Travel Newport Spring/Summer 2014

EVERYTHING NEWPORT, OREGON ÂŚ SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Brian Booth State Park Mariner Square Spas and so much more!

TravelNewportOregon.com

Publisher James Rand Advertising Contacts Barbara Moore Teresa Barnes John Anderson Krisstina Borton Kathy Wyatt Editor Nancy Steinberg

I

’ve got my girly side and my gritty side. I like to dress up, and to dress way, way down. I like to cook, and I like to be waited on. I love Brahms, Billy Bragg, and Broadway. Lucky for me, as a resident, and for you, a visitor, Newport is a place of amazing contrasts and diversity. Nothing brought out those contrasts more than preparing this issue of Travel Newport. On the day that I got a pedicure as I researched day spas, I submerged those newly painted toes in mud on a mountain bike ride.

In the same week, I toured Ripley’s Believe it or Not and the Wax Works at Mariner Square, and took in a Newport Symphony Orchestra concert. I walked on the beach, and I visited the Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center. I can buy fish right off the docks here to make my own fish tacos, or I can buy them at Mo’s with a side of their world-famous clam chowder.

I hope this guide will help you indulge all aspects of your personality too, even those that you don’t yet know exist. Enjoy your stay!

Nancy Steinberg Editor

Contributors Nancy Steinberg Jo-Hanna Wienert Dennis Anstine Rick Beasley Fran Mathews DiscoverNewport.com Newport Chamber of Commerce Cover Photo Jo-Hanna Wienert www.jofotos.com Design

| eongdi.com

A Publication of the

Travel Newport is published twice a year by the News-Times. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. The News-Times made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in the magazine, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions.

Contact Us 831 NE Avery St. Newport, OR 97365 541-265-8571 newportnewstimes.com

Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

3

w w w .Tr a v e l N e w p o r t O r e g o n . c o m

EXPERIENCE

LIVE

LEARN

PLAY

Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

4

Brian Booth State Park

8.

Mariner Square

10.

Birding

12.

Beaches

14.

Buying fish off the docks 20.

Spas

22.

Mo’s

26.

The Arts

28.

Yo Pros Amazing Race

30.

Newport Marathon

32.

HMSC

38.

Aquarium

40.

Maritime Museum

42.

Marine Discovery Tours

44.

NOAA

46.

Recreational Fishing

52.

Surfing

54.

Hiking

58.

North/South/East/West

60.

Agate Beach Golf Course

Nine Hole ~ Regulation ~ Par 36 ~ Public Easy to Walk ~ Families Welcome Pro Shop / Driving Range / Lessons Café Featuring Breakfast & Lunch

LOCATED NORTH OF NEWPORT NEAR YAQUINA HEAD LIGHTHOUSE

4100 N. Coast Hwy., Newport, Oregon 97365 Call for Tee Times: (541) 265-7331 www.agatebeachgolf.net

this ad Mention king for a o when bo iscount 20% d f our off o tes. a regular r

U Booki se n ‘TVLNg code for dis PT’ count

Tranquility on Yaquina Bay

With a launch ramp, laundry rooms, bathrooms. showers, WiFi, Fish Cleaning Tables, Fuel Dock, Restaurant, Public Fishing Pier, Brewery, and Marina Store

BRIDGEVIEW

I N S C A P GALLERY of Living Spaces S

Voted Finest Asian Cuisine by Lincoln County Residents Freshly prepared dishes featuring bold and delicious flavors. We prepare everything from scratch daily and only use the freshest, most natural ingredients.

No MSG added — 100% vegetable oil only

Fine Art Fun Furnishings Finishing Touches Wood • Glass • Jewelry • Toys • Musical Instruments Candles • Kaleidoscopes • Oil Paintings • Bronzes Furniture • Sculptures • Prints • Wine Accessories Clocks • Collectibles

1006 SW Coast Hwy Newport 541-265-5330

Cris and Julie

(541) 265-6843 • 1-800-350-1419 818 SW Bay Blvd • Newport, OR 97365 • info@inscapesgallery.com Newports Largest & Most Memorable Gallery. – Hundreds of Local, Regional, & National Artists.

Beautifully Landscaped Bay Front Park 144 Full Hookup Sites With: Water, Sewer, 30+50 amp power, Cable TV, Sites include HUGE Big Rig Pull-thru sites. Laundry Rooms, Bathrooms, Free Showers, Free WiFi, Dump Stations, Activity/Club Room For Groups, Restaurant, and Marina Store

Book reservations online: www.portofnewport.com • (541) 867 3321

WE E D LIVER!

Pizza, Pasta, Salads, Calzones, Grinders And More!

130 NW 19th Suite B • Newport 1127 NE Hwy 20 • Toledo (Behind OSU Federal Credit Union)

www.cobblestonepizzaco.com

541-265-3300

541-336-2663

Shop Historic

NYE BEACH

We look forward to seeing you!

Newport Loop Bus runs daily (free to lodging guests) Go to www.co.lincoln.or.us/transit/schedule.html for schedule

For more information about Nye Beach, please visit www.nyebeach.org

NW 2nd Court

NW 2nd Street

NW 1st Street

Olive Street

North Coast Highway 101

NW 3rd Street

NW Nye Street

NW Beach Drive (Beach Access & Turnaround)

NW High Street

LODGING (Continued) Fairhaven Vacation Rentals The Grand Victorian B&B and Cottage Rental Inn at Nye Beach Nye Cottage Vacation Rentals The Tea Party English Boarding Rooms THE ARTS Arago Surf Gallery For Artsake Newport Performing Arts Center Newport Visual Arts Center Yaquina Art Association PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Newport Veterinary Hospital Oregon Coast Properties Pacific West Ambulance

NW Cliff Street

FOOD - DRINK - DINING American Legion April's at Nye Beach Cafe Stephanie Carl's Coffee The Deep End Cafe Nye Beach Cafe Nye Beach Sweets Oregon Coast Dogs Panini Bakery Sandbar & Grill Restaurant & Sports Bar Savory Cafe & Pizzeria Tables of Contents Restaurant SALON - SPA - MASSAGE Arbonne International - Finisterre Spa The Wellness Massage Center LODGING Cliff Side Vacation Rental Elizabeth Street Inn

Don Davis Park

RETAIL - SHOPPING Bike Newport Books on Beach Bridie's Irish Faire Charisma Gifts Coastal Breeze Illingworth's By The Sea JOVI Linda & Michael's Gifts, Graphics, & Printing Nye Beach Book House Nye Beach Wine Cellar Nye Cottage Beads Queen of Hearts Things Rich and Strange The Tea Party Toujours Boutique Tu Tu Tu Kitchenware Cottage

NW Coast Street

NW 6th Street

EXPERIENCE

8.

Brian Booth State Park

10. Mariner Square 12. Birding 14. Beaches Photos by: Jo Wienert

7

Brian Booth State Park

Explore creek, beach, meadows, wetlands, and forest all in one park

by Nancy Steinberg

A

sk a local for directions to Brian Booth State Park and they might give you a quizzical look. They probably know the area as Ona Beach State Park, or Beaver Creek State Natural Area (or, more likely, simply Ona Beach or Beaver Creek). They might not know that in 2012 these two adjacent natural areas were officially combined into one park unit with a total area of more than 1,200 acres, and renamed to honor the first State Parks and Recreation Commission Chairperson.

Spanning multiple coastal habitat types, from creek to beach to meadow, Brian Booth State Park might be the best place to go if you only have a single day to spend on our beautiful coast. Ona Beach is easily accessible from the parking lot by walking a flat, mostly paved path that crosses a picturesque bridge over Beaver Creek to get to the sand. Once on the beach, if you circle around back to the

Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

8

right you can park yourself along the edge of the creek as it spills onto the beach and splash in the freshwater, or you can ford the chilly creek and walk on the beach to the north, or just head to the left (south). The beach between here and Seal Rock was used as a public road before Hwy 101 was built, and it is still a great walk, passable at nearly all tides. Surfcasting fishermen and bald eagles are common sites at this spectacular beach.

Back near the parking lot is an idyllic picnic area that includes picnic tables scattered along the creek and a flat, grassy area perfect for all kinds of games. Barbecue pits, trash cans, and bathrooms are all provided.

