Razor Clams in Clatsop County Weekend of May 25 – 27

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by in Astoria, Beach, clam, Seaside

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Excellent Tides This Weekend

This upcoming Memorial day weekend is time for a great low tide for Razor clams at the Oregon north coast beaches in Clatsop County.  Between Seaside and Astoria there will be a lot of clams harvested.  The low tides are in the early mornings bottoming out around 8 – 9 AM, check the local tide location (http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/oregonsites.html)  where you will be going.  Get to the clamming grounds an hour and half early so you have time to dig a full limit, if you have never done it before you will need a little time to get the hang of everything.

Oregon beach harvested razor clams

The weather for the weekend looks to be a little off with occasional rain so be ready to be out in a typical wet Oregon spring shower.  Other critical components to remember to have include: digging device either a long flat clam shovel or a clam gun which is one of those long tubes with handles, a shellfish license, individual bags for every person in your group to carry their own clams.
Remember that everyone has to dig themselves and carry their own harvest.

Watch and Learn How to Clam for Razors

And how to do it with a shovel


Make sure you do not bend the shovel back hard, pull straight up to remove the sand in order to avoid breaking the clam in half. They are very brittle and crack easy, so be careful, because they will cut you if you are not watching what you are doing when removing them from the sand.

The beaches will be busy but there is plenty of clams despite it being crowded if the surf stays sort of mellow everyone should be able to have a really good morning exercise collecting for an awesome evening dinner meal. Have fun and enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend!

Oregon Coast Potential Wind Energy Site

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Coos Bay

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There is an interesting article from Associated Press that highlights the details of a potential wind company operating out of Coos Bay, Oregon.

A Washington company intends to moor five wind turbines off the Oregon coast, and hopes the project dovetails with a separate proposal for liquefied natural gas.

Reluctant fishermen on the southern Oregon coast agreed after six months to support Seattle-based Principle Power’s plans for a 30-megawatt wind energy flotilla off the waters of Coos Bay

 

It is great to see the possibility the Oregon Coast can establish itself as a wind energy player.

Ecola State Park Near Cannon Beach

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in Cannon Beach

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Ecola State Park

How to get there:

Located just a few minutes north of Cannon Beach.


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There are a lot of Parks to be seen and visited in Oregon which are truly breathtaking and worth the travel, but one of the best would be the Ecola State Park. This park is reachable through the main road and is located around two miles north of Cannon Beach’s downtown.  The name of this park was obtained from the word “ikoli” which means whale because of beached whales that were one of the things that many earlier visitors saw. It is known that the park was discovered by Capt. Clark together with twelve members of the Corps of Discovery when they went through thick shrubs and trees and were climbing on rocky cliffs. Nowadays, the park has a paved road which leads through a thick forest and is much easier to pass. After passing the lines of Sitka Spruce Trees, you will be greeted with the view of the Pacific Ocean. Parking lots are available near the entrance and at the northern end so guests would not be worrying where to park their cars.

There are a lot that Ecola State Park has to offer throughout the year. These include exploration, nature tripping, site for photography, tide pooling, surfing, swimming, picnic, trailing, and a lot more. This park surely provides something for everyone. There are a lot of breathtaking views of the Ocean. When winter and summer migration comes, whales are also a view. Beside these, there is also the Indian Beach which provides enjoyment especially for surfers and kayakers. This is also where families can go to for picnic and use the picnic tables scattered around the area or the covered barbecue areas. The Indian Beach is also very enjoyable for exploration of tide pools and interesting rock formations. Beside all these exciting adventures, the park also has restrooms which the guests could use.

There is no better way to live life as compared to enjoying the beauty that nature has to offer. We must look around us and marvel in greatness of the nature and see for ourselves what we can discover through them.

Grab breakfast in Cannon Beach at the Lazy Susan and enjoy a hike around the park.

Tsunami Preparedness for Oregon Beaches

08 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in General

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Two years ago, Japan experienced one of the most memorable events in the history of tragic incidents. Massive cries from people were heard, lives were lost and shattered, families were broken down and separated, and houses were swept. This was known as the great east Japan earthquake.

Even though it was in Japan where the earthquake and tsunami struck, neighboring countries became affected due to the strength that this disaster brought. Russia and Papua New Guinea evacuated thousands of residents, the Philippines experienced very high waves causing flood an damage to coastal areas, houses along Indonesia were destroyed, icebergs in Antarctica were broken down, odd as it may seem, a motorcycle and soccer ball were found in Canada and Alaska respectively, and lastly, most of California and all of Oregon experienced the same disaster which brought severe damages to the docks.

Do you know where to go in case of emergency?

epugachev, CC-BY, Via Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/epugachev/18307317/

epugachev, CC-BY, Via Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/epugachev/18307317/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This experience left a mark in the hearts and minds of all people and served as a reminder to always be prepared and to expect the unexpected. One of the reminders of this tragic incident is the washing up of a tidal wave debris which is a derelict Japanese vessel alleged to be Japanese on Gleneden Beach in February, as well as the arrival of a 70 foot dock on Agate Beach in Newport last June. That is why a Tsunami roadshow will be held in Oregon in the month of March to teach people survival skills such as preparations for disaster and emergency skills. According to officials, what happened in Japan is threatening to happen in Oregon since it is located on the earthquake fault Cascadia Subduction Zone.

This preparedness presentation will be very beneficial for the people of this coast when disaster comes. Even though we cannot change the course and disaster that Mother Nature will bring, we can still prevent the degree of damage it may cause by having the survival skill and the preparedness through physical aspects and have the right attitude towards it. Who knows, when this disaster comes, we will write our survival story at the end. As they say, there is always a rainbow after every rain.

