Rock Out at the beach!

This is a trial trip that we are putting together for Lincoln City visitors & tourism development.  We are hoping for gravel to be exposed but so far not many storms with wind out of the SW.  We will meet as the article states at the D-River Wayside State Park beach access on Highway 101 in the center of Lincoln City at 1:00pm. Rubber boots are recommended to cross streams of water. The beaches to be visited during the field trip depends on the local gravel bed conditions found that day and we will announce where we are headed after we meet everyone in the parking lot. 

We are very fortunate to have the Oregon Fossil Guy with us as he has just returned to the Oregon coast from living in Colorado for the last four years. On any other day the Oregon Fossil Guy (this is his actual business) charges for his tours so this is a one time field trip without a fee.  Naturally there is no guarantee of where nature will uncover the gravel for this date so we will do the best we can with local information that we get that day.

If you do not have a pocket guide of Agates of the Oregon Coast you can check with the merchants in your area or Lincoln City to get your copy. This guide featuring agates to zeolites is in true color and you will be able to lay your dry specimens on the guide to identify your finds.

We look forward to seeing you folks for this fun day of beach combing in Lincoln City.

It's calendar season again

Agates and Jasper of the Oregon Coast Calendar

It's calendar season again, and this year we have a beautifully spiral bound 8.5" x 11" full-color wall calendar designed by Patrick. This local beach comber and brilliant photographer has captured the beauty of these agates nicely with these full color, images that are suitable for framing. These calendars will make great gifts for your rock-hound, rock club members, and geo society members! You can pick them up in Newport from Wesley's Trading Post.

Status: Sold Out

Winter is the perfect time to hunt agates and fossils on the Oregon Coast

K.T. Myers (left) and Guy DiTorrice, both of Newport, search for agates and fossils
in a creek near Newport's Beverly Beach State Park. (Joe Hansen/Special to The Oregonian)

Click here to read  the entire Special article in the Oregonian, by Joe Hansen - on December 11, 2013 

My notes: A good time was had by all as we all found a nice selection of goodies in just a couple of hours. I found a pocket full of jasper, petrified wood, fossils some agates and one sizable smooth sagenite agate specimen. It certainly was a beautiful sunny, warm 52 degrees and no breeze for our November stroll on the beach.  You can see by my coat hanging from my back pack it was actually too warm for the long sleeves.  Not a bad trip considering that the sand still needed to be swept out to sea by the winter storms. Maybe tomorrows south westerly storm will help to scour the sand away and expose some more gravel beds. 

It's Really Storming on the Oregon Coast...

"N.O.A.A. makes it clear that this is not the day to go to the beach and gawk at Mother Nature’s fury. Do it from the safety of the bluffs above or at your favorite cliff-side resort or restaurant. Today will be as dangerous a day as you’ll ever see on the Oregon Coast. Probably some of the best ringside seats will be at the Adobe in Yachats. Lots of huge swells, breakers over rocks, huge upward fountains of white water – the works. Restaurants perched right above the waters of Depoe Bay will also provide spectacular views of the power of the wind and sea.

Again, don’t risk being blown off a rock or a hill or a cliff. Respect Mother Nature’s fury. She’s the boss right now."  Give Mother Nature a chance for a few of these good storms like this out of the S.W. and the gravel beds should be uncovered for a successful beachcombing season to start.

Editors note: N.O.A.A.shared from News Lincoln County Sun. Sept. 29, 2013.

Carnelian Agate just found on the Central Oregon Coast...

5.2 oz Agate found by Mike

Rockhounding Oregon...

We just had the privilege of a sneak preview to enjoy the mock cover of the much awaited 2014 release of the NEW Falcon Guide - Rockhounding Oregon by Lars Johnson. Congrats to Lars!  Looks good and we look forward to sharing this book with all of our fans out there.

This should work nicely with our two pocket guides Agates of the Oregon Coast and Oregon Under Foot to assist you on the gem trails of Oregon, for beachcombing, to hard rock mining in Central Oregon and Eastern Oregon as a guide to the State's Best Rockhounding Sites.   

Oregon's new lapidary supply shop on the Oregon Coast

I hope you have heard by now that the gem scoops and lapidary supplies for your rock tumblers such as grit and polish 2 pounds and 50 pound quantities are now available at Wesley's Trading Post located at 136 SE 1st St Newport, OR. Just one block south east of Happy & Healthy behind Walgreen's (at Hwy 101 and Hwy 20) and across the street from the Restore quanset hut Newport's home of habitat for humanity or one street north of Oceana Natural Foods Co-Op on the same block. Kay from FACETS is on hand for awhile as a consultant to assist with this transition. Come on in and meet Wes and Patty Bullock your new lapidary suppliers. Our web site of www.4facets.com will lead you to Wesley's Trading Post for the Shell and Gem Scoop and being authorized dealers for all of your Lortone and Diamond Pacific needs. Open seven days a week, inquiries (541) 265-4556.