Across Hwy 101 from the Ona Beach parking lot is Beaver Creek Road; immediately on the right is a boat launch, used mostly by non-motorized craft. A quiet paddle up this tidal creek is absolute

nirvana. It takes only minutes for the hum of highway traffic to fade, replaced by bird call, the buzz of insects, and the soft lapping of small waves against your hull. You can paddle as far as two miles upstream before the creek gets too small and choked with weeds to continue.

Traversing these unspoiled wetlands, you are likely to see waterfowl of every stripe, wading birds, song birds, river otters, the eponymous beavers, and sometimes nutria.

You may be paddling over coho salmon, cutthroat trout, and steelhead. You are also likely to emerge from the coastal fog and into a completely different microclimate, more typically summer-like than the mist and wind of the beach. Take sunscreen, a hat, water, and a snack. After you cross under the bridge at South Beaver Creek Road, you are welcome to disembark and explore (downstream of that point the land

around you is private property).

Be aware that the state of Oregon now requires manually powered boats (paddle boards (SUPs), rafts, drift boats, kayaks, canoes, etc.) over 10 feet long to carry an aquatic invasive species permit when in use.

Two-year permits are $5, available from the Marine Board office in Salem or at many ODFW offices.

If you have the desire for a paddle up Beaver Creek but not the boat, you can join a guided paddle offered in the summer months through nearby South Beach State Park. They’ll provide the gear. Call (541) 867-6590 or visit South Beach State Park for more information.

Up the creek lies the relatively new Beaver Creek State Natural Area, accessible by boat or by driving about a mile up Beaver Creek Road to the welcome center. Seven miles of lightly-used trails traverse wetlands,

meadows, and forests. Visitors can see elk, deer, raptors, and even coyote and cougar in this untouched wilderness so close to the highway. Until the driest part of the year (which, truth be told, might encompass three weeks in August-September), the trail access from the Visitor Center is either under water or quite muddy. A better, drier option is to check in at the welcome center to get a trail map, and then access the trails from a gated entry on South Beaver Creek Road. From the welcome center, head back toward Hwy 101, then turn left on S. Beaver Creek and go about a mile and park at a wide spot in the road across from the gated trail.

After a day or two exploring Brian Booth State Park, you’ll definitely need your rest.

There is no camping yet allowed at the park, but the state is considering adding camp sites in the future. For the time being, you can camp at South Beach State Park to the

north, or at Beachside State Recreation Site in Waldport to the south.

Come explore the park – the bald eagles, elk, and river otters are waiting for you!

When You Go: Brian Booth State Park Ona Beach State Park:

Approximately 9 miles south of Newport on Hwy 101

Beaver Creek State Natural Area Welcome Center:

East on Beaver Creek Road (across Hwy 101 from Ona Beach parking area), one mile on the right. www.oregonstateparks.org 541-867-7451

9

Old-fashioned Fun at Mariner Square Become a believer at this Bayfront attraction

by Nancy Steinberg

I

t’s easy to be cynical in the electronic age. We can research any topic instantly on our phones. To see talking animals, flying starships, and imaginary creatures, all we need to do is turn on our televisions.

We’ve become a little jaded by virtual reality, special effects, and the accessibility of information.

But sometimes we crave good, old-fashioned fun. We want to suspend disbelief from time to time. It can be fun to be scared by our own reflection in a mirror, or by a mummy that comes unexpectedly to life.

That’s where the attractions at Mariner Square on Newport’s historic Bayfront come in. Ripley’s Believe it or Not and the Wax Works, in the distinctive terraced green building, and Undersea Gardens across the street, provide terrific entertainment for all ages.

“It definitely has a vintage feel to it,” says Dave Heater, the Manager of the Mariner Square attractions. “But that’s part of its charm.”

A recent visit there with two 10-year-old boys was a total blast. We started in the Wax Works. Each carefully-crafted figure in the museum can take months to create and costs tens of thousands of dollars. The tableaus range from Marilyn Monroe in her dressing room to Michael Jackson moonwalking by a genuine 1928 Rolls Royce to a scene from the Lord of the Rings movies. The boys and I couldn’t wait to see what was around each corner. In one creepy display is a band of marauding pirates; in another, Bigfoot in his natural Pacific Northwest habitat.

To satisfy people’s natural curiosity about the wax figures, there is currently one opportunity for close-up examination, a photo-op with Johnny Depp (please don’t touch Mr. Depp!). Heater says that in the future he will rotate the photo-op figures, and try to add additional ones. He’s got other big changes in mind too. The first will be a Star Trek transporter exhibit, where you can have your picture taken with Mr. Spock.

One of the most popular displays allows visitors to perform on the American Idol stage, for a wax panel of Idol judges. Heater is sometimes blown away by the talent displayed by the visitors that step up to the display’s microphone. “There was one girl in here, maybe 12 years old, who had the voice of an angel,” he recalls.

Both Ripley’s and the Wax Works emphasize regional history. Both include an exhibit about earthquakes (the ground shakes under your feet in the Ripley’s display, perhaps the scariest exhibit of all for those of us who live here). The Wax Works features a scene from the Oregon Trail, while Ripley’s displays the actual flying lawn chair of the Oregon Balloon Man, Kent Couch, who set a record for the longest flight using a cluster of helium balloons by flying from Bend, OR to Cambridge, ID in 2007.

While I was most fascinated by the grotesque human tales in Ripley’s (The Unicorn Man! The Human Floor Lamp!), the boys liked the interactive exhibits best. They loved the feeling of being suspended in space in the Star Room, and went nuts dancing in the Rainbow Dance Room. While one of the boys was not quite ready to walk through King Tut’s Tomb, the other boy and I gave it a try, and laughed as we scared ourselves silly.

Both attractions exit through the extensive and well-stocked gift shop, with its great selection of Newport gear and souvenirs, candy, and arcade games. A popular souvenir option is wax hands, a station within the gift shop where you can dip your own hands in wax to create

Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

10

a personalized sculpture.

You can grab a bite to eat at Kalye 88, the casual restaurant between the two attractions. They specialize in salads, soups, sandwiches, fish and chips, and unique bento boxes.

Across Bay Blvd is the Undersea Gardens, a floating aquarium where visitors can watch divers interact with a range of local marine life. This is the oldest of the three attractions, built in 1966, one of six or eight floating aquariums built around the country.

Heater looks forward to adding more updated and interactive elements to all three attractions, and to continuing Mariner Square’s important role both as a tourist attraction and a community institution. Whether you “believe it or not,” you’re bound to have fun at Mariner Square.

11

Chirp Thrills Summer birding in Newport

by Nancy Steinberg

D

o you spend large portions of your weekends and holidays viewing the world through binoculars or a spotting scope? Can you identify the call of the Spotted Towhee more readily than your spouse’s voice? Are you likely to drive more than 100 miles from your home to catch a glimpse of a Northern Beardless Tyrannulet? If so, you are probably an avid birder, and there’s no cure for your condition. But there is a treatment: the excellent bird-watching opportunities in and around Newport.

Birding in Newport is fun and fruitful in all seasons, but spring and summer are particularly good – less chance of getting pelted by horizontal rain, for one thing. From the beaches to the dunes to the coastal forests, you’ll find scores of birds to add to your life list. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and Yaquina Bay are both designated as Important Bird Areas nationally and by the state. In addition, there are three other IBAs nearby at the Salmon River estuary, Siletz Bay, and Alsea Bay. Feathered friends abound; here’s a guide to where to find them.

BEVERLY BEACH STATE PARK

Great examples of shorebirds and other marine species can be observed at the Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

12

expansive beach here (and at Newport’s other beaches as well). Look for Western and Hermann’s Gulls, Common Loons, and Brown Pelicans flying by, and sanderling, whimbrel, and Western Sandpiper on the sand. In the park and campground, you can find Pileated Woodpecker, Band-tailed Pigeon, Swainson’s Thrush, Pacific Slope Flycatchers, Brown Creepers, and Wilson’s Warbler.

YAQUINA HEAD

From April through July, tens of thousands of Common Murres and many cormorants, both Brandts and Pelagic, will be seen on nearby offshore rocks at this site. On the cliffs gulls, Pigeon Guillemots, and Pelagic Cormorants maintain precarious nests. Bald Eagles are a common summertime sight, as they prey on the young seabirds on the offshore rocks. Other summer birds include Black Oystercatchers, Western Gulls, and

Brown Pelicans. If you’re very lucky, you could spot an occasional Marbled Murrelet or Peregrine Falcon.