The schedule for the Tsunami Preparedness Presentations is below:
March 11: Seaside
Broadway Middle School Library,1120 Broadway St. Seaside, Ore., from 7:00-8:30 p.m.

March 12: Astoria
Astoria Library, 450 10Th St., Astoria, Ore., from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

March 14: Rockaway Beach
Neah-Kah-Nie High School, 504 N. Third Ave., Rockaway Beach, Ore., from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

March 15: Lincoln City
Driftwood Public Library, 801 U.S. 101 Lincoln City, Ore., from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

March 19: Florence
Siuslaw Public Library, 1460 Ninth Street, Florence, Ore., from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

March 21: Coos Bay
Hales Center Auditorium, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay, Ore., 7:00-8:30 p.m.

March 23: Brookings
Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elk Dr., Brookings, Ore., 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Oregon Halibut Fishing 2013 Season

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in fishing, garibaldi, Newport

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Halibut fishing has been one of the most rewarding and productive types of fishing in the North Pacific. Most of the time, it serves as a race and a form of entertainment to the anglers involved seeing who can get fish in the box the fastest. First to gain the most number of pounds in a limited given time wins. Although there are certain rules that they should follow such as not catching any halibut below 30 inches or 76 cm. One of the problems faced by fisherman is the weather. When the weather is bad, it becomes dangerous to go to sea.

izik, CC-BY, Via Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/izik/220648048/

izik, CC-BY, Via Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/izik/220648048/

In Oregon, the fishing trip would generally take about 12 hours and a limit of one halibut per person with no length limit is given. However, this type of fishing is not recommended for children below 12 years old, because this giant flatfish has great strength and it is very difficult to bring in a huge 70 to 100 pound fish.

This kind of fishing is said to be so much fun due to the challenge of catching the big and heavy fish and being able to put it on deck. It is hard to find another fish that fights like a halibut. This fish tends to push and pull back and forth making the catch feel like you are dragging more than what you are getting.
According to The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, they will be deciding the fishing seasons in Salem on the 26th of April. The proposed dates are from the Department of Fish and Wildlife staff and the Pacific Halibut Commission.

Below are the dates for the seasons for Halibut fishing:
May 9-11, May 16-18, May 30, June 1, June 6-8 (All-depth seasons along the central Oregon coast as recommended by the staff.)
June 20-22, July 4-6, July 18-20 (Back up weekends)
August 2 and 3 then every other Friday and Saturday (Summer all-depth)
May 3 and every other Friday to Sunday (when the area of the mouth of the Columbia River opens)
August 2 (Summer season)
If there would be in season changes to open dates, they will be announced on the NMFS Hotline (1-800-662-9825; #5; #1) and posted at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/
Give Garibaldi Charters or JB and Water Sportfishing a call, if you are looking to go out for these bottom dwelling fish out at Halibut hill around 20 miles past the Tillamook Bay bar near the Garibaldi marina.
Find Oregon fishing guides here.

Here is what it is like to go fishing on a charter for Pacific Butts off the Oregon Coast.

Go for a beach hike

28 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by in Uncategorized

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There are so many little places along the Oregon coast that receive less foot traffic than other places. It is fun to go for an adventure and so the next time you see a group of cars parked along the side of the road near an entrance / pathway, make a mental note and think about taking a few minutes to check it out. You will likely be pleasantly surprised with a beautiful scenic beach without all the foot traffic that is common in some of the more popular beaches right in the middle of the towns such as Cannon Beach, Seaside, Lincoln City, or Newport.While certain secluded beach coves may be popular with people they are generally worth the walk or hike depending on the location if you prefer to try and avoid the big crowds.

trail down to beach

Some locations will have a well built and maintained trail to utilize and others may be more off the beaten path. Take the time to get out and walk and explore and you hopefully you can find a new special place on the Oregon coast. If you are a beach comber that likes to hunt for agates, shells, or other ocean worn debris than finding the out of the beaten path locations are the best bets to really getting to have a chance at finding a beach treasure for decorating your cabin at the coast.

Here is a few pictures from a favorite North coast beach that is right around a lot of popular places including a major tourist destination state park and while there may be a parking lot full of cars just a mile or two away, this place gets full at around 7 cars and has plenty of space to enjoy.

Beach Agate in Sand

Beach Agate in Sand

Rock Outcropping

Rock Outcropping

Waterfall Down to the Beach

Waterfall Down to the Beach

Crab Floats Found on Shore

Crab Floats Found on Shore

Pizza Garden Desserts in Nehalem, Oregon

18 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in Food

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The Pizza Garden is an excellent location for lunch or dinner if you are travelling along the Oregon Coast Highway, but is also a great place to stop in for a special dessert. All of the desserts are made from scratch including all of the ice cream flavors that are available. There is a wide array of options to choose from the most popular butterscotch and Irish creme to other unique flavors like Coconut, fresh berry sherbets, and of course, simple selections like chocolate and Vanilla. The best thing about this place is that sometimes you don’t want to order a whole dessert after a meal especially a large lasagna or pasta or pizza dish, but they offer an excellent low cost solution. The ice cream taster. It is served in a nice little cup and is enough to clean your pallet and leave you fully satisfied. The best part about the taster is that they are only a buck, that’s right you can still enjoy a little dessert at the Pizza Garden for only a single dollar.

Stop and check out this great place and enjoy the views from the large bay windows that look out to the river and bay.

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