Monthly Archives: April 2012

Frugal Crow – Antique Shop in Rockaway Beach

30 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Antique & Thrift Store

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My favorite local antique shop along the coast is the Frugal Crow, excellent prices and very customer friendly. They always have something unique and interesting every time I have gone in and the people that work the shop are very nice and open for conversation unlike some of the rougher coasty types that own antique stores along the coast. They also usually have a selection of toys and things that are perfect for keeping the younger kids entertained whether it is a box full of my little ponies for the girls or a tray of match box cars for the boys. The antiques and collectibles are displayed throughout the 5 rooms, while the store front is narrow the shop goes deep. The entire store is very reasonably priced except the back room tends to have more expensive vintage style furniture and art pieces that have always been outside my budget, but the rest of the shop is ripe full of great deals. I recently picked up some vintage post cards of locations throughout Oregon for a birthday present for someone and have bought many other knick knacks and other collectibles. They have a large selection of antique bottles which I have used to gather and hoard the beach agates that I find when out on my beach walks.

This is a definite stop along the Oregon Coast as there is always parking available near the Frugal Crow due to its location right near the Rockaway Wayside that has a large parking lot near the beach access point. You can also take a short walk from the Frugal crow down to Trash & Treasure another antiques store and go into Rick’s Roadhouse for a burger and a drink. Rockaway Beach has a lot to offer the traveler on an Oregon adventure and stopping in the Frugal Crow for a browse is always worth the effort in my opinion. Open the drawers of the cabinets and find more than what is simply out and displayed. Too much to discuss in a single blog post so I hope you are able to take a few minutes to check out this shop the next time you are driving through on the Oregon Coast Highway.

Will update with a good picture there is now a nice sign with the Black Crow logo, but this is where it is located, right next to a great candy and gift shop.

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The Whale Spout – Breakfast in Rockaway Beach Oregon

28 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Restaurant, Rockaway

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If you want a cozy place to eat a good breakfast in Rockaway Beach the Whale Spout does the trick. With a gas stove in the corner and an espresso machine behind the counter this is the place for a good cup of coffee and warm reprieve from a brisk morning walk on the beach. Located right in the middle of town the Whale Spout is perfectly beach themed inside with lots of fish, birds, and other sea creature replicas mounted on the walls including a huge hammer head shark. The breakfasts are good portions, but be prepared to wait to eat on a busy weekend. I have eaten at the Whale Spout in the middle of the week with only one or two other tables occupied and received my food very fast and have also been the 2nd to last table getting seated on a Sunday at 10AM and not received food for nearly an hour and had to get up and ask for a coffee refill myself twice. The food is priced well and again the portions are great and will fill you up for any activities you are planning on doing whether it is a hike up Neahakanie mountain or just a day of lazy antique browsing at the shops in the surrounding cities. My personal favorite is the Rockaway Potatoes which is a large scramble with tasty tatters, eggs, Tillamook cheese, choice of meat and few other veggies such as onions and bell peppers. The Pancakes are large and fluffy. We have tried there specials a few times and been pleasantly surprised as well from a blueberry compote on top of the pancakes to a breakfast burrito. The best thing in my opinion about the Whale Spout is the fact that they have an in house espresso machine and can serve up your custom coffee favorite or just a enjoy a good cup of the house blend, which tends to be a better coffee than the usual breakfast restaurants along the coast. Despite our encounters with some slow service the staff was very nice and apologetic and we would recommend the Whale Spout to anyone looking for a good breakfast in Rockaway Beach.


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Three Graces – Tide Pools North of Garibaldi, Oregon

28 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Oregon Coast Treasure

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The Three Graces are three large prominent rock outcroppings that are in between Garibaldi and Barview along the Oregon Coast Highway. This is an excellent location to stop for a beautiful picture or to take a stroll along the beach and out onto the rocks on a low tide to explore the shallow pools of water teeming with aquatic life. There are hundreds of sea anemones attached to the rocks, starfish, little crabs and much more to see when the water is low. The Three Graces are close to the opening of Tillamook bay to the ocean and so there is usually boats passing by from the port to ocean and the occasional coast guard vessel cruising by. The tide pools are a great place to take kids that want to explore the rocks and see interesting and cool creatures. Be careful as the seaweed on the rocks further out will be slippery and the current can be swift, so it is best to not go too far out on a low tide and get back in once the tide has turned and starts coming in. I recommend getting out an hour before the low tide especially if it is a negative tide and there will be plenty to look at and the kids will want to probably get going to the next thing before the water starts coming back in from the Ocean.

It is best to visit on a low tide so consult a tide table that you can find at most of the local stores along the coast or this web link to the tides for Garibaldi. http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions/NOAATidesFacade.jsp?Stationid=9437540 However even if you are just along for a ride and want to stretch your legs there is several places to pull your car over nearby so you can get out and snap a few shots of bay and the Three Graces.


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Jetty Fishing in Oregon

08 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in fishing

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Fishing off the jetties in Oregon whether you are fishing at the Columbia, Nehalem, Tillamook / Garibaldi, Newport, or Florence are great places along the coast to catch salt water fish from shore. Whether you are fishing with traditional sinkers and bait or using a jig and grub / swimbait you have the chance of hooking into some saltwater fish such as ling cod, cabezon, rock bass, greenlings, and others including the chance for a salmon at the right time of year. There are so many successful jetty fishing techniques, so if you are unsure of how to catch fish in a specific location check with the local tackle shops or just ask around while on a walk on the Jetty and you are likely to get all the details you will need to have the opportunity to catch a fish. The jetties are a platform made of rocks that extend well out into the ocean at the mouths of estuaries in order to eliminate the build up of sand and silt that traditionally would create large bars that could be impossible to cross. The jetties are a potentially dangerous place to fish and are not the places to take the kids to play around as the rocks can be slippery and the current in these areas is treacherous. However the fishing at times can be incredible when the fish are biting so for the hardcore angler the jetties are the right place to wet a line in hopes of setting the hook on a monster salty fish.

Make sure that you have a tide table book and know how to read it for the area you are fishing. Most tackle shops and even the grocery stores in the local areas will have one and it is essential as the best times to go fish off the jetty are around the high tide. Anywhere between 2 hours before or after the high slack tide are the best times to catch a fish. Also evening and night time can be very productive especially for species such as the bass that inhabit these waters as they get the most of their feeding done during the day.

Here is a few of the most popular jetty fishing locations to check out in Oregon.

Columbia River South Jetty

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Nehalem Bay North and South Jetties

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Tillamook Bay North Jetty – Barview Jetty County Park

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Newoport – Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site and South Beach State Park

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Florence – Harbor Vista County Park and South Jetty County Park

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Bandon South Jetty County Park

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Remember to be safe and have a blast fishing the Oregon coast jetties for saltwater fish that are not only fun to catch, but really tasty as well, whether you fry them up, bake’em, or grill’em these fish are excellent table fair and a special treat to enjoy on your next adventure to the Oregon coast for a weekend of fishing.