BAY ROAD

Yaquina Bay Road, extending from the Bayfront neighborhood to Toledo, is a great place to spot a range of birds year-round. Stop at pullouts along the way to view loons, grebes, ducks and gulls. Other species that frequent the bay here include brandt, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, and Snowy Egret.

Winter birds include Dunlin, Western and Least Sandpiper, and Black Turnstones. One must-stop spot on the road is Sally’s Bend, near the LNG tanks (1702 Yaquina Bay Road).

“Walk west of the road to view terrestrial birds like Western Meadowlark, Northern Shrike, Killdeer, and Wilson’s Snipe, American Pipit and Western Kingbird in spring,” advises the Oregon Coast Birding Trail web site (www. oregoncoastbirding.com). Other likelies are Bald Eagles and a range of waterbirds in spring (Canvasback, American Wigeon, scoters, mergansers, and grebes among them). Belted Kingfishers are often found on the power lines

along the bay side of the road.

ESTUARY TRAIL

The Estuary Trail traverses the edge of Yaquina Bay on the campus of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in South Beach. Over 3,000 feet of trail offer year-round public access to the estuary, and interpretive signs are placed along the trail, with an observation shelter provided approximately midway. Parts of the trail and facilities are accessible to the physically challenged. This trail is a feast at any time of year. “Peak shorebird migration is late April; expect Dunlin, Western and Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, and Long-billed Curlew,” advises the Oregon Coast Birding Trail. Birds of prey, including Bald Eagle, Merlin, and White-tailed Kite are seen here as well.

SOUTH JETTY

Many habitats come together at the South Jetty at the mouth of Yaquina Bay and the trails that extend from there south to South Beach State Park. Along the South Jetty Road, look for loons, cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, and Harlequin Ducks.

The coastal dunes along the paved walking trail offer the opportunity to spy a range of species, including swallows, flycatchers, and Cedar Waxwing.

To maximize your birding success, be sure to consult with the excellent web site of the Oregon Coast Birding Trail (www. oregoncoastbirding.com) for maps, species lists, and more. In addition, local birders flock together via the Yaquina Birders and Naturalists (yaquina.info/ybn/), a group that meets monthly and offers guided birding trips.

If you want to hang out with other bird nerds, or if you’re a first-timer and want to learn more, consider heading to Newport for International Migratory Bird Day on May 10. Free beginner and intermediate bird walks and other fine feathered festivities will be offered (find more info at traveloregon. com/see-do/events/animals-agriculture/ international-migratory-bird-day/).

13

Beachy Keen

A guide to Newport’s magnificent beaches, north to south

by Nancy Steinberg

V

isitors come to Newport for all kinds of reasons – restaurants, attractions like the Oregon Coast Aquarium, fishing opportunities, the shops of the Bayfront and Nye Beach – but everyone knows that the main attraction is the beach. Locals love it. Visitors love it. We all walk and surf and fly kites and romp and picnic and dig and beachcomb and escape there. But which beach to choose for a given outing? Here’s an insider’s guide to the beaches of Newport, each a bit different from the next, and each absolutely stunning.

BEVERLY BEACH

Access: from the Beverly Beach State Park Day Use Area, easy access over mostly level ground and a few rocks Amenities: Campground, bathrooms, picnic tables, water fountain, nature center (at state park) Don’t Miss: Fossils!

At the northern end of Newport is Beverly Beach, accessed easily at the day use area of Beverly Beach State Park at 123rd Street. The entrance to the beach is right next to Spencer Creek, which winds through the state park and empties onto the sand here. If you don’t mind getting your feet wet, you can cross the creek and walk to the north for about a mile (the surfers tend to head in this direction),

Moolack Beach Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

14

but easier creek crossings make for a longer walk if you turn south. Some of Beverly Beach can disappear at high tide, depending on the time of year and tidal height, so check your tide tables and be aware of the ocean’s location as you walk.

What really sets Beverly Beach apart is its rich trove of fossils that erodes out of the cliffs lining the beach. Winter storms eat away at the cliffs and then deposit these ancient treasures on the beach. You can find clams and other shellfish from the Astoria formation, about 18 million years old, as well as rarer finds like whale vertebrae, crabs, and shark teeth. Be aware that Oregon regulations prohibit removal of fossils from the cliffs, but collecting from the beach is OK as long as the fossils are for your personal collection and not to be sold.

There is a lovely, wooded campground at the state park, with a nature trail, visitor center, and playground.

MOOLACK BEACH

Access: Multiple fairly steep trails from the official parking area can be slippery – take care scrambling down Amenities: None Don’t Miss: The opportunity for a long walk with a view to Yaquina Head Just south of Beverly Beach and north of

Yaquina Head is Moolack Beach, although the two beaches tend to blend into each other with no hard and fast divider between them.

Moolack is also a good place for fossil- and agate-hunting, and a surfing destination. The best thing about Moolack is that it is typically uncrowded, yet provides a wide, flat beach for kite flying, sand castle building, Frisbee tossing, and other typical beach activities.

The creek south of the beach access is a good place to look for agates and other geologic souvenirs, and even further south are some good rocks to climb on. One more unique feature of this beach is that occasionally in the winter when bigger waves scour sand off the beach, a very old forest emerges from the sand, perhaps an indicator of the location of the shoreline hundreds of years ago.

COBBLE BEACH AT YAQUINA HEAD

Access: Stairs, stairs, stairs Amenities: Bathrooms at the Visitor Center and near the lighthouse, interpretive displays and small gift shop at the Visitor Center Don’t Miss: Tide pools Among the treasures of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is Cobble Beach, where the beach consists of largish volcanic black stones rather than sand. This substrate

Agate Beach

can be tough to walk on, so those with limited agility should use caution. Past the cobbles are some of the best tide pools in the area, accessible at low tide and home to a nearinfinite variety of sea anemones, sea stars, urchins, nudibranchs, crabs, mussels, and other critters. Tread carefully here too: not only can the edges of the pools be slippery, but some animals are delicate and will be crushed if you walk on them.

The towering offshore rocks here provide habitat for nesting birds in the summer time, and seals frequently haul out and rest on the smaller offshore rocks and also on the shore at the north end of the beach. Make sure to keep a safe distance from these marine mammals and obey posted closure signs.

AGATE BEACH

Access: Three access points along the length of the beach: the Agate Beach Wayside on Oceanview Drive, the Lucky Gap trail with parking at the south end of the Roby’s Furniture parking lot, and down a very steep and sometimes-slippery trail near the north end of the beach – park in the small lot across from the Lighthouse Diner or on the road and walk down toward the beach. At all access points a creek usually needs to be crossed to get to the surf line – usually at the Wayside it’s either small enough to jump across or someone has laid wood across it.

Amenities: Bathrooms and picnic tables at the Agate Beach Wayside; none at other access points Don’t Miss: Surfers near Yaquina Head While it’s actually not easy to find an agate on Agate Beach these days, the delights of this beach are innumerable. When the wind comes from the north, as it typically does in

the summertime here, Yaquina Head provides a wind break at the north end of the beach, allowing it to really heat up at that spot even when people are shivering in their fleeces a short distance to the south. One of the most popular activities at this beach is surfing, particularly at the north end of the beach.

Surfing is great in the fall when the summer fog is gone, water temperatures actually warm up, and the swell starts to pick up as well, a hint of the winter storms to come. The creek that empties onto the beach provides a great place for littler kids to romp. The rocks near the headland, exposed at low tide, hide crabs and other animals seemingly placed there just to delight children with buckets.

Clamming is also a popular activity at Agate Beach. The quarry here is razor clams, which are unbelievably fast and wily for an invertebrate. If you want to try your luck, you’ll need a clam shovel or a clam gun (no background check necessary: a clam gun is basically a tube with a handle that is used to collect a column of sediment containing a razor clam), a shellfish collection license, a lot of patience, and a stash of butter and garlic waiting at home.

Most spots on Agate Beach are graced with a view of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Every lighthouse has a unique light pattern; for this lighthouse, the signature is two seconds on, two seconds off, two on, fourteen off.

