn how to make their own kites, watch the Running of the Bols, and more. Activities are held at the D-River State Recreation Area – also known as the D-River Wayside.

Come join the fun October 10th & 11th

The Ariel Ballet of the Brown Pelican

Dean — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:46:28 +0000

One of the many exceptional experiences I enjoy as a Coastal resident is watching flights of brown pelicans fishing our inshore coastal waters. When perched on jetties or rocky headlands these birds seem most ungainly. Then a magic transformation occurs as they take to the air over surf and bays in search of bait fish. They fly in line with hardly a wing movement as they follow the air currents. As they spot a school of fish the leader of the line hovers at 50 to 100 feet for an instant then crash dives into the water to rise with a bill full of fish. The ballet seems almost choreographed with no wasted movement.

These beautiful birds were driven almost to extinction during the 1950’s and 1960’s as a result of the widespread use of DDT as a chemical pesticide. This caused the shells of eggs to be fragile and easily broken which prevented the chicks from developing and hatching. In addition mercury was washed into the marine food chain as a from of mining and manufacturing resulting in a double whammy for the ocean food chain. The brown pelican has been removed from the Endangered Species list thanks to the efforts of state and federal agencies, conservation organizations and private landowners and has returned to historic levels.

Now is a good time to visit the Coast and see this performance before the pelicans migrate South for the Winter.

Back out to Sea from Nye Beach

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:35:05 +0000

The fishing vessel Lori Ann which ran aground Tuesday 8/11 was successfully pulled off the beach and towed to navigable waters Thursday 8/13. A helicopter carried a line to a tug waiting offshore while the Coast Guard monitored the operation including offloading fuel from the boat leaving some 60 gallons on board to allow the FV to reach port for inspections. All’s well that ends well.

Unscheduled Stop On the Oregon Coast: Fishing Vessel Comes Ashore

Dean — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:30:07 +0000

At 2:00 AM on Tuesday August 11th, the 50 foot fishing vessel Lori Ann came ashore at Newport’s Nye Beach. Fortunately their were no injuries and the US Coast Guard was able to off-load 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel with no spills. On the down side, some 750 pounds of tuna were lost. Apparently the skipper fell asleep at the wheel.

Coast Guard Appreciation Day

Dean — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:54:03 +0000

Augsut 4, 2009 is designated Coast Guard Appreciation Day. Known as the “quiet service” what we now know as the US Coast Guard has been an important part of our Nation’s History from almost the beginning. Newport,Oregon is one of five cities in the Country to earn the honor of “Coast Guard City”. As we enjoy the beautiful Oregon Coast we often times forget that the men and women of the Coast Guard stationed at Station Yaquina Bay are on duty 24/7 no matter what the weather. With air sea rescue capabilities for commercial fishers, sport boaters, hikers and anyone in distress the Coast Guard is always on duty. Yaquina Bay Station has been in continuous operation for 112 years. From the steel hulled cutters to ridged inflatables to bright orange helicopters we are very aware and grateful for these quiet heroes.

Caution Required: it is Central Oregon Coast harbor seal pup birthing season

admin — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:59:04 +0000

Mid May is the peak of the Harbor Seal birthing season here on the Oregon Coast. The Seal Moms frequently leave the pups on the beach while they hunt for food in the surf and will return several times a day to nurse the pup with their fat rich milk. The milk is so nutritious that the pups gain enough weight and size that by about four weeks of age they can live independently of the mothers and hunt for themselves. They are a joy to look at, from a distance of no less than 50 yards and must not be touched. This is the time to leash the dog. If molested in any way by humans the mothers will abandon the pup. All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, so if by chance you observe anyone interfering with a beached seal or observe one in distress call the Oregon State Police @ 1-800-452-7888.

You can expect to spot adults pacing during your beach walk or observing you from the surf or in one of the bays. Just another reason to relocate to the wonderful Central Oregon Coast.