Waving goodbye
Oregon Paddle Out honors those who caught their final wave
Members of the Oregon surfing community will once again gather to celebrate and honor lost friends and loved ones at the Oregon Paddle Out weekend, taking place in Newport this Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11.
Events begin at 2 pm on Friday with a traditional Hawaiian lei-making gathering outside Ossies Surf Shop at the Tastee Tiki food cart. The leis will be worn by surfers participating in the memorial paddle out and later placed in the ocean as part of the ceremony.
"Last year I met Cheryl Swan," said Oregon Paddle Out board member Corrina Hargett. "Her husband, surfer Steve 'Swanie' Swan, had passed away a few months earlier. It was a great honor to meet her, make our leis together, wear them in the paddle out and place them in the water for him."
Saturday events begin at 10 am at Agate Beach cove. Though the main access to the cove is via the Lucky Gap Trail from the Agate Beach Wayside, there are several ways for the public to participate in or watch the activities.
"Some mobility-challenged folks have found the beach access trail a little strenuous," said Tastee Tiki food cart owner James Book. "This year we plan to film and stream the event live on the big screen from the new Tiki Stage at Ossies, creating a more inclusive and comfortable way for everyone to participate."
A one-time shuttle to and from Agate Beach will also be available for mobility-challenged guests, though seating is limited.
The pre-paddle out ceremony begins with the reading of names of honored Oregon surfers. Safety information will also be shared and participants will be asked to sign liability waivers. Surfers will paddle out around Yaquina Head at 10:30 am. The paddle out circle is not visible from the beach but can be viewed from Quarry Cove at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area at roughly 11 am.
Surfer spouses Julie Hollen and Teri Jernigan will welcome visitors at Quarry Cove.
Visitors to Yaquina Head will need an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass, an Oregon Coast Passport or a $7 three-day vehicle pass.
"The paddle out from Quarry Cove is a bird's-eye view of the ceremony," Hollen said. "Often you can hear what is being said below. It's a way of participating without the skills to paddle out. It's a beautiful experience."
To protect nesting birds and preserve the sacred nature of the ceremony, drones are not permitted.
"I jumped at the chance to be on the Oregon Paddle Out board," Hargett said. "Last year I enjoyed paddling out with Bonnie Good, who was 81 years old. Bonnie inspired me greatly."
Board members Jay Sennewald and Tony Stein will lead the group.
"It's an honor to be a paddle out leader and experience the surfing community's bond and the eternal nature of the ocean," Stein said. "Managing the circle, sharing names, leading the final tossing of flowers and the beating of water and hooting to send off a person's spirit is something I'm grateful for."
At noon, participants can take part in paddle races inspired by those held during Oregon surf contests in the 1960s. Surfers using boards 11 feet or shorter can register on the beach the day of the event. The approximately half-mile race begins and ends at Agate Beach, with a maximum of 25 contestants. Cash prizes and bragging rights will be awarded to the top five finishers, while additional prizes from Ossies Surf Shop and Pura Vida Surf Shop will recognize the oldest and youngest male and female participants.
From 1 to 4 pm, Hollen and her husband Jeff, a longtime Agate Beach Surf Club surfer, will host an open house for local and visiting surfers and their families. The gathering offers an opportunity to reconnect, share stories and meet surfers from different generations. The Hollen house is located a stone’s throw from the Agate Beach Motel on NW Gilbert Way.
The vintage surfboard showcase, introduced in 2024 as part of the celebration of 60 years of surfing at Agate Beach, also returns this year. Surfers are encouraged to bring classic boards from the 1960s and early 1970s to the Hollen home, where they will be displayed around the pool and fence.
"We participate in the Oregon Paddle Out to pay our respects to the pioneers of Oregon surfing," said Ossies Surf Shop owner Dan Hasselschwert. "The culture we have at Agate Beach was built on the grit and inspiration of the original locals."
Beginning at 6 pm, participants will gather across Highway 101 at Ossies Surf Shop and the Tastee Tiki stage, where Casey Felton will present a collection of surf videos spanning Oregon's surfing history and culture. The evening concludes with live music from Charles Mitchell, Mike Harrington and other surfing friends.
"We love the paddle out," Book said. "It's a time of remembrance and deep reflection, but also togetherness and celebration for the Oregon surfing community."
Friday’s event begins at 2 pm at Ossies Surf Shop and the Tastee Tiki stage, located at 490 NE Hwy. 101 in Newport. Saturday’s events begin at 10 am at Agate Beach. For more information, email oregonpaddleout@gmail.com.