NYE BEACH

Access: The main access to Nye Beach is at the Nye Beach Turnaround in the neighborhood of Nye Beach. Access is very easy – just a very short ramp from the parking lot and you’re on the sand.

Amenities: Bathrooms and picnic tables at

the Turnaround, as well as a foot wash.

Don’t Miss: Jumpoff Joe Nye Beach is probably the most visited beach in Newport, as it is easily accessible, adjacent to the funky neighborhood of Nye Beach, and wide and lovely. Like other sandy beaches in the area, the topography of the beach changes frequently in the winter, depending on the strength and direction of winds and the occurrence of storms. Sometimes the beach is flat right down to the water, perfect for long-distance games of catch and kite-flying.

Sometimes the beach grows humps, making for good exercise and fun jumping games among the temporary sand piles. To the north of the turnaround is the remains of Jumpoff Joe, what used to be a sandstone sea stack that has eroded away.

One great thing about Nye Beach is its proximity to the shops and restaurants of Nye Beach. Coffee, pastries, ice cream, and more can all be purchased and snacked on at the beach.

YAQUINA BAY STATE PARK

Access: Stairs, some paved walkway, and trails through the dunes Amenities: Bathrooms and picnic area near the parking lot, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, Fishermen’s Memorial Sanctuary Don’t Miss: Walking through the dunes The next beach access as you head south is at Yaquina Bay State Park, home of the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. From the main parking area you can look down on the entrance to Yaquina Bay and watch the boats come and go, and get a great view of the Yaquina Bay Bridge as well. The beach itself, an extension of Nye Beach to the north, is wide, sandy, and gorgeous (sound familiar?). Unique to this Beaches continued on page 16

15

Beaches continued from page 15

beach is the walk through the dunes behind the beach that you can take in order to access the shore. You can also walk part of the way out onto the rock jetty on the north side of the bay entrance. The bay entrance itself is a constant source of entertainment, with boats coming and going, seals and sea lions foraging, and a wide array of marine birds diving, swimming, and swooping.

SOUTH BEACH

Access: Easy access over a dune trail at the day use area of South Beach State Park south of the bridge Amenities: Bathrooms and picnic tables, campground, paved and unpaved nature trails behind the dunes Don’t Miss: Walking and biking trails South Beach is perfect for walking, surfing, boogie boarding, and just about any other beach activity you like. People tend to congregate near the beach access points, but just a short walk south will bring you to a usually-desolate stretch of coast, the start of a miles-long walk if you’re so inclined. To the north of the beach access is the south jetty at the entrance to Yaquina Bay. The special bonus at South Beach is the set of trails, both paved and unpaved, that parallels the shore just behind the dunes. These trails, which include a great paved path perfect for family bike rides and the Cooper Ridge hiking trail, connect South Beach State Park with the South Jetty recreation area, as well as with the campground within the park. One side trail

is an ADA-accessible interpretive boardwalk that provides information about the natural history of the area. Visitors to this trail will be rewarded with sweeping views of the beach, lighthouses, jetties, dunes, and the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

ONA BEACH

Access: Eight miles south of Newport. Short walk from parking lot Amenities: Bathrooms and picnic tables near the parking area, boat launch across Rte. 101 Don’t Miss: Beaver Creek Ona Beach State Park is the gateway to activities of both salt and freshwater. From the park’s beach access you can walk far to the south. When winter storms scour sand off the beach, gorgeous rock formations are revealed.

Beaver Creek spills out onto the beach here, flowing under a picturesque bridge and over rocks to empty into the ocean. Slightly further upstream the creek provides excellent opportunities for canoeing and kayaking through productive and spectacular wetlands teeming with life.

In addition to having so many beaches to choose from, each beach changes drastically depending on the season, the tide, the winds, and the time of day, so repeat visits are encouraged. Bring a kite, a blanket, a shovel, a football, a surf board, or just bring yourself – the beach is always here waiting.

To Look for at Newport’s Beaches Whales

Grey whales migrate past our beaches in the spring and fall, but resident grey whales can be seen year-round not far offshore.

Other whales also make occasional appearances close enough to shore to be seen from the beach. The only time I’ve seen orcas in Oregon was from Agate Beach. Look for spouts or lumpy dark backs in the water from a high vantage point.

Bald Eagles

Our national bird is thriving on the Oregon coast. They are commonly spotted at Agate Beach (particularly when they feast on murres nesting offshore of Yaquina Head in the summertime) and Ona Beach.

Tsunami Debris

Debris ripped from Japan’s shores by the devastating 2011 tsunami has already been found on Oregon’s beaches. If you find small items of Japanese origin, they can be placed in the trash or recycling, or kept as souvenirs. Larger flotsam, especially pieces that could pose a hazard to navigation, should be reported by calling 2-1-1, or send an e-mail to beach.debris@state. or.us.

Glass Floats

Here is a more benign kind of beach debris from Japan: Japanese fishermen in eras past used these glass globes to float their fishing nets. Many are still out there in the Pacific, waiting to come ashore.

They are most commonly found after winter storms.

Agates

Ona Beach

16

Winter storms often uncover agates buried in the sand, and erode them out of the cliffs that line many of our beaches. Agates are translucent stones that are often banded; they come in a range of colors and sizes, and are particularly striking when tumbled or polished.

24 Hour Kiosk

555 SW Coast Hwy Newport

Scan for local events

(541) 265-8801

NewportChamber.org SeafoodandWine.com

LIVE

20. Buying fish off the docks 22. Spas 26. Mo’s 28. The arts 30. Yo Pros Amazing Race 32. Newport Marathon

Photos by Jo-Hanna Wienert

18

Pizza

Tues-Sat Sunday 11am-9pm 1pm-9pm Crust made from scratch!

CLOSED MONDAY Calzone Stromboli Sub Sandwiches Fresh Salads Desserts Beer

CALL AHEAD & WE’LL HAVE YOUR ORDER READY

Dine-In/Take Out

541-994-4840

Uptown Lincoln City • 1114 NE HWY 101

Experience the Oregon Coast

Ocean and Non-ocean View Rooms, Indoor Pool, Hot Tub, Fitness Center, Free WiFi, Restaurant & Lounge, Outside Dining www.agatebeachinn.com • 3019 N Coast Hwy, Newport For reservations call 541-265-9411 or 800-547-3310

h yeah!

Whether you’re coming on business, pleasure or just to play in the sand.

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites is the perfect place to relax.

Come and enjoy our complimentary “Express Start” Hot Breakfast Buffet featuring our signature warm cinnamon rolls, free high speed internet, indoor heated pool & hot tub, business center, fitness center and guest laundry.

Included are:

• Complimentary full hot breakfast buffet daily • Indoor heated pool & hot tub • Well equipped fitness center • 24 hour business center • Free high speed wireless internet • Coin operated guest laundry • All guest rooms include microwave, refrigerator coffee maker, iron, ironing board, hair dryer & in-room safe.

135 SE 32nd Street Newport, Or 97365 Phone: 541.867.3377 Fax: 541.867.3378

www.hiexpress.com/newportcoast • www.newportcoasthotel.com

As Fresh as You Can Get Buying fish straight from the fishing boats in Newport

by Nancy Steinberg

O

ne of the major perks of living at or visiting the coast is the easy access to the best seafood in the world. And unless you go out and catch the fish yourself, you can’t get much fresher than buying the fish right from the fishermen that caught it off of their boats tied up at the dock. They hook ‘em, and you cook ‘em, it’s as simple as that. Here’s the what, when, and how of buying fish off the docks in Newport.

Salmon, halibut, Dungeness crab, and albacore tuna are the most common types of seafood to be found for sale on the docks, with the occasional lingcod here and there. All of these fish are found seasonally, but you can almost always find something fresh to cook up for dinner.

Most sales take place from boats that tie up at Port Docks 5 or 7 on the Bayfront, and some from Port Dock 3 and boats in the South Beach Marina. Look for signs, often hand-lettered, indicating that fish is for sale. For albacore tuna, check the Oregon Albacore Commission’s web site at oregonalbacore.org/the-fleet-is-in/ for a current list of boats with albacore for sale during albacore season (see sidebar).

Kaety Hildenbrand, Marine Extension Agent with Oregon Sea Grant, understands that sometimes people are intimidated by the prospect of wandering the docks to buy seafood. “People don’t know if they’re allowed to go onto the docks, and aren’t sure how to proceed once they’re there. They don’t want to look dumb or get a bad deal,” she said.

