Depoe Bay and Newport

If you're interested in the real deal in the daily life of one of Newport's main industries, take a stroll down at the bayfront and watch the action as huge fishing and crabbing boats come and go. Some sell their catch fresh off the boat.

The Yaquina Bay Bridge is the backdrop for the Newport bayfront. From any angle, it's a marvelous brdige, even in the fog.

Above and Below: A view of Oregon's central coastline looking south from Cape Foulweather. On a clear day, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse can be seen in the far distance.

Oregon's central coastline looking north from Cape Foulweather

Above and Below: Otter Rock is located near Depoe Bay and off shore from the community also called Otter Rock.

Cape Foulweather sits 500 feet above the Pacific on a promontory named by Capt. James Cook in 1778. Legend says Cook so named the cape because of the stormy weather that was ocurring while there. The lookout observatory has great panoramic views and a nice gift shop. It's located just south of Depoe Bay on a two- or three-mile scenic road called Otter Creek Loop, once a part of Highway 101. The cape is also a popular whale-watching spot.

This is the north side of Cape Foulweather. The lookout and gift shop can be seen high on the top of the cliff, and Otter Rock is in the distance.

Looking north from Devil's Punchbowl

One can see without much imagination why this basalt rock formation was named Devil's Punchbowl. Looking down into the hole to see the water churning as the waves heave and froth is a highlight of the Otter Creek Loop between Depoe Bay and Newport. In low tide, it's possible to enter into the rock and experience it at water level. Always be aware of high and low tide times before entering such areas.

Down in the punchbowl

An assumption: Tourists stay on the go, but the locals sit and read.

The entrance to the punchbowl is blocked by water except at low tide. The beach from which one can access the entrance is Otter Rock Beach, just to the north of the Devils Punchbowl. It is one of seven Oregon beaches designated a marine garden, meaning it is a specially protected area in which it is illegal to collect marine life. The focus of these beaches is to educate visitors of intertidal life that is there.

A home overlooks the histsoric Nye Beach, on the north end of Newport.

Nye Beach in the fog

Nye Beach and the Deco District located on Newport's north side are hopping with people who enjoy beaching, shopping and eating. No wonder they chose this location. All three can be had in a matter of just a handful of bustling blocks with a local arts center amidst it all. Above, the historic Sylvia Beach Hotel is noted more for book buffs than kids. Each room takes on the character of a well-known writer. It sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

This is a sail jellyfish, found on some beaches in the area, but not all. Where they land depends on the direction the wind takes them. According to the Web, their number on Pacific coast beaches has increased in the last few years.

A residential garden with a definite nautical theme, located near Nye Beach in the Deco District.

My travel friend and I were walking the Otter Creek Beach when we met a guy with a smile on his face. We asked if he had been watching the whales (we were headed out to further rocks to get a better view of them). He said, "No, he was watching the seals." We hadn't even seen them yet. This seems to be typical of the Oregon beaches...there's always something there that will put a smile on your face.

A natural rock formation on a rocky wall on Otter Creek Beach. If you think it looks kinda like one of the seals in the picture to the right, you're not the only one.

Depoe Bay is a hot spot for those touring the area. Whatever floats your boat, you should be able to find there. Shops line one side of Highway 101, and a good spot for whale-watching lines the other side. Good restaurants line both sides. The Depoe Bay harbor offers fishing and whale-watching excursions, and the Whale Watching Center offers a small museum as well as the whale sighting count for the day and the high and low tide times.

Depoe Bay's harbor is touted as the world's smallest, but that by no means reflects the activity that goes on there. From small packages often come big things.

The guys in the background in this photo are waiting for their catch for the day to be cleaned and fillete, which is included in the price of the chartered fishing excursion.

In the waters of Depoe Bay is a pod of some 60 resident gray whales that can be seen during the summer months. The Whale Watching Center gives a daily count of sightings.

It's easy to become mesmerized by the action of the waves over the rocks. Depoe Bay is a wonderful spot for that, too..

Cobble Beach is located at the foot of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, all part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area on the north side of Newport. At low tide, it's possible to find (but not take) all sorts of marine life.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse is Oregon's tallest at 93 feet. It sits stately since being built in 1873, still using its original lens.

On a clear day, the Yaqina Head Lighthouse can be seen up and down the coast for miles. This shot was taken from the coast north of the lighthouse. The lower one to the right was taken from Nye Beach to the south.

Nye Beach, one of Newport's more popular sections, has its share of sand dunes.

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, not to be confused with Yaquina Head Lighthouse, sits on a hilltop overlooking the south end of Nye Beach and the north jetty that extends into Yaquina Bay. The bay lighthouse was short-lived, having been lit only (from 1871 to 1874, but it's also the only wooden lighthouse on Oregon's coast and the only one that has attached living quarters. In 1996, it became a working lighthouse once more.

This is one of the bedrooms in the Yaquina Bay lighthouse. It's noted that the bed's cover is pulled back so that viewers can see the predecessor to today's box springs. A rope was used as a means of supporting the covers and mattress. The rope tended to loosen and sag over time, offering a less comfortable sleep. Hence comes the phrase, "Sleep tight." The tighter the rope, the better the sleep.

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse from the south jetty of the Yaquina Bay.

It seems to take a lot of gear to fish and/or crab in these parts of the U.S. I wasn't familiar with crabbing with a rod and reel until I got to Oregon. This guy's buddy in the red hat was carrying a very heavy ice chest, so I assume they had a good catch....whether it was crabs or fish, I know not. They were just leaving the south jetty of Yaquima Bay as I was arriving.

The South Beach Park and the south jetty that starts at the foot of the Yaquima Bay Bride is a popular spot for all things water. A nice beach, beautiful dunes, rocky fishing shores, hiking and equestrian trails, it's all there. The next few shots were taken at the south jetty, south beach park and the Yaquina Bay.

The north jetty of the Yaquina Bay

Sandles in the sand on Agage Beach

Agate Beach, just north of Newport, is named for the agates that can be found there. However, in recent years, it's said that the gems are not as easily found because they are buried deep under the sand.

Newport's small-boat harbor is located across the bay from the bayfront where larger fishing boats are docked.

Crabbing seems to be the name of the game in Newport, and one of the town's favorite spots is this public pier. In the background is the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

Above and Below: This is the backside of the Newport Bay Front businesses that line Bay Blvd.

No matter where you might be in Newport, the ever-present Yaquina Bay Bridge can be seen loomng in the distance.

The Fogarty Creek in Depoe Bay finds its way to the Pacific at Fogarty Beach.

Rock Creek is just south of Depoe Bay and has become one of my favorite spots in the area. It's basically no more than an overlook, but it's a big grassy bluff held up by a rocky shoreline with crevices and coves that invite in the consistently crashing waves. It's a fun place to just stop by and check out the gorgeous blue waters.

Another gray whale sighting, this time at Otter Creek Overlook, south of Depoe Bay

Sunset over Depoe Bay

Wish I had been in that boat!!! I was on shore at Depoe Bay.

Western gulls