Family's near-death experience emphasizes need for safety at Oregon coast

Photo by Crystal Wheeler 

 The Oregonian Story By Lori Tobias

½ pound Agate found today!

Congratulations to Jennifer of Federal Way, WA who dropped in to show us this beauty she just found today weighing ½ a pound. I guess the season is going to start earlier than we thought it would.

Another Fossilized Nautilus Found!

Nice discovery made last week by local beachcomber Michele of Newport. Sorry I haven't been able to put up more photos lately on this blog but it has been a busy summer here in Newport. Just wish we had time to get out and find some of these nice pieces too, but one must work while there is work available.

Oregon Fall Beach Cleanup a Success!

Facing the threat of cloudy skies and rainy conditions on much of the coast, more than 3,700 beachcombers volunteered for the 25th anniversary of the SOLV Great Oregon Fall Beach Cleanup on Saturday. The entire Oregon coast, over 362 miles, was cleaned of debris that had accumulated since last spring. Volunteers removed an estimated 54,460 pounds of trash from Oregon’s beaches.

The SOLV Great Oregon Beach Cleanups occur twice a year when thousands of volunteers head to their favorite spots on the coast. Every beach is cleaned up of litter and marine debris, from the California border to the Columbia River.

Founded in 1969 by Oregon Governor Tom McCall to address litter and vandalism problems, SOLV’s mission has expanded to reach every county in the state and brings together government agencies, businesses and individuals in projects to enhance the livability of Oregon. Governor McCall also signed the 1967 Beach Bill into law, creating the Ocean Shore Recreation Area, managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department for the benefit of all Oregonians.

Naturally the weather was picture perfect for sunday, monday & tuesday with a high of 90 degrees Monday here in Newport. September and October kicks off the lower rates at the coast and generally offers our guest to the coast better weather than June - Labor Day. Now we are all waiting for the great storm watching weather to start the beachcombing season for the agates to be exposed (removal of the sand by the storms to expose the gravel beds).

Oregon Shores Vacation

Thank you to local beachcombers Linda and Mike for sharing your photo with all of us that others too may see what our Oregon shores looked like a few weeks ago. This was not the norm for the summer time but an exception!

Today and for the weekend we are having more minus tides again. Maybe some of us will be lucky and find some treasure in the tide pools again. However we are all anxiously awaiting to see what the winter storms will uncover.

Prospecting & Tidepool Discovery...

Thank you Larry for sharing your copy and making us aware that there is a new issue of Gold Prospectors The Magazine for Gold, Gem & Treasure Hunters, featuring a good article Newport's local Moolack Beach fossils by Garth Rimble. Another feature article is on the the Oregon State Gemstone Oregon Sunstone by Carrie Milanoski. Great reading for our rock hound friends and beachcombers alike!

Now regarding local info: last week we had folks coming in with agates that they had found. A couple of ladies had found some black agates (first one over a quarter of a pound and her second one was over one pound). Another gentleman also reported having had good luck that day also. More often than not the norm has been sparse collecting for very very small pea sized agate and some small jaspers!

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area ~ Events: We are having some very early minus tides so Tidepool Discovery Day - will be Saturday, August 22 from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m. Naturalists will be stationed at the tide pools from 7 to 9 a.m. to share the wonders of the tidepools and the life forms that inhabit them.

Films and hikes highlighting the entire Scenic Area will also be available at the Visitor Center Theater from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Beautiful Oregon Agate

I just finished mounting this beautiful fancy agate found here on the Oregon coast. I call this one the "paisley" as it is just so beautifully patterned and reminds me of beautiful fabrics used for dressmaking.

This agate is done in the lapidary art of wire wrap, making a pendant created in 14K gold filled wire. The stone was just found earlier this year. Quite the find in such a dry year for beach combing here on the Oregon Coast.

We are now in another week of extra low tides, customers just in had found a number of agates in the normally inaccessible tide pools. Tomorrow will be another minus tide here on the coast.

Upcoming lowest tides of the year for the Oregon Coast!

Video by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Oregonian - The tide was so low Wednesday May 27, 2009 that, in addition to gaining access to areas normally under water, people could easily reach the boiler for which Boiler Bay, just north of Depoe Bay, was named. Lower tides are forecast for June 23 & 24.

Fossil Tooth found on the Oregon Coast

Locke and his wife Debra, our guest visiting from Calgary, Alberta found this great tooth specimen nearly 3 inches long while beach combing recently while here in the Newport area. Locke also found a couple of other treasures, nice agates and a wonderful specimen of petrified wood etc.

We met these wonderful folks one Christmas over 20 years ago while we were beachcombing with our Collie dog, Candy. She fell in love with their son as you will see in a few days when I get the photo scanned in for the blog.

I hope Dr. William, or Elizabeth Orr or some other paleontologist can help identify this specimen and the other one that was found earlier this month.

Congratulations Locke on your prize fossil and other treasures found on the Oregon coast, it was wonderful to see you folks again.

Skip the eggs and head for the beach.

Better instead to participate in the natural hunt that nature puts on and find a bunch of shells, driftwood, agates and other neat things at the beach.

In Newport, head to Beverly Beach State Park or South Beach State Park. "This is one of the best times of year to go beachcombing on the Oregon Coast," said Sunny Golden, a spokeswoman for the Newport Chamber of Commerce. "The winter storms bring all sorts of exciting things to the shore, including unique shells, agates, colorful jaspers, driftwood. When the tide goes out, it uncovers a blanket of treasures and gemlike stones for the taking."

Along with the agates and shells, lucky visitors also may find a fossil.

Editors Note: Be sure and read the entire story by K. Williams Brown, of hidden treasures await at coast.

Nice large Jasp-agate found

This nice large piece of jasp-agate was found earlier in July by Kevin C. of Yachats.