Take heart. Yes, you absolutely can go down onto the docks where the fishing boats tie up. It’s quite easy to buy fish off the boats, and it’s the best deal around. First, bring two critical things with you: a cooler filled with ice, and cash. Some fishermen will take a local check, but many boats deal with cash transactions only. The cooler, obviously, is to keep your fish cold while in transport – some boats will provide ice and some won’t.

By law, the minimum unit that can be sold at the docks is a whole fish.

If you only want one tuna loin (a quarter of a fish) or a single salmon

fillet, buddy up with someone or be prepared to freeze or otherwise preserve the extra. Most vendors will clean your fish for you for a small fee; Hildenbrand strongly recommends that consumers take advantage of this service. “Unless you’re really used to filleting your own fish, the extra cost has been shown to be well worth it,” she says. “Studies have shown that most consumers will have lost more in meat than they’d pay to the filleter at the dock if they fillet at home.”

The quality of the fish is nearly guaranteed to be absolutely top-notch – customer satisfaction is of prime importance to the fishermen to guarantee repeat local business – but here are some tips to ensure that you’re getting a great product. Finfish should have clear eyes, and the fish shouldn’t be banged up with gouges or dents. If the fish was frozen Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

20

at sea, it should have been frozen straight and flat, not bent, as the meat at the “corner” will be bruised. For albacore tuna, look for pink (not brown) gills. Salmon should still be shiny, with no major loss of patches of scales. Tuna will usually be kept in the boat’s fish hold whole, while salmon are often gutted prior to sale. Look for a nice bright pink color to the salmon’s inside pocket (where the guts used to be).

To determine the maximum amount of time since your fish was caught, ask the fisherman when the fishing trip started (rather than when the fish was caught, as they often won’t know for sure), and calculate from there. And don’t be afraid to reject a fish in favor of another one of a different size. In fact, since fish is sold by the pound (and by law the price per pound must be posted), it might be easier to decide how much you’d like to spend and have the vendor help pick out a fish to match your budget.

Crabs should definitely be alive when they’re purchased and cooked, but vendors sometimes keep the water temperatures in the tanks low to keep the crustaceans sedate, so they won’t necessarily be scampering about when you look into the holding tanks at the docks. They should be moving, however. Crabs with excessive algal growth on their shells should be avoided.

Buying fish off the docks constitutes a win-win for the fisherman and consumer. “The fishermen get a higher price from the consumer than they can from a processor, and the consumer gets a lower price than at the grocery store,” Hildenbrand says.

Enjoy your catch of the day! After dinner, if you’d like more information about Newport’s fishing industry and sustainable seafood, check out the fisheries information on Oregon Sea Grant’s web site at seagrant.oregonstate.edu/fisheries-and-seafood.

To everything there is a season …especially wild seafood. While the 2014 seasons for all species have not yet been pinned down, here is a rough guide to what you can find for sale on the docks of Newport and when. For more detail, check Oregon Sea Grant’s web site for their annual “What’s Fresh” guide for consumers, published in the spring when seasons are known.

Salmon: Pockets of availability in late spring through fall, depending on species and regulations.

Halibut: Halibut are harvested during “openers,” brief windows during which harvest is allowed in early through late summer. In addition, an annual quota is imposed on the fishery, and if that cap is reached in an earlier opener, the later ones will be cancelled, so buy your halibut as early as possible.

Albacore tuna: Summer through fall, depending on when the fish approach close enough to shore to harvest.

Dungeness crab: Crab season is officially Dec. 1 to Aug. 15., but crabs can be kept alive and healthy in tanks long after the season is over so you’re likely to be able to get crab throughout much of the year.

21

Spaaaaaah!

Pamper yourself with a spa treatment

By Nancy Steinberg

A

t the turn of the last century, one of the attractions that drew folks from the bustle of city life to vacation in our lovely town was the healing properties of Dr. Minthorn’s heated saltwater baths, located in Nye Beach. The sanitarium was the day spa of its day.

Newport is still a prime tourist destination, and though Dr. Minthorn’s sanitarium is long gone, you can still refresh your mind, body, and spirit at one of Newport’s relaxing fullservice day spas. Whether you want a quick re-do of your hairdo or a full spa day, you can find what you’re looking for in Newport.

In order to make sure that I had the full Newport spa experience so I could accurately report about these establishments to you,

Earthbound Beauty Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

22

dear reader, and only for the sake of research, you understand, I submitted to services myself at three local spas. Solely in the name of journalistic accuracy, of course.

EARTHBOUND BEAUTY DAY SPA

Earthbound Beauty is just up the stairs from Nana’s Irish Pub in Nye Beach (the staff at the spa refer to Nana’s as the “men’s waiting room”). While I can’t imagine a better spa day than one followed by a pint at Nana’s, please keep in mind that this is not what the massage therapist means when she urges you to hydrate after a massage. (However, a Nutty Irishman coffee from Nana’s to go with a pedicure … brilliant idea.)

Walking up the tiled staircase from the

bustling street below is like entering another world. The Asian décor and quiet atmosphere are instantly soothing, and I fell deeper in love when in addition to water or tea, I was offered a cranberry mimosa. Then there’s the incredible view. Two huge windows provide a panoramic vista of the heart of Nye Beach; the best views are from the four pedicure chairs.

“This is the best spot for people-watching in the summer,” said Earthbound Beauty owner Alisha Fulton.

Earthbound is a full-service spa where you can get any service from head (facials, hair cuts and color) to toe (deluxe pedicure with paraffin wax treatment, therapeutic foot treatment) and everything in between

(manicures, massage, waxing, body scrubs).

Massages of all kinds are very popular here, including couples massages in their spacious dual massage room. The staff will order in food from any of Nye Beach’s excellent restaurants for you (One Nutty Irishman, please), or you can pre-order fruit and cheese plates.

“Our personal service attracts a good mix of locals and tourists,” Alisha says. “I think balancing those client bases sets us apart.”

I opted for a one-hour massage to address the many running-related muscle issues that I struggle with regularly. Massage therapist Michele Laurel reviewed my concerns and opted for a sports massage approach, incorporating deep tissue techniques and passive stretching. She isolated those muscles and muscle groups that have been giving me problems, and was able to ease my pain with her expert touch. She also provided suggestions for stretches and other approaches to help. It was the best massage I’ve ever had. I left feeling somehow both relaxed and invigorated.

Services can be combined into spa packages, and gift certificates are available at the spa and online.

BELLE VIE SALON & SPA

Belle Vie is the newest spa in town, having been under new ownership since October 2013, and as such, is still adding services to its menu. Just around the corner from the Sylvia Beach Hotel, Belle Vie was formerly known as Infinitive Beauty. Owner Karlia Bertness was a stylist there, and when the previous owners were ready to sell, Karlia stepped up and bought it. She continues its tradition of great service in a lovely location.

“I wanted the place to be pretty relaxed,” she said, “Unpretentious but with an upscale feel.

You can be as posh as you want to here, or you can bring your kids along.”

My Belle Vie pedicure was a wonderful indulgence, expertly administered by nail technician Brittni White, a recent graduate of Phagan’s Academy in Newport. She and Karlia brought me coffee (and would have brought me tea, water, or even wine if I wanted). I flopped in the massaging chair, sipped my coffee, gazed out at the ocean, and reveled in the gentle foot massage, exfoliation, cuticle treatment, and top-notch polish job. Belle Vie has two pedicure chairs, so I could have brought a friend along.

Brittni did an excellent job with the pedicure, but her real specialty, and one of the

Shear Sensations

specials of the house at Belle Vie, is eyelash extensions. These enhancements come in any color of the rainbow, and are applied, one tiny hair at a time, with a medical-grade adhesive that lasts four to six weeks. “They really make your eyes pop,” Brittni said.

Belle Vie also offers all hair services including extensions, gel and standard manicures, waxing services, and facials. Massage therapy is available Fridays and Saturdays. Packages that include a list of services range from $116 to $216, all representing significant savings over purchasing services individually. Gift certificates and wedding or other special occasion parties are available as well.

SHEAR SENSATIONS HAIR SALON & DAY SPA

I never had a facial before I walked in to the sea-green building just east of Yaquina Head that houses Shear Sensations Salon & Spa. I couldn’t believe what I had been missing.

