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| Kimberly Hedges, scouring Tunnel Beach near Oceanside. OCT photo by Niki Price. |
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| Carleen Steele, of Oceanside, with her red carnelian agate, which she found in 2007 near the Cape Lookout campground. |
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| For those with heads down,
Things are looking up
Agate hunting is in its prime in the depths of winter
[Posted Jan. 20, 2010]
By Niki Price
Oregon Coast TODAY
Somehow, “hunting” doesn’t seem like the right verb to pair with “agates.” It summons visions of a physical adventure, a silent stalking followed by a brush-tangled chase in the woods. At the very least, hunting should involve a pursuit by a prey that is on the move.
Looking for agates on the beaches of Oregon, on the other hand, is about patience and observation. These gems are not brought in by a high tide, and they don’t sprout like mushrooms. They are gradually revealed by erosion of soil or sand. Finding them requires watching, waiting and walking, and a little bit of luck.
Let’s start with a definition. Agate, jasper and opal, three gemstones commonly found in Oregon, are all forms of silica, or silicon dioxide (a combination of silicon and oxygen). About 400 million years ago, when this region was in the midst of volcanic upheaval, the land mass was rich with silica. Released by the volcanic lava as it cooled, the silica dissolved into percolating ground water and eventually came to rest inside underground cavities.
The concentrated liquids eventually became solids: Crystalline (also known as quartz or rock crystal), Cryptocrystalline (fine-grained masses known as chalcedony) and Opaline (a more porous chalcedony that contains small amounts of water in its structure). On the beaches of Oregon, you’re most likely to find forms of chalcedony (kal-SED-oh-knee) that are commonly called agate and jasper. Samples of chalcedony that are translucent, with bands of color or patterns, are classified as agates. Those that are opaque, with a deep coloration in red, green, yellow or brown, fall into the category of jasper.
They’re still here because, unlike the mudstone, basalt and sandstone around them, silica is hard stuff. On the Mohs Mineral Hardness Scale, talc rates a 1 and diamond scores a 10. Chalcedony ranks between 5.5 and 7.5. That’s also why they will take such a beautiful polish, and why they are considered gems of lasting value.
On the Oregon coast, they range in size from small pebbles to fist-sized specimens, and sometimes larger. There are many categories — carnelian, moonstone, iris, ribbon, cloud, picture, banded, sard, and many more — but the markings of each individual stone are unique.
Where are they?
Addicted beachcombers will go anytime the weather allows, and they’ll always find a treasure or two. If you’re focused on agates and jasper, however, the best time to search is between winter storms, especially those with southwest winds. In other words, right about now.
Tides, while not the main force at work, still play a role. It’s best to get a local tide table, one that has been adjusted for the area, and plan your trip when the tide is going out, rather than in. Minus tides are even better, because more land will be exposed and you’ll have more time to pick them.
Look for dark, gravelly patches, where the rocks are resting above the sand. They’re often found near a stream or riverbed, or next to an outcropping that might channel the ocean currents. There are a few places that are often fruitful, such as Moolack Beach north of Newport, the beds near Ona Beach State Park, and the tunnel beach near Oceanside, but the beds are always shifting. Last year’s bonanza can be this year’s dune-scape; for proof, try looking for agates on Agate Beach, a century-old neighborhood in north Newport. Because of its proximity to a jetty that alters the current, this once-happy hunting ground remains sandy year-round.
Agate fans report that the winter of 2009-2010 has been so-so for chalcedony. A relatively mild early season, in October and November, meant that fewer beds have been exposed than they would like.
“We haven’t had enough storms to peel the beaches down, so not much is going on,” said Lee King, owner of the Pier Avenue Rock Shop in Tierra del Mar. “It’s been slow everywhere, but maybe that will change after the storms this week.”
K. Myers, at Facets Gem and Mineral Gallery in Newport, said while the gravel beds have been slow to emerge, customers have been bringing in interesting specimens, including a black agate and a geode.
“We aren’t seeing the same gravel bars that we’re used to (in January). Last week, Moolack started to open up, but not to the same extent as last year or other good years,” she said. “This year, you might not find them just by falling out of your car and walking on the beach. Look to the north or south 100 yards, and you might find a great new spot.”
