I started a new Summer Beach Album to post some of our walks – The link is over on the right at the top – or you can click <<<Here>>>
The Central Oregon Coast got hit by one Hell-UV-A Storm this week. Which can only lead to one thing in our family – Excitement for Beachcombing! What will we find? We set out each evening and morning to walk our favorite spots – however, the tell tale signs of floatscome were not to be found. No garbage, bottles, flipflops, shovels, plastic floats, TV Monitors, - We did find One Tire today . .
We saw several people coming back through to the neighborhood with 1-2 bags of garbage each – so the faithful morning walkers may have picked up alot of the debris. We didn’t get out until almost 9 yesterday, and not until 7 today. Early Bird gets the Worm! Nathan did find several small orange floats . . . but his favorite is blue. :)
I just started reading the book Holdfast. Now I am fascinated by holdfast – my new obsession. :)
Lots of clumps of muscles on the beach. I almost laid my glove on this pile to show that the muscles on top are larger than my hand. But it was cold, so you’ll have to use our imagination . . . .
Rookie the Faithful Pooch. :)
A Photo Journal of our Spring Tide Pool Walk -
Jon took this one of a Red Winged Blackbird on the southern end of Devils Lake on the way to the tide pools.
We like to go to the rocks on NW 15th Street – always a good area! This little Crab was the first find by JonnyLego
This little clear crab is so tiny. He sparked a come home learning study on the life cycle of shore crabs.
This was a HUGE purple sea star – we like to sing songs of pineapples under the sea when walking by them.
The glare of the sun on the water mutes these colors – but this is REALLY dark pink.
Right next to the pink plant is a Neon Bright Red and Blue creature clinging to the rocks
“The first three images are if a nudibranch, or sea slug, called a
Hermissenda (crassicornis). They feed on hydroids and anemones, and are usedin neurobiology research.”
These are a bright neon green/blue /teal color. Amazingly huge Sea Anemones. Jon said the one on the right was so fat that he had to rest on the sand.
The boys just love the mole crabs. We say hundreds of them dead on the beach this week during our walks. They are FAST diggers!
Below is a a REALLY tiny little Isopod – From Mr. Hanshumaker - “The image is of a isopod, which is a kind of crustacean. They are
primarily scavengers.” We saw these on the rocks by the Salmon River in the fall and they are about the size of your hand. This little fella is no wider than your pinky nail. Hard shell that balls up like a potato bug. Yuck. Creepy.
The rock formations are like a crazy maze. The boys were playing hide and go seek. :)
Favorite Agates and Shells found on our trip in May 2010 to the Tide Pools -
Red Winged Black Bird waiting for us in the marsh so Jon could take another drive by photo. :)
We have not had a lot to report on our Beach Schooling. We have taken a bit of a learning break of marine life to focus more on the amazing changes on the coast with the spring. Also – being involved with the Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Challenges has kept us entertained right in our own yard. :) However, the negative tides have been amazing. Nate wakes me up around 6:30 a.m. to go out looking for debris, the hopeful float, and photograph. The changes in the beach and tides and water levels are amazing. So many shorebirds – its hard to describe the glory of the creation! Here are a couple of rare pics of me on the beach. :)
NW 47th ish street by Chinook Winds – we walk up to Road’s End State Park – or we go from 72nd street to the cliffs at the end.
My favorite Beach sweatshirt – given to me years ago from my brother and sister in law. Cozy, Warm, and has Big Pockets!
My son set his alarm this morning for 6:30 to get out on the beach - it still never ceases to amaze me that the sands,tides,shorelines, and driftwood are vastly different each day.
The tide is as far out as it was in early October of last year – Farther out than it has ever been all winter. The distance from the ocean edge to the sea wall is VAST. 1/4 mile? almost a half? Crazy. We walked along the hard sand – there are hundreds of mole crabs out – it is fun to trace their tracks. Many go in a circle and down a hole one inch away from the opening hole.
Eagle Eye Nate wanted to find floats – so we went out to where we know there was a cave last year – but it has been under water all winter – on the way out, my camera slipped out of my hand and plopped into the ocean. Crickey. I shook it out, took out the batteries, and memory stick, wiped it off, but it is not turning on. . . .Sigh. So we are back to Random Phone Pics for our reports. :) The cave was still in the water – so no luck yet getting there. We walked back the two miles to the car, my body screaming to me that I have not been walking like this during this month. How quickly we get out of shape!
So – The camera lays out to dry in the kitchen. We’ll see if it lives. :)
Good Bye Ol Gal!
During the month of February I think we went to Siletz Bay almost daily in pursuit of the Glass Float. Since we have filled our satisfaction in finding them, we normally stick to areas more north of Lincoln City – Less traffic, few tourists. Quiet.
Today we decided to go to Siletz Bay (SW 51st Street/Taft/Moe’s) for the afternoon and evening. I forgot my data card, again, so I only have a few random pics to show.
The boys went crabbing, however, when the tide turned, there was little slack. It was going out fast! It’s usually better crabbing on the incoming tide, slack to high, but we thought we’d have fun anyway, catch or no catch. (and it was no catch).
Jon and I made a bon fire from scratch. Sometimes, we come to the beach and take over an abandoned fire – but the fires were cold and wet today. We got a huge fire going out of wet drift wood and the paper in our car. I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway each time our fire grows large.
Hubby got hit by 3 large waves, and got pulled in sideways pulling up the crab pot – so he stood by the fire to get warmish, and then we went home earlier than planned. I had some steaks thawed out for his mini vacation – so we enjoyed Prime Rib, Sauted Mushrooms and red onions in a buttery red wine sauce – with an herb salad with really great tomatoes and some light dressing – oh and rice pilaf left over from last nights roasted chicken. Yum – o!
So – tonight it is getting ready to watch Survivor and see if they kick Russell Off. Poor JT, so gullible and sweet. . . . . At least he’ll be on the jury!
Here are some shots from the day taken on the cell phone -
Brown Pelican – (Pelecanus occidentials)
This family of Brown Pelicans came up around the cape an over from south to north – further up than 72nd street, and then on to the area of the mouth of the Salmon River. They were flying higher than the tree line, which is pretty incredible as the trees are on high cliffs.
The lighting was bad, the camera was foggy, and the lens was dirty. 
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