Misty O’Brien took great care of me.

Relaxing on the facial bed in a dim back room with lovely Hawaiian music playing, it didn’t take long for the stress of the week to seem far away. Shear Sensations uses Aveda products, all with that distinctive and scrumptious family of Aveda scents. Misty started with a simple steam treatment to open the pores, followed by gentle application Spas continued on page 26

23

Spas continued from page 25

of two different cleansers, a facial scrub, a facial mask containing Vitamin E and other nutrients, an eye moisturizer, and skin toner.

Each treatment was applied with gentle massage that, in and of itself, was worth the price of admission. It wasn’t just my face that was happy: a scalp, shoulder, arm, and hand massage was included in the process. I might not have believed it had I not tried it myself, but the hour-long indulgence left my skin baby-soft and glowing.

Misty assured me that if I enjoyed the facial, I’d also like the body wraps, plant peels, and other skin services available at the spa. They also offer a full line of waxing, nail, and hair services, massage therapy including hot stone treatments, makeup application, spray tanning, and, unique to Shear Sensations, aromatherapy steam showers. A range of packages is offered ($99 to $350), or clients can build their own spa day package. Bridal

Belle Vie

24

parties and other groups are welcome, and can make use of the lovely quiet lounge in the back of the spa. Gift certificates are also available.

Shear Sensations is the oldest spa in Newport, although the building it’s in now was constructed about eight years ago.

Owner Sheri Lightner’s husband and sons built the building themselves on the site of their former home. Sheri and her employees have a loyal local following, but newcomers are made into old friends in short order. “We go out of our way to make our customers happy,” Sheri says. “We really want to make people come back.”

If you’re here on vacation, be sure to indulge yourself – that’s what vacation is for, after all – and try out one or more of these fabulous day spas. Everyone deserves a little pampering from time to time.

When You Go: Earthbound Beauty Day Spa and Salon 613 NW 3rd St. (541) 265-4232 www.earthboundbeauty.com

Belle Vie Salon and Spa

741 NW 3rd St. (541) 265-8270 www.facebook.com/oceanviewsalon

Shear Sensations Day Spa and Hair Salon 5220 NE Shell World Place, Suite A (Across from Izzy’s & Szabo’s at the light on Hwy 101 in Agate Beach, NE corner) (541) 265-4247 www.shearsensationsspa.com

Bridie’s

IRISH FAIRE

Tables of Content RESTAURANT

Western Wear • Boots • Tack Pet & Vet Supplies

Drop-Ins Welcome

Always the BEST Selection

A Very Special Dining Experience

Dinner by Reservation Served at 7 p.m.

Menu Changes Daily Ocean Front (541) 265-5428

FEED CORRAL

Newport Recreation Center

Irish Jewelry • Apparel • Gifts • Tours

715 NW 3 Street • Newport rd

267 NE Cliff Street, Newport

bridiesirishfaire.com

541-265-8299

634 N Coast Hwy • Newport www.thefeedcorral.com

(541) 265-7783

225 SE Avery St. Newport

www.NewportOregon.gov/Recreation

WEAVE YOUR OWN WOOL RUG! It’s washable!

A one-day experience. $60/person includes all materials

Pick your own colors! Class size limited to four people.

Rug size aprroximately 2.5 x 4.5 feet.

Reservations: 541-764-3997 • Just 3 miles north of Depoe Bay

F/V Ocean Lady ‘M’ THE FINEST WILD HOOK & LINE CAUGHT FISH

SALMON • TUNA • HALIBUT & VARIOUS SPECIES OF OTHER FISH

Available seasonally at the dock! ...weather permitting.

Call for Information & Dock Location P.O. Box 1909, Newport, OR 97365 seastarentz@gmail.com Murielle 541-961-1246 Cash • Checks • Visa • Master Card • Discover Doug 541-961-3334

A beautiful and unusual array of Fine Gifts & Home Decor Floral Designs • Holiday Items Wedding & Baby Accessories Throws • Lamps • Garden Kitchen • Candles Cards • Jewelry • Lotions

Charisma GIFTS

Open 7 Days a Week at 10 am

(in Historic Nye Beach)

315 NW Coast St • Newport 541-265-4657

Mon-Thurs: 10-5 Fri-Sun: 10-6 The Best Try ouhreesy M argaritas C s u o Fam c Buds! on the co ast!

Garli Kids Corner • Gluten Free Menu Live Music on Weekends • Tropical Drinks Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten Free Menu THURS–MON 11-8 TUES 5-CLOSE • WED – CLOSED

www.savorynyebeach.com 526 NW Coast St. • Newport 541-574-9365

“A ‘mu st’ pla ce to shop while visiting Newport. I have n ever seen a nything like it. Lots of cool, some nostalgic, mostly in expensive ite ms with a very friendly staff. Love spending at lea st a n hou r every ti me we visit.

K ids love it, too!” - from a satisfied visitor

3145 Ferry Slip Road • South Beach • in Aquarium Village • 541-867-6000

Bowled over

Chowder and beyond at the world-famous Mo’s

By Nancy Steinberg

Y

ou gotta have Mo’s. No trip to the coast is complete without a steaming bowl or two of their world-famous clam chowder. But there’s much more to the Mo’s story than chowder. Mo’s is part of the fabric of the Newport community and an amazing family-owned business success story.

Mo herself was quite a character. Mohava Marie Niemi moved to Newport with her parents in the early 1940s, and embarked on her restaurant career by opening Freddie and Mo’s in 1946 with her dear friend Freddie Kent, at the very location on the Newport Bayfront where Mo’s stands today.

Shortly thereafter, in search of additional income, she took a job at a local radio station, becoming a one-woman hub for all the news, big and small, in Newport. In her 2004 book about the history of Mo’s Restaurants, Mo’s granddaughter, Cindy McEntee, says, “Within a short time, Mo became the voice and heartbeat of Newport. She reported on who got married, who had a baby, who went on a trip, who she saw at the grocery store.

People loved running into her, because they would hear their names on the air. She was a star.” Mo kept that radio job for almost thirty years.

When Freddie became ill, Mo bought him out and the restaurant became, simply, Mo’s.

At first, it was a local hangout, open 24 hours. Mo married fisherman Kaino “Dutch” Niemi (her second husband) in 1956, and Mo’s became even more of a gathering place for fishermen.

Dutch and friends became earlymorning regulars, and as McEntee explains in her book, Mo would join them if she hadn’t been up too late “enhancing her own legend” at the old Abbey Hotel the night before.

The business continued to grow, but it was tough to sell chowder in Newport at first, since locals typically made their own. As tourism picked up through the sixties, demand for Mo’s food grew and grew. It wasn’t until 1964 that the Mo’s chowder recipe was standardized, and it hasn’t been changed since. The Mo’s Chowder Factory, still on the Newport Bayfront, produces about 500,000 pounds of clam chowder a year, some packaged and shipped to grocery stores and the rest delivered fresh to all the Mo’s Restaurants. It can now be ordered online and shipped just about anywhere.

No Mo’s tale is complete without relating the story of the garage door.

In the sixties a woman parked in front of the restaurant accidentally put her car in drive rather than reverse and crashed right through the front wall of the café. Legend has it that Mo, rather than reacting angrily, was sympathetic and kind. She supposedly put her arm around the woman and said, “”Well, we’ll just put in a garage door so we can open it and you can drive in any time, if that’s what you want to do.”

That garage door is still there, and is raised in the summer to convert Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

26

the restaurant to a sidewalk café.

As the restaurant’s business and its reputation grew, more Mo’s restaurants were opened, starting with Mo’s Annex right across the street from the original. Mo’s West in Otter Rock was next, followed by those in Lincoln City, Florence, and Cannon Beach.

Luminaries from Senator Robert Kennedy to Paul Harvey to Paul Newman and the cast and crew of “Sometimes a Great Notion,” filmed in Lincoln County, have stopped by to have a bowl of chowder. Senator Kennedy even took two buckets of the elixir back east on his plane with him, only a week or so before he was assassinated.

Cindy McEntee, Mo’s granddaughter, took over the business in the mid-1970s. For her “outstanding development of her business and her contributions to the community,” Cindy was awarded the 2001 First Runner Up, National Small Business Person of the Year

by President George W. Bush.

