The Highs & The Lows
The Oregon Coast hosts an amazing event.
WITH THE HIGHS COME THE LOWS. The King Tides come to the Oregon and Washington coast every winter. We get to experience these tide events when the alignment of the moon, earth and sun create extra gravitational pull. The King Tides Project is an international grass roots effort to document areas impacted by tide events and their effect on our coastline. So I packed up my camera and rain gear to see what I could find.
Since the King Tides last about three days during the months of November to January, I have been able to explore quite a lot of the Oregon coastline. Of course with my trusty dog and Subaru! As a photographer, the power of the ocean was what I aimed to capture. But I also came to discover that treasures abound during the low tides!
LIKE A GEYSER waves burst sky-high from the underwater cave at the Spouting Horn in Depot Bay. Known as the whale watching capital of the Oregon coast, a local pod of gray whales makes this places their home. Since it’s located right on on Route 101, the town offers some good food and views to enjoy between storm watching.
LIKE A GIANT BATHTUB the massive waves swept past me as I stood petrified on a rocky plateau. Thor’s Well is a famous tourist attraction known for it’s seemingly bottomless hole in the rocks. But the hole was no where to be seen during the King Tides. Some of us ventured out onto the rocky plateaus to get a better view of the powerful waves that sloshed by.
HEAD SOUTH if you want to see some of the most exotic coastline in Oregon. At Shore Acres State Park resides the once grand estate of timber baron Louis J. Simpson featuring a formal garden and a hidden ocean cove. Migrating whales, seals and sea lions are easy to spot if your timing is right. I’m glad a local photographer recommended this hidden gem!
A MUST-SEE is Cape Disappointment since it’s a short drive from the Portland-Vancouver area. Due to the sheer number of shipwrecks, the North Head Lighthouse was put into service in 1898 to help ships that kept running aground at the “Graveyard of the Pacific”. Seeing this first-hand helped me to understand how a ship could quickly get into trouble here.
LOOK FOR DONUTS at low tide. Tap the sand with a shovel and the the razor clams often reveal themself below the surface. A donut shape in the sand indicates that a razor clam could be waiting for you below. But don’t count on it! Move fast with your shovel to capture these elusive creatures as they descend quickly below the surface.
HOLLER WATER! before the surf finds your friends madly digging away in the sand. A headlamp, rubber boots, plastic buckets, mesh bag and gloves are must-have tools for clam digging. Phase two of clam digging is cleaning them and prepping for my favorite chowder recipe.
THANK YOU FOR CONNECTING and sharing your life with me in 2021! I appreciate your kindness, even if it was a matter of sharing a few laughs as we navigated the pandemic together.
I do hope that my blog will inspire you to get out more in to nature. I look forward for the chance to hear your stories and ideas on places to visit.
Wishing you and your loved ones an outstanding 2022!
With warm regards ~ Linda & Coco
“Tell me what it is that you plan to do with your one and precious life?”
-Mary Oliver
