Swimming at the Oregon beaches (Grants Pass, Gold Beach: college, move, beach)

[ablunn]

Just wondering, this may be a stupid question, but does it ever get warm enough to go swimming on the Oregon coast? I always see beautiful pictures of the ocean, but never anyone in the water. We are planning a trip to the coast in Mid to late August. Thanks!

[Copsgirl73]

You could I suppose if it were a really hot day but for the most part the only folks in the water are surfers. Its pretty cold water here

[oldtrader]

And those surfers wear wet suits to swim due to the cold water.

[Deezus]

If it gets to 80 or above outside at the coast(which is possible in the summer though rare), it's sort of fun to body surf or take a brief dip. I grew up on the Northern California coast, and we'd go in during the summer occasionally when it got to the upper 70s. But it's like swimming in glacial runoff in Cascade rivers or lakes. You're going in and out pretty quick, unless you have a wetsuit it's not going to be a leisurely swim. It's bone-chilling cold. But if it get's really hot, hey--why not for a second? I love the Oregon Coast when they get a freak heat wave out there... Most of the year however, unless you're a surfer or diver with a wetsuit---most sane people would never want to get in that water.

Funny story though--when I was in college at Southern Oregon we had a lot of Hawaiians. One day in the early fall the weather showed sunny weather and one of the Hawaiians really wanted to go to the coast. Everyone explained that the water would most likely be too cold for much of anything We drove all the way out through an old logging road past Grants Pass over the Coast Range. By the time we got to a beach south of Gold Beach it was a foggy and windy afternoon. The Hawaiian guy, determined to show us that he was deadset about going for a swim, ran straight down the beach and dove straight into the water--got wet in the waves for about twenty seconds, ran out, grabbed a towel still shivering and said in Hawaiian pidgin, "Shoots cuz, that's effin' cold." That was the last time he ever mentioned wanting to go to the beach.

[tablemtn]

You can adapt a bit to the cold by swimming regularly for slightly longer periods of time. This actually causes physiological changes over time; your body becomes more efficient at preserving heat and controlling the flow of blood to areas where it is rapidly cooled.

One thing to remember is that if you mostly keep your head above the water, you will not feel as cold as if you dunk your head under the surf, since the brain and cranium account for a lot of the body's heat "expenditure." Especially if it's windy; the cold water in your hair + the wind = rapid cooling.

[rtg143]

You can see the temperatures here and check other parts of the Pacific ocean. The temps aren't much different until you get to the southern part near Los Angelos Califonia. US NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide You can also move this map around to see the reportinf stations. NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide

[christiner81]

i grew up in san diego, CA and even there the ocean is too cold for me. i've seen kids and a few folks in the surf when i go to the beaches in OR; i just assume they're from Canada

[Larry Caldwell]

By "brief dip" they mean less than a minute. There are days when currents bring relatively warm water close to the coast, but generally a 15 minute exposure means you get so hypothermic you can't move and will down. OTOH, with a wet suit or dry suit you can handle reasonably long exposures. People go surfing and scuba diving all the time with the right equipment.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

People go surfing and scuba diving all the time with the right equipment.

Yeah, with a thick 5/4 wetsuit there's guys I know who surf the Oregon Coast year round including times in the winter when it's even practically snowing on the coast. Hardcore surfers are crazy though. With a drysuit--though that's difficult to surf in--you can dive or kayak in really cold water.

[ablunn]

Thank you all for your replies! The Oregon coast is so beautiful, unfortunately so cold! I'm very excited to visit your beautiful state. Thank youRTG143 for the coastal water temperature guide, very interesting!