Cindy and her son, Dylan, now own the business, and Cindy’s daughter, Gabrielle McEntee, helps run it. They continue Mo’s legacy of not only excellent food, but community support and civic engagement. Mo supported environmental protection, scientific research (she was particularly instrumental in funding and conducting early work on oyster farming), and a variety of local festivals. It would be hard to find a local cause to which the Mo’s of today does not donate, ranging from the arts to children’s causes to local sports teams.

So come on in to the “little joint on the waterfront” with the wonderful, creamy clam chowder. You’ll be sampling a piece of Newport’s history along with your seafood.

When You Go: Original Mo’s

622 SW Bay Blvd.

Newport OR 541-265-2979 Sunday - Friday 11:00am to 8:00pm Saturday 11:00 - 9:00pm

Mo’s Annex

657 SW Bay Newport OR 541-265-7512 Sunday - Friday 11:00am to 3:00pm Saturday 11:00 - 8:00pm www.moschowder.com

Custom Carpet Cleaning

FISHING YEAR ROUND HALIBUT • BOTTOM FISH • TUNA SALMON • WHALE WATCHING

Win Pizza for a Year!

42’ TO 56’ BOATS • GROUP RATES AVAILABLE ONE-DAY LICENSES • BAIT & TACKLE FURNISHED • HOT COFFEE

5 - 6 - 8 - 10 - 12 HOUR TRIPS Also 12 - 18 - 33 HOUR TUNA TRIPS

Like us on Facebook to become eligible

6-13 Yr. Olds

E PRIC 1/210 HO uR TRIPs

We Deliver

5-

NEWPORT TRADEWINDS On Newport Bayfront 653 SW Bay Blvd.

Newport, Or 97365

24 HOUR PHONE

265-2101 1-800-676-7819

Order Online @ www.figaros.com

541-265-2061

2035 North Coast Highway

Es ta bli sh ed in 19 80

g

Clothiny Jewelr ies

ACCess

Carpet & Upholstry

or

Fire & Water Restoration 24 hour service

Expert professionals in Residential/Commercial Carpet, Upholstery & Water Damage

704 NW Beach Dr. NYE BEACH Newport

Fast • Friendly • Affordable Free estimates

541.574.6404 OPEN DAILY AT 10 AM

Bob Abbott – Lincoln County

Linn/Benton County Bill Abbott and Team

Newport

www.newporttradewinds.com

Cleaning Professionals

541-270-6333 541-760-2524

www.CustomCarpetCleaningOregon.com

We know the coast with

5 OFFICES TO SERVE YOU

NEWPORT 541-283-3591

SEAL ROCK 541-283-3589

YACHATS 541- 283-3590

DEPOE BAY 541-283-3592

WALDPORT 541-283-3588

YOUR COASTAL CONNECTION! www.emeraldcoastrealty.com

“

Making a difference in the lives of our clients and their pets on the Central Oregon Coast.

”

Complete and compassionate medical, surgical & dental care for your companions.

Mon-Fri 7:45-5:30

Saturday 8am-12pm

— Charles A. Hurty, DVM — Natasha B. Knight, DVM — Marianne Clunes, DVM — Katie Bahr, DVM

448 E. Olive Street • Newport 541-265-2381 • www.grovevet.com

The Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio Blow Your Own Float, Fluted Bowl, Paperweight, Starfish or Heart. Local Artists walk you through the art of creating with molten glass

4821 SW Hwy 101 at the South End of Lincoln City 541-996-2569 www.JenniferSearsGlassArt.com • www.VoltaGlass.com

You Gotta Have Art

From performance to paintings, the arts are alive and well in Newport

By Nancy Steinberg

A

symphony of crashing waves and sea lion calls, a foggy watercolor morning at the beach, the wind-carved sculptures of cliffs and dunes – the masterpieces of the coast’s great outdoors serve as constant muses for artists of all kinds in this small coastal town. The performing and visual arts are critical threads in the fabric of Newport life, and both thrive in two fantastic municipal venues, as well as in galleries, studios, and performance spaces all over the city.

“The arts are a critical part of life in Newport, from jazz concerts at the Newport Performing Arts Center to photography exhibits at the Visual Arts Center, to the offerings of our many galleries and small music venues,” says Catherine Rickbone, Executive Director of the Oregon Coast Council on the Arts, headquartered in Newport. “Locals and visitors alike find that entertainment and creative outlets abound here.”

The PAC and VAC are municipal facilities that provide a range of performing and visual arts offerings, respectively.

•

The Newport Performing Arts Center (PAC) is the premiere performance venue on the Oregon coast, housing the 400-seat Silverman Theater and the 80-seat Studio Theater. It is home to a group of resident companies that produce community music, theatre, and dance performances, keeping the building buzzing year-round. It also serves touring artists, non-profits, for profits, and individuals as space permits.

On stage at the PAC you can take in Newport Symphony Orchestra performances, the hot combos at the Oregon Coast Jazz Party, offerings from our three community theater companies or three dance studios, and more. The PAC is also home to the Met Opera Live simulcasts in high definition (HD), National Theatre London Live in HD, Broadway plays in HD, Great Art on Screen and a film series.

• • • •

NEWPORT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Upcoming events include:

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

May 9-11: “Kidstuff,” A Mother’s Day Celebration (T.J. Hoofers benefit, featuring Dance! And All That Jazz! dancers) May 10: Met Opera Live in HD – “La Cenerentola” May 16-18: Oregon Coast Ballet Company/Newport School of Dance performance May 23-25, May 30-31, and June 1: Pacific Dance Ensemble presents “The Patchwork Girl of Oz” June 6: National Theatre Live from London – “King Lear” June 8: Oregon Coastalaires – “American Barbershop Harmony” June 20, 21, 27, 28: Coastal Act Productions presents “The Black Tulip” June 22: Newport Symphony Orchestra presents Phoenix Boys Choir with Heart of the Valley Choir June 29: Tualatin Valley Community Band July 5: Newport Symphony Orchestra presents “NSO Goes to the Movies” July 7: 234th Army Band July 10: Portland Baroque Orchestra July 11, 12, 13: Porthole Players presents “She Loves Me Not” July 18: National Theatre Live from London – “A Small Family Business” Aug. 3: Lincoln Pops Band Aug. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24: The Young Sisters present “Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Unbound” Sept. 20 & 21: Newport Symphony Orchestra Oct. 3-5: Oregon Coast Jazz Party 2014 Oct. 11: Met Opera Live in HD – “Macbeth” Oct. 17-Nov. 2: Red Octopus Theatre Company presents “Heidi Chronicles” Oct. 18: Met Opera Live in HD – “Le Nozze di Figaro”

For more information about all of these events and more, and to purchase tickets, go to www.coastarts.org or call 541-265-2787.

NEWPORT VISUAL ARTS CENTER

The Newport Visual Arts Center at the Nye Beach Turnaround is a feast for the eyes whether you are perusing an exhibit or looking out the windows at its breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. The VAC is home to three galleries: the Runyan on the main floor, the Coastal Oregon Visual Artists Showcase (COVAS) with Video Archive on the second, and the Upstairs Gallery on third. No matter what level you enter the building, a variety of artistic visions await you. Exhibits feature local, regional and national artists. Friendly docents will answer your questions, and admission is free.

There is always something special happening in this bright yellow building. Monthly Artist Receptions to welcome new exhibits take place on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 7 pm. Classes are available five days a week through the Yaquina Art Association. Drop in for free classes in watercolor, oil, acrylic, hand building with clay, china painting, colored pencil or pastel. Classes for children are given periodically as well – check with the VAC for a schedule. Make sure to check the web site, coastarts.org, for a more complete calendar of events.

The Runyan Gallery is open 11 am - 5 pm (October – March). The COVAS and Upstairs galleries are open noon - 4 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

28

Fresh Pan-fried Oysters

541-996-9800 4814 SE Hwy 101 Lincoln City VIDEO LOTTERY

WiFi Full Kitchen Fireplace Bay View

Shooters & on the Half Shell Fresh Seafood Full Service Bar Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Daily Specials Orders To Go Prime Rib Friday Nights Taco Tuesdays

Fitness Center Pet Friendly BBQs 24-Hour Front Desk

890 SE Bay Blvd Newport 541.574.6777 800.749.4993 www.thelandingatnewport.com

Every Room Has a View of Beautiful Yaquina Bay

GREIATTIES! M A EN

Where special memories are relived... and new adventures begin!

