Oregon Coast

After several months in the desert, we are enjoying the 'wet' coast again

Sea Lions enjoying hanging out on the docks in the downtown fishing village of Newport.  

Spent six nights at the Marina RV Park

Considering we are next to the Hwy 101 bridge to downtown Newport, this is a very quiet area and traffic noise at night was not an issue.

Up until 1936 Steamboats transported people across the Bay from Newport to the South side.

Right next to the Aquarium and Science Centre as well as the jetty and beach access.

Newport, Oregon is the place for Dungeness Crab and has one of the coast's largest commercial fishing fleets.

The Oregon Coast Community College, next to the aquarium, has approximately 3,000 students and is the only college in the US to offer a degree program in Aquarium Science.

Played indoor pickleball for the first time in over a year.   The community centre is great with good lighting and was open throughout spring beak and Easter.   Play was good and lunch hour busy as locals would come to play either basketball or pickleball during their lunch break.   Most workers are fisherman, marine biologists, coast guard or aquamarine specialists.

Rock Bass are the main catch but also greenling, cabezon, surfperch, lingcod and crab are all available year-round - even without a boat.   The South Jetty is a popular park and fishing location.   The jetties are far from safe - especially during fall and winter storms.   This picture depicts a very calm evening but the swell can happen at any time and there are many people who have been swept off the jetty. 

A rainy day so off to the Aquarium we go.

The facility sits on 23 acres along Yaquina Bay near the Pacific Ocean.   Built in 1992 the aquarium was home to Keiko, the orca who starred in the movie Free Willy.   Coastal Living magazine ranked the aquarium as top ten in North America.


Exhibits include four main displays, including seabird aviary and marine mammals.

The acrylic tunnel is super busy as it is almost time for the sharks to be fed and it is spring break.  This tunnel is a fantastic viewing area as the fish swim all around you - sharks, eels, herring and rock bass.    


We' re outta there and on to somewhere more quiet.  There are 'camp outs' for kids - they can spend the night in the tube.

The leopard sharks are common to the Oregon and California coast.   The Oregon coastal waters are known to have 16 species of shark (no great whites).

Rock Cod

Spotted Eel

Moon Jellies are found throughout most of the world's oceans.   They sting their prey but cause little harm to humans.   They will leave a small rash and the tentacles are not powerful enough to penetrate human skin tissues.

This crab has to work hard for his food as the fish are constantly stealing it not only from the shell but his pincher.










The tufted puffins are in mid-siesta and oblivious to the sound of camera shutters and voices.

This young boy pressured his father into going into the tube the experience the winds of a hurricane.   Speeds reached up to 78 mph.   Nothing to see here in the picture --- the guy needs hair to show the impact.

Gorgeous flowering Fairy Bells ..... a sign that spring has arrived.

Perfect flying weather - winds of up to 35mph

  The sand above the high tide mark is drifting hard and fast.   Tazz's ears are blown straight back.

Kylie's looking at her frisbee in bewilderment - "how does it move by itself?"

With the high wind factor, I didn't even have to throw it.

We have the entire beach to ourselves - whoo hoo!

At the start of the jetty is a little bit of history.

On a day of on/off downpours, we drive fifteen minutes south to the town of Waldport for a beach walk and lunch at a teeny three table cafe - Lazy Days.

A one man show, the owner takes our order and whips us up some down home cooking.       Brisket sandwich has about a pound of meat and a bucket load of fries.   Clam strips - enough for six people. 

A housing community in the dunes, on the beach.

Reminds us of our winters of snow drifts.   Wonder if they have to bring in the sand plows to keep the roads clear.

The Tillamook Cheese Factory

A pit stop on the way from Newport to Seaside, Oregon where we will stay three nights at Circle Creek RV Resort.

We stock up on squeaky cheese curds and smoked provolone and of course their famous sharp cheddar.

The famous cheese factory was founded in 1893.

Cannon Beach

Seaside is busy and insane.     The town of Seaside is geared for families with multiple cabins, motels and aquarium, pedal bikes for six, theatre, candy and toy stores. 

With spring break and Easter, the on and off downpours, the streets and shop are incredibly busy.

We drove 5 miles to Cannon Beach.   Much quieter - a town full of art shops and cafes, the clientele is an older crowd and streets are not as busy.

Just minutes from the beach and driving to Ecola State Park we see three very healthy  (and large) elk.

Our last day in Seaside,  we head out tomorrow morning 

early to Bellingham, Washington (Tuesday March 29).

Across the creek as we came home was a herd of about 30 enjoying the sun and lush green grass.

Wednesday we will be back in Comox, BC.