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Where to go
Here are some favorite tidepools on the north-central Oregon coast.
Roads End State Park
Off Logan Road at the north edge of Lincoln City, turn toward the ocean at the traffic light next to McDonald’s. The state park is about 1 mile from the highway; the tide pools are about 1 mile’s walk north from there. FMI: Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau, 800-452-2151.
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
At the north end of Newport, turn west at the traffic signal on Lighthouse Drive. This BLM-managed property has two tidepooling areas. Cobble Beach, down the stairs near the lighthouse parking lot, offers rich communities of intertidal life; park rangers are often on hand to identify species and assist visitors. Closer to the entrance, Quarry Cove features man-made tide pools that are less extensive, but handicapped accessible. Paved paths, ample parking and an interpretive center. $5 per car. FMI: 541-574-3100.
Devils Punchbowl State
Natural Area
9 miles north of Newport off Hwy. 101; follow signs to Devils Punch Bowl. Pools near Otter Rock, just north of the parking lot, offer many species including purple sea urchins, rufus-tipped nudibranch and mossy chiton
FMI: Beverly Beach State Park, 541-265-9278
Seal Rock State Wayside
10 miles south of Newport off Hwy. 101, access across from community of Seal Rock.
Look for sea palm, as well as Monterey dorid, ringed and opalescent nudibranch. |
Oh, the places you'll go!
Record minus tides beckon tidepoolers this week
Watch the video from Wednesday, June 4, 2008
By Niki Price
Oregon Coast Today
[Originally Posted May 29, 2008]
Are you ready to experience sea life, minus the thick aquarium glass? Minus several feet of cold sea water? Minus a wet suit and protective mask? Then take advantage of the minus tides, which reveal intertidal wonders all over the central coast.
What exactly is a minus tide? It’s a low tide that falls below the accepted measurement of “sea level,” exposing creatures and plants that reside in deeper zones. In Oregon, spring months bring minus tides during the daylight hours, for fun, safe and convenient tide pool exploration.
This week, the Oregon coast will be experiencing some of the lowest low tides on record. At Yaquina Bay outside the Hatfield Marine Science Center, for example, the minus tides will start on Saturday, May 31 (-0.1 at 4:36 a.m.) and get lower every day until Wednesday, June 4 (-3.0 at 7:28 a.m.). You read that right. It will be a full 3 feet below sea level. But levels and times will vary slightly, depending on your destination. For predictions, turn to page 25 in today’s Oregon Coast Today.
To explore a tide pool thoroughly, you’ll need to wear sturdy, warm clothes that can get wet, along with old tennis shoes. If you can, pack a magnifying glass, a field guide (we recommend the laminated kind sold at local gift shops) and a first aid kit. Most importantly, plan to arrive at the pools at least one hour before the published low tide point, because it’s much safer to examine pools when the tide is going out, rather than coming in. And respect the life you find by stepping only on uninhabited rocks and leaving everything exactly where you find it.
There are wonderful tide pool habitats all over Lincoln and Tillamook counties; any cluster of basalt rocks near the water will harbor intertidal life and are worth examination. For a more structured experience, with trained interpreters, try the Tidepool Discovery program at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, just north of Newport. Or, explore on your own at Cape Kiwanda, Seal Rock State Park or the Otter Rock Marine Gardens.
But tide pool gazing isn’t the only way to spend a minus tide. Here are a few other ideas:
• On Saturday, June 7, clamdigging author William Lackner will lead a free Clam Clinic to the productive gaper clam beds in the middle of Yaquina Bay. The group will be ferried from South Beach Marina to the isolated tidal flat by boat, so all participants will need to bring their own life jackets as well as containers and their own personal tools. The one thing that won’t be required is a shellfish license, because this dig falls in the annual Free Fishing Weekend. To register in advance, email Lackner at clamdigginginfo@netscape.net.
• Ever wondered how Boiler Bay got its name? This rugged, basalt-rimmed bay just north of Depoe Bay contains a real boiler, all that’s left of the J. Marhoffer, which sank in 1910. At the lowest tides, you can scramble down into Boiler Bay to see rich tide pools as well as this historic artifact. Park right off Hwy. 101 and climb down, or park in the Boiler Bay State Park and survey the scene.
• If you’re ready for a fascinating 2-mile walk, arrive at Roads End State Park (near Lincoln City) about two hours before the lowest tide point. Head north on the beach toward the rocky outcropping. When the water is out, you can go past the Roads End Knob to a minus tide beach that some call Hidden Cove. Be sure to turn around when the tide starts to come back in – this beach will be hidden again before you know it.
• Take your special someone to the top of Proposal Rock. At low tide, you can walk right up to the base of this Neskowin monument to romance, and find a trail that leads to the top. The view (Cascade Head to the south, Cape Kiwanda to the north) is astounding, but absolutely lacking in fences, guardrails or safety measures of any kind. Lovers climb at their own risk.
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| A sea star at Roads End, trying to put the wraps on a lunch of fresh mussels. Sea stars slowly pry open mussels, then insert their stomachs into the victim's shell, digesting it in its own shell. OCT photo. |
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