Spouting off

There are a number of spouting horns along the Oregon coast, but this one a few miles south of Waldport is among the best. There's a pullout right on Hwy. 101 and a short trail that leads down to the rocks. This view is from the top of the cape looking south. The best displays are during high tide, so time your visit accordingly. Here's the link to a tide table for Alsea Bay.

While you're visiting the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, consider taking one of several trails that snake along rocky cliffs and sandy beaches, or ascend into old-growth cedar and spruce forests. The trail through Cummins Creek Wilderness is especially serene. Watch for the spotted owls and marbled murrelets that nest here. There are traces of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp that existed near what is now the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center and that was then an utterly remote stretch of coastline. Among the projects completed by the CCC was the stone shelter from which this photo was taken--the highest precipice along the entire Oregon coast.

We're wired

The Shanty now has a cable modem for guaranteed internet access. After years of highjacking a wi-fi signal from unsuspecting neighbors, we finally decided to subscribe to a high-speed service this year so our guests can stay connected. Our friend Joe Fancher demonstrates at right during a recent visit to Bayshore.

Mild, then wild

The winter was mild but it's been a wild spring on the Oregon coast, where the European beach grass has advanced and created beautiful dunes where there was previously only flat sand. May was rainier than December '09, but summer is on the way. No matter the weather,  the Bayshore beach is always a great place to explore and enjoy.

Surf's up

This short article about the growing size of waves on the Oregon coast is a reminder of the amazing complexity and variability of our aquatic systems. We've observed coastal erosion at Bayshore, but lately, the sand has been piling up on the beach closest to the Shanty. Are our waves any bigger or smaller than before? It's impossible to say, based on simple observation. I guess that's why we have coastal engineers at OSU: to observe and measure these sorts of changes over time.

Rocks, sea and sky

You can watch the roiled sea up close on the rocky headlands at Cape Perpetua, just a few miles south of the shanty.

The authentic coast

It's debatable that the Newport bay front represents the "authentic" Oregon coast, as the author of this article contends, but it's still definitely worth a visit, especially in winter when the tourists thin out. Read this first, then go and decide for yourself: http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2009/01/newports_piece_of_the_authenti.html

Seafoam gnome

This little fellow loves ocean air and the smell of brownies in the oven. He's the creation of our whimsical, artistic and mischievous friend Leetra Taylor. We've discovered that Ol' Seafoam likes to move around the shanty, so you may have to search for him when you come for your visit.

Leetra also included some wonderful sketches in the entry she made in our guestbook earlier this year. This guestbook is a treasure, so make sure you add stories of your own, and embellish them as you wish.