Tide Pools Lincoln City~January 2010

We have had the opportunity to see some tide pools teaming with life – observe birds – and explore areas usually covered by the Pacific Ocean!

We drove onto the beach on 15th street, I’m too timid and scared to make a whoopin’ hollarin’ good four wheelin’ time – But it was fun to see the ocean from the car.

Here are a few pics:

Can you see the little fish in the middle up above?

  

Jon looked up this bird at the visitor’s center today and found out that it was a Black Oyster Catcher.  He spotted it out  by the surf on his own, noticed that it had a red beak and knew we had not seen one yet since moving to Lincoln City.  What a Kid! This Oystercatcher was in Depot Bay today, as far away as my zoom would work on the camera. :)

More Depot Bay Spout!

We headed south today around 11:45 in hopes of seeing the Depot Bay Spout.  No rain, overcast but splices of sun, warmish. :)

The boys enjoy watching the spout and getting sprayed!
Just high tides and good waves are not enough, timing, direction of the waves, and the backwash are key.  We missed some huge spouts, but here are a few “normal” ones. :)

 

Worth the 10 minute drive to Depot Bay from Lincoln City!  Interesting to hear the banter of the boys discussing the tides, pressure, rip tides, lava, full moons and magnetism. Great Times!

Nathan Found a Glass Ball!

Against all the “tips” that we’ve gathered -
It was 5 pm, on a Thursday, January 28, 2010.  Low Tide.
In the Tide Pools between 50th and Roads End.
Finders Keepers! 
 
I love taking the dog for a quick walk on the beach by myself ~ but I discovered that the negative low tide went beyond the tide pools ~ so I drove home to pick up the family, and went to 50th street to check out some Starfish.

Just before we got to the sand, we passed a gentleman carrying a glass ball. We asked for a picture, congratulated him and talked about the timing, of him finding one where I just walked, which is now the second time someone on the same path as myself found one, and chatted as a family of God’s Timing and such.  . . . .

As we approached the tide pools, Nathan spotted a glass float! It has the Finders Keepers sticker and embossed stamp on the ball!

    
One Pretty Happy Kid!

The Finders Keepers asks us to register the found ball at the Visitor’s Center.  They give the finder a certificate of authenticity, a poster, a flyer from the designer, take a photo for their book, and have us sign the register.

The visitor center is beautiful! They have informative staff, walls of information, local crafts and artistry, a log of glass floats found, beautiful building, great experience!

When Dad Says Yes

and I always say Sure or No.

Sure  = um, hm, I’m hearing you speak, you’re probably right, whatever, I’m in my own thought.

No = I’m too far in my own thoughts to answer you right now.

Dad’s Yes – YES you are RIGHT, and lets find out to make sure.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT you ask. If you’re still reading this.

Its about our rock hunts.  Is this . . . . Do you think this is an  . . . . .

We hear it numerous times on each walk. I usually have headphones blasting music in my ears . . . . .

Yesterday dad took the boys to the beach, and Nate found another smooth white rock that he swears is the inside of a crystal hollowed out.  hmmm. Sure would usually be my answer.  But he was with dad, so they brought it back and broke it in half. :)

And he was Right. :)

Fresh Agate Beds

Two of my favorite things to discover in the early morning landscape – I love it when the sun crests over the eastern hills, shining on the white crests of the waves, while the rest of the beach is blanketed in the dark of twilight. AND I love when the cover of sand has been pulled back from marvelous agate beds.  Reds, Greens, Clear, White, Yellow, Black, Banded, Petrified, Fossils. I was walking this morning, picked up 5-6 in one direction and 3 headed back to the car.  Found a carnelian about the size of an egg. Its my favorite.

Went back to the beach with the boys and made it to Mystery Cove,  scooping up 3 mayo jars full of agates in about 20 minutes. :)

Depot Bay Spout

Depot Bay is a tiny dot of a port town on Hwy 101, literally right on the coast. Hwy 101 is along the sea wall, with a lava outcropping to the sea.  There is a crevice, with a tube in 2 places along the sea wall.  If the tide is just right, high tide, and the waves come at the perfect angle, the water forces through the crevice into the spout, and up she blows. We could watch it for hours, here are a few moments from our hour of watching.

Slow Day for Agates

But beauty of a day for waves and family time!  January 20, 2010.