Waterside adventures: Activities for the seasons ahead
Dec. 27—Winter — Whale watching, beach hikes
January on the Oregon Coast is a sea of gray whales and the people who watch them, people wrapped in windbreakers and hats with eyes fixed through pairs of binoculars. Every so often, the binoculars come down for a respite from the frequent wind and fog, and this is when the whale is likely to make its appearance.
Still, a certain thrill comes from winter whale watching, and sometimes that rise from the sea comes at just the right moment. Whales visit the Oregon Coast year-round, but through mid-January — and especially during Oregon Whale Watch Week, through Jan. 1 — dozens may be seen each day, migrating south to the warm waters of Mexico.
For the first time in three years, Whale Watch Week will be hosted by volunteers at Oregon park sites, including at Fort Stevens State Park and the Neahkahnie Mountain Overlook. In Washington, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment is also a popular site.
Later on, as winter comes to a close, whales again pass through the waters of Oregon and Washington en route north to Alaska, at peak visibility through March. In the meantime, many whale watching sites also make for excellent hikes, and clear winter days offer a break to spend time outdoors.
Spring — Clamming, sand sculptures
In the hours just before low tide, season and shellfish license allowing, searchers in spring begin to seek out a delicacy partial to the shores of Clatsop and Pacific counties. The Pacific razor clam, an oblong, sand-dwelling bivalve prized as table fare, is found by digging deep into the shore.
The clams, which burrow vertically into the sand, are often harvested using clam guns — circular, hollow tubes that extend below the surface — activated by the sign of a clam below. Digging is limited to the first fifteen caught.
In April, the shellfish are celebrated with the arrival of the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival, offering digging classes, culinary samples, music and contests.
Attention then stays on the beach into late spring, when sand sculptors congregate over a string of events throughout coastal towns, starting with the arrival of warmer days in June.
Summer — Birdwatching, oceanside camping
Tufted puffins, visible in bright hues from the shores of Cannon Beach, often make their first appearance at Haystack Rock in the late spring and early summer.
By July, the colony — the continental United States' largest — has settled in for the summer months to raise their young, roosting on a grassy patch at the northern face of the sea stack.
The puffins are most active in the morning, diving and fishing in the water below. Through August, when the youngest of the group begin to spread their wings toward the sea, the Haystack Rock Awareness Program offers viewing scopes and interpretive programs for birdwatching visitors, who may also want to venture along the shore to spot migrating brown pelicans.
Summer evenings on the coast can continue with a night of camping underneath the stars and within earshot of the crashing waves. To pitch a tent or find a cabin, head up to Fort Stevens State Park, where abundant options await.
Fall — Waterfall visits, beachcombing
Turning toward the inland waters, forested paths with ample autumn foliage offer short journeys to the region's many waterfalls.
From Astoria, venture south to Youngs River Falls, a short downhill walk to a rocky shore and misty, cascading waterfall. Farther East, Gnat Creek Falls drops more than 100 feet to an oasis of plants and wildlife.
Out on the ocean beaches, with the first fall storms come hidden treasures — crystalline rocks, agates, even fossils wash ashore. For the best chance at a window-display find, head out after an outgoing high tide. Even if not, the sight is a treasure alone.