Few are willing to give up the exact location of a special find. But there’s no harm in asking for general ideas from your friendly neighborhood rock shop owner, hotel clerk or restaurant server. Or, rely upon the tried and true “parked car method.” When a low tide approaches, take a tour of beach access parking lots in your area. If a once-lonely pullout is suddenly crammed with cars, you can bet that rockhunters have discovered a cache.
Be prepared
Those who engage in more glamorous hobbies like golf or dressage, with flattering clothes and a hairdo that stays put, will be disappointed here. You’ll need layered clothing; old, rugged (and possible waterproof) shoes; and a warm cap. In other words, you’ll need to join the ranks of the other shapeless, asexual forms carrying plastic bags and walking slowly down the beach.
Embrace it, and you’ll have more fun. A useful kit could include folded newspaper (for preventing bigger specimens from knocking against one another), a walking stick, small first aid kit, snacks and water, and a current tide table. If you like, grab a book like the revised “Agates of the Oregon Coast” by K.T. Myers and Richard L. Petrovic, or another gem identification guide. But keep in mind that the more gear you bring, the fewer treasures you can carry home.
The most important bit of equipment is common sense. The Pacific is always turbulent, but it’s during the winter and spring that the waves are most unpredictable. It’s important to know the tide predictions — whether it’s going in or out, and at what time it will change — and to think ahead. If you want to explore a low-tide agate bed around a rocky corner, for example, plan to arrive at least an hour before the tide reaches its lowest point. The time listed on the table is when the tide will begin to rush back in, and you don’t want to be trapped by the rising sea.
And, finally, don’t sit or play on beach logs. Many of the injuries caused by sneaker waves are not inflicted by the ocean but by the large objects it carries.
Keep your head down
One caution to the first-time rockhound: you won’t find the super-smooth, gleaming, gift shop agates lying on the beach. Those agates have been polished in a rock tumbler, sometimes for weeks, until all their rough edges have been removed (sometimes they aren’t even real agates, but manufactured substitutes).
To find the rough stones on the beach, try walking into the sun as the tide is going out. Or cheat a bit, and carry a water spray bottle. The hard chalcedony stays wet longer than more porous basalt or sandstone, and the sun will make the translucent agates sparkle. When a stone catches your eye or seems to have a glow, hold it up to the light — if you can see through it, even a little bit, you’re holding an agate.
After a while, you’ll learn to spot them even when they’re dry. Agates are often covered with small, crescent-shaped indentations, as if someone had pressed a fingernail repeatedly into the surface. Usually they are smooth and round, but if they do have a fracture, it’s often conchoidal, or shell shaped, rather than jagged and sharp. “Agates of the Oregon Coast” has a nice color illustration of how the agates appear when they are dry and scattered amongst other rocks.
Even if it doesn’t qualify as hunting, the pursuit of pretty stones has many rewards. When agates are your quarry, success brings a souvenir that will last much longer than you will.
Related
Read our feature on fossil hunting
Expert help
Pier Avenue Rock Shop • Near Pacific City
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Rockhounds, unite!
If you’re looking for books, tools, information and a shared enthusiasm for agate hunting, start here:
Pier Avenue Rock Shop
5845 Pier Avenue, Tierra Del Mar
Between Sand Lake and Pacific City, on the Three Capes Scenic Route
Hours vary, call 503-965-6334 to confirm
www.pieraverockshop.com
Facets Gem & Mineral Gallery
1240 NW Grove St., Newport, one street west of McDonald’s
Open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 541-265-2514,
www.4facets.com
oregonagates.blogspot.com
Oregon Coast Agate Club
Meets the second Thursday of the month 7:30 p.m. at the Central Lincoln PUD, across from Safeway in Newport. The club’s 47th annual Gem Show, “Rocking the Coast,” is set for June 18, 19 and 20 at Yaquina View Elementary School in Newport. For details, call 541-265-2514.
North Lincoln Agate Society
This growing club now has its own workshop at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, and offers ongoing classes, films, field trips and demonstrations. They meet at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the LCCC, 540 NE Hwy. 101. For details call Judy at 541-764-2201.
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