Hours 9:00 am - 6:00 pm M-F
Hours 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Sat
Hours 12:00 am - 5:00 pm Sun

Editors Update: Wesley's Trading Post is on vacation and will reopen October 10th.

Thank you all for your many years of support...

It was so heart warming to receive calls, letters and visits from many of our clients that came from near and far to say good-by.  I would like to thank Carl from Colorado (we had not seen you in 10 years), Ray M of Washington, Steve and Floyd from Seattle, WA, Rich M. of Rockaway Beach and  many more.  I hope that I might see you many more of you out there on the trails in the months to come.  This summer has been such a beautiful summer and we have much to finish but yes I will make the time and hope to see you on the beach this winter.

We will continue to post agate news here for all of our guest to enjoy.

Oregon Coast Agate Club's 50th Annual Gem & Mineral Show

Father's Day Activities - Catch us today for the last day of the show

Beachcombing on the Oregon Coast with Grant McOmie

Trip Ideas > Grant’s Getaways Agate Hunting on the Oregon Coast > by Grant McOmie, February 8th, 2013.

Editors notes: Remember agates are still readily found along the Pacific Coast, primarily on the Central Oregon Coast from Florence to Otis. For those of you wanting a great place to stay for beach combing the Moolack Shores Resort over looks a great area known for fossils. For more on this story check out the photos.  For ease of beach access if you are not staying at the resort, I would advise you to use the unpaved turnout (with a green sign stating road adopted by Hang-glider pilots and...) that is just ½ a mile south of the Beverly beach state park  (not the asphalt parking lots). Approaching from the south it would be 1½ miles north of milepost 136 which is north of NE 100th St.

Agates are really showing up!

Bonnie's booty for the day

Nice collection there girl friend. Local resident beachcombers Bonnie and her husband each came home with about 6 pounds of agates to fill their tumblers.

Mystery Rock found on the South Coast

Brecciated Jasper

This is a very unique and colorful piece Tyler found which looks like a quilt with all of the broken fragments of the colorful fancy jaspers which have been re-cemented by the white agate which is natures way of gluing the Brecciated  (meaning broken) Jasper back together.

Fossil Fest, Saturday, February 9, 2013 At the Hatfield Marine Science Center

"Acorn" Barnacle

"This is a barnacle fossil.  Bring it to Fossil Fest if you will. I'd like to look at it. Living goose-neck barnacles have triangular plates that are loosely articulated and they disperse when the animals die. This is what is referred to as a "acorn" barnacle where the little plates are quite thick and well cemented together so they tend to stay in one piece after death. The radially arranged septa like plates inside the body are also typical." Bill Orr, author of Oregon Fossils.

Nick of Florence Oregon was nice enough to share this great fossil with all of us during the Yachats Agate Festival.  It is a very impressive specimen and is in incredible condition.  Thank you again Nick for sharing this with us.

13th annual Fossil Fest, Saturday, February 9, 2013 | at the Hatfield Marine Science Center Visitor Center, South Beach in Newport, OR.   Want to identify that unique beach find? Get an up-close look at some exciting fossils and the scientists who work with them.  Bring in your own fossils or other beach finds for identification by Oregon's preeminent paleontologist, Dr. William Orr and members of the North American Research Group to talk and or identify your finds.  Enjoy activities from 10 am to 4 pm, including a fossil swap and a 1:30 pm talk by Dr. Orr on "The Fossil Record of the Earliest Life on Earth".

Editors note:  Thank you both for sharing this with all of us.

Agate as big as Mick Jagger lips

Stella, of Yachats found this agate while beachcombing at Nye Beach!

A Beautiful Weekend on the Oregon Coast for a Festival!

2nd Annual Yachats Agate Festival This Weekend

Sheri of Waldport found these nice fossils

Join us this Saturday and Sunday, January 19^th and 20^th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the 2nd annual Yachats Agate Festival at the Yachats Commons. This free event will feature spectacular displays as well as family friendly learning opportunities for all ages. 

FACETS Gem & Mineral Gallery will have K.T. Myers the author of the Pocket Guide Agates of the Oregon Coast there with the books, plus locally made agate jewelry and more. 

< - - Beachcomber Sheri of Waldport, will be speaking and sharing some of her tips to successful beachcombing on the Central Oregon Coast. 

Incredible Fortification Agate Just Found...

Photo shows front and back views

This beauty, weighing over 1/3 of a pound was found by Tracy of Portland, OR while visiting here with her family on the central coast.  Check back next month as we will update this later by adding a photo of it polished up revealing whether it is a fancy blue or fancy blue/black agate. Terrific find there Tracy!

Today's Trophy Agates found on the Oregon Coast

Our lucky guest Theresa and Peter of Lynden, WA found these beautiful agates while visiting  here on the central Oregon coast for the New Year.  The largest, a geode over 3" wide weighed almost a pound, the lower sard agate  weighed over ¼ pound.  All three of these agates are beautifully lined with drusy quartz crystals.  Nice finds there folks, happy hunting to all of you and stay safe.