Just got back from the coast.... *sigh* (Newport, Bandon: moving, homeless)

[darjoh]

First I would like to say, the original post was very well written.

I don't want to go off topic here, but I would like to ask the coast lovers about this weekend. A complete opposite from the descriptive writing if the OP. It has been raining relentlessly yesterday and today, windy as heck, and rough seas.

Now, I may be crazy, but I am getting ready to go brave the weather in my rain gear, and go Agate hunting in this horrible weather. Low tide up here in the Newport area is at about 10am, and with the rough seas all night and yesterday, lots of new beach should be exposed, hopefully revealing some nice Agates, Jasper, Petrified wood, and other objects for me to find.

I already know I will be the only one out there, mainly because even on the nice days, I hardly see anyone. So, you Oregon beach lovers, are you braving it, or sitting cozy and warm inside????

[seashelly]

Originally Posted by darjoh

First I would like to say, the original post was very well written.

I don't want to go off topic here, but I would like to ask the coast lovers about this weekend. A complete opposite from the descriptive writing if the OP. It has been raining relentlessly yesterday and today, windy as heck, and rough seas.

Now, I may be crazy, but I am getting ready to go brave the weather in my rain gear, and go Agate hunting in this horrible weather. Low tide up here in the Newport area is at about 10am, and with the rough seas all night and yesterday, lots of new beach should be exposed, hopefully revealing some nice Agates, Jasper, Petrified wood, and other objects for me to find.

I already know I will be the only one out there, mainly because even on the nice days, I hardly see anyone. So, you Oregon beach lovers, are you braving it, or sitting cozy and warm inside????

Yesterday (Saturday) I "braved it", lol, but today feels more like WINDSday than Sunday with our 40 mph gusts. Not a beach walking day for me today. The rain is not a problem, it's the sand blasting. Have fun and be careful out there today. Tell us if you find anything good.

[haggardhouseelf]

We're city-wimps, I'm afraid! The rain and even bitter cold we don't mind much, but if the winds are too much for us valley folks - we tuck inside a nice cozy Inn preferably with comfy chairs near a fireplace or a pub where we can nibble on some good bread and scarf a yummy bowl of chowder until the weather calms down a bit. And don't forget the hot drinks... lately it's hot apple cider or chai for me as I'm trying to lay off the coffee. (Don't worry, it's just a phase and it'll pass...) We actually like to be at the coast during storms, because we like to be the first people out there once it passes. We are always sure to wear our knee-high Bog boots that keep our feet warm and dry, and a nice outer shell (waterproof coat or long jacket) with a hood to protect our upper halves. Waterproof gloves and a hat helps, too. My youngest son even dons his swim goggles as he doesn't like it when water sprays into his eyes. We probably look like some pretty bizarre sort of humanoid sea creatures that the storm beached... but perhaps that works in our favor - we generally do have the whole place to ourselves to explore.

I found this cool website where there is a mile by mile giude to hwy 101 along the coast... Some very cool info here! Maybe this link will work... Online Version Mile by Mile Vacation Guide to Highway 101 on the Oregon Coast

Wish we were there today!!

[tiffela74]

Im a happy beach dweller no matter what the weather. This weekend was pretty rainy/windy, but for me, thats just a different kinda day in paradise. I love the raw wildness of it, and the solitude that the "nasty" weather almost assures me. And oh yeah, the beach finds you can discover when the sea has been rough.
The wind/rain and being out there, makes me feel......clean again somehow. Then I come home, and warm up in front of the pellet stove w/a hot mug of tea or some comfort food/drink. Yeah, I can handle this.

[Oregonbeachlover]

I don't go on the beach when it is raining and really windy. I do inside projects and watch outside, which is kind of fun too. It makes me feel cozy, plus I know it won't last. If it is just rain, I'll bundle up and take a walk. I love being one of the only people beach combing! Of course, I am always aware of the tides. Honestly, everything about living by the ocean invigorates me! I feel it deep inside of my soul. I love the storm tossed waves days AND the sparkling sunny water days. No matter what the weather at the coast, it's a wild ever-changing ride!

[darjoh]

Well my beach excursion was pleasant. I had spent a total of 6 hours out there, and came back dry. My first spot was my secret spot, that was well protected from the southern wind, and I had no one around, but seals, gulls, crows and a Heron. Hardly any rain. I even asked for some, and the little bit that I did get, I smiled.
The only time to access this spot is during low tide, so I didn't stay long because getting caught by the tide makes getting back a very wet experience. I found some nice shiny rocks... plus a tennis ball, a small yellow kids sand shovel, and two plastic bottles. I left the tennis ball, and the yellow shovel near the main trail head, and took the bottles to the wastebasket.
I then went over to Moolock Beach. (On Friday, or Saturday, on my way back to my room from work, I noticed a large patch of exposed rocks that usually wasn't there from hwy 101.) There was no rush to beat the tide at this spot, so I was able to take my time. On most of my Agate hunting trips, I systematically search in a grid pattern. This time, I was just wandering around. I was primarily looking for larger Agates, and beach glass. My system worked very well. I found 3 large blue Agates, a little larger than golf balls, but smaller than baseballs. And then I found "the one", a huge yellow Agate the size of a large oblong tennis ball. I stopped in amazement as I bent over to pick it up. My jaw dropped. This thing was sitting all by itself. After I picked it up, I looked around as if someone had seen me find it. Obviously no one did, being I was all alone as far as I could see in either direction. The rest of the finds were of average size, about the size of a quarter to marble. The wind on the open Moolock Beach was present, but the blowing sand was not a factor, being the sand was wet, which made the hunting enjoyable. There were times when I had wished it would just downright pour on me, just for the reason to put the rain gear on. All in all, it hardly rained while I was out there.
I had lived in Newport for 10 years, and never found an Agate this big. I have jars full of different sizes, and colors of Agates, and various other gems, but this one... WOW. I would love to polish it, but I think keeping it raw may be more appealing.
At the end of my day, the sun had peaked out, the wind died down, and I headed back to my room, tired, but satisfied.

[haggardhouseelf]

Ooooh Darjoh... thank you for sharing your experience with us! Isn't Moolack Beach where you can sometimes see the petrified forests - or the petrified stumps of the 4000+ year-old trees? Wow!! Do you have a picture of the Agate you found? How awesome.

The winds are something I'm trying to wrap my head around... I have read that there are certain beaches which are better to visit depending on which way the winds are blowing - it all having to do with how they are sheltered by dense forest or cliffs and rocks and so on. Do the winds blow one direction (South?) in the winters and the opposite direction (North?) during the Summer?

[tiffela74]

this is one of my most favorite places on earth. Its a small beach cove that seldom has many people here. Ive spent many a day w/o seeing another soul, and the wind doesnt hit much here, as you can see from the pics, its surrounded by high cliffs/forests. Theres many little places like this around here. I posted some other pics also in I think COAST and another recent coast/beach thread you might be interested in?

[tiffela74]

humm..pic didnt add, trying again

okay, there it is, now, this is a smallish cove, to give you an idea, I think the little runoff stream you see on the left side of the pic, is about 5ft across.
this was taken about 630pm the other weekend, my daughter and i were there about an hour, and not another soul ventured down. And thats not litter you see scattered about, its seaweed/small branches/nature stuff.

[Oregonbeachlover]

Beautiful picture, Tiffela! Isn't is wonderful how the beach is an "ever-changing" playground!? You can go to the same beach a thousand times and it will be different a thousand times.