• Restaurant & Lounge • Crab Dock • Swimming Pool

• Hot Tubs • Saunas • Exercise Room • Free WiFi 1000 SE Bay Blvd. Newport OR

• Banquets & Catering • Crab Boat Rentals • Charter Fishing • Laundry Facilities

For reservations call 541-265-8521 or 1-800-547-4779 • Visit us online at www.embarcaderoresort.com

Newport’s Amazing Race Bring a teammate and a sense of adventure, no training necessary

By Nancy Steinberg

N

ever mind how fast you can run. How fast can you gut a fish? How fast can you build a sandcastle? How fast can you solve an obscure riddle? These are some of the skills you may need to be a contender in this year’s amazingly fun, amazingly crazy Amazing Race, sponsored by the Young Professionals (Yo-Pros) of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce.

Or at least, these are some of the skills you would have needed in the past, which may have no bearing on what this year’s race will hold. Bobbi Price, organizer of the race, takes pains to point out that no one but a select few knows what kinds of nutty challenges will be included in this year’s race. “There are eight challenges throughout the race and they change every year,” she explained. “They are unknown to everyone but the organizing committee, and they are highly confidential.”

Based on the popular reality television series of the same name, the

Photos courtesy: Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce

30

Amazing Race, now in its fourth year in Newport, is part sprint, part treasure hunt, and all fun. Teams of two – pairs of men, women, and co-ed teams – compete to cross the finish line by solving a series of riddles that lead them from one Newport site to the next, with ridiculous tasks to complete at each stop along the way.

In past years, contestants have had to don marine survival suits, paddle kayaks, and navigate obstacle courses on skateboards.

“The challenges can be physical or intellectual. We try to incorporate a coastal theme into most of them,” Price said.

Once each task is completed, the team is given a clue to their next location; they must solve the riddle to navigate to their next destination, and they must get there by foot.

The event attracts locals and visiting teams alike. Because smart phones are allowed on the course, out-of-towners less familiar with Newport’s geography and points of interest can get electronic help

as needed.

The event is great for team-building of all kinds. “We have seen couples near divorce by the end of the race, but they’re the first to sign up the following year!” Price said.

“It’s a good test of a friendship,” she added with a smile.

Spectators are definitely encouraged; race volunteers will give family and friends whispered clues to the contestants’ destinations so they can watch the hilarity unfold.

This year’s start and finish line will be at Yaquina Bay State Park, with most of the challenges taking place in the City Center portion of town. All contestants are treated to a picnic, music, and awards ceremony after the race.

The 2014 Amazing Race will be held July 19. Team registration fees are $60 (but will go up shortly before the race so register early!) and only 40 team slots are available. Contestants must be 18 or older, and do not need to be members of the Yo-Pros.

The Yo-Pros was founded by the Chamber of Commerce with the goal of retaining the younger members of the community by providing social and civic activities to bring people together. “We recognize that when young people move to Newport for a job it can be difficult to form friendships. We want to help link them up with other young people,” Price explained. The group meets once a month at their Thursday Lunch Mob, which takes place at different Chamber-member restaurants each month. The group also organizes fun and charitable activities, raising funds for the local food pantry and animal shelter, for example. As long as your employer is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, there is no fee to join the fun.

For more information about the Yo-Pros and their Amazing Race, go to www.newportchamber.org/amazing-race.htm or e-mail Bobbi Price at bobbi@newportchamber.org.

31

26.2 Spectacular Miles Newport Marathon attracts hundreds of runners

I

by Nancy Steinberg

f you’re going to run more than 26 miles over a span of three hours or more, battling fatigue, thirst, and muscle cramps, it helps to have something pretty to look at along the way. The gorgeous, flat, and fast course of the Newport Marathon has been attracting hundreds of runners from far and near since its inception in 1999.

The course begins at Yaquina Bay State Park, home to one of our two lighthouses, and then wends its way through some of Newport’s most scenic neighborhoods, including oceanfront Nye Beach and the Bayfront. It continues on the Bay Road on a flat, well-paved, wide road that runs along the edge of gorgeous Yaquina Bay. Runners will be treated to vistas of the Yaquina Bay Bridge and the bay itself, home to a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. Fishing boats and gorgeous, forested scenery complete the view. Because the course is nearly all flat, many PRs are earned here, a plus considering that the marathon is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. One world record was earned on the course as well: Herb Phillips of Burnaby B.C., Canada ran it in

32

2:47:28 in 2004, breaking the single age world record for 63 year old males.

Of course, there are other scenic, flat, and friendly marathons in the U.S. But there probably isn’t one that offers runners oyster shooters. At mile 11 and again at mile 19 (out and back on the Bay Road), runners are offered the opportunity to slurp down locally raised raw oysters at Oregon Oyster Farms. The record for oyster shooter consumption at the marathon was 80 oysters in one race, consumed by a runner in 2009! If sucking down raw oysters in the middle of a race is not for you, other great local food is offered at the finish line party, including Rogue beer and Mo’s clam chowder, two local favorites.

The event has been growing nearly every year, and registration is capped at 1,000; as many as 750 have entered in recent years. Last year’s entrants came from 29 states and Canada.

For more information, see the marathon’s web site: www. newportmarathon.org.

6119 SW Hwy 101, Lincoln City, OR, 97367

- (541) 994-5600 -

info@freedgallery.com

-

www.freedgallery.com

The Freed Gallery was built as a showcase for art. The soaring 18-foot ceiling, the tall corner windows, and the gracefully curved staircase envelop the space in an elegant, quiet manner.

The gallery invites and challenges the artist to bring their best paintings, extraordinary sculpture, unusual metal, glistening ceramics, detailed wood carvings, glass of breathtaking hues, artistic furniture, and unique jewelry to the showroom floor.

Featuring Northwest and North American talent, as well as internationally recognized artists from the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia, the Freed Gallery is a haven for art. The gallery is the exclusive representative in the United States of the famed Polish colorist, Jozef Halas, and the Polish glass artist, Maciej Habrat.

The gallery is proud to be introducing exciting and innovative new artists throughout the 2014-2015 season.

In addition, the gallery is dedicated to furthering art education throughout the community. Let There Be Arts, founded by Lee Freed of the Freed Gallery, is a non-profit organization that brings art, music, and drama to the students of Lincoln County.

Now in its 18th year, the Freed Gallery continues to attract visitors from around the world as a ‘must-see’ destination along the Oregon Coast.

1-800-COAST-44 Photo by: Jo Wienert

DiscoverNewport.com

LEARN

38.

HMSC

40.

Aquarium

42.

Maritime Museum

44.

Marine Discovery Tours

46.

NOAA

Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

37

Mysteries of the Deep Revealed at the Hatfield Marine Science Center

by Nancy Steinberg

E

ver watch an octopus devour a live crab? Want to try your hand at generating electricity with a wave? Have questions about invasive species, underwater earthquakes, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, or local fish species? You can do all this and more at the Visitor Center of the Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center in South Beach.

HMSC is a facility of Oregon State University, but its campus is home to scientists from a wide variety of institutions, including OSU, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and others. All told, approximately 300 scientists, educators, and support staff work at the center, conducting research, outreach, and education programs focused on our watery world. The topics studied there are as diverse as the inhabitants of the sea themselves: salmon genetics, the environmental impacts of wave energy, whale migration patterns, eruptions at undersea volcanoes, effects of ocean acidification on fish, and much more.

“Our greatest strength is our focus on collaborative research,” explained HMSC Program Manager Maryann Bozza.

“Because scientists from many different organizations are co-located here, there is a lot of interaction that might not happen if they were working at separate facilities.” For example, OSU Assistant Professor Jessica Miller and NOAA Fisheries Scientist Tom Hurst have collaborated on a string of projects focused on the effects of ocean acidification on young fishes. In another building, scientists analyze genetic samples taken from salmon caught by fishermen as part of ProjectCROOS (Collaborative Research on Oregon Ocean Salmon). “It’s inspiring to see ideas, data and equipment shared across disciplines and between agency and university programs.

Through professional activities such as weekly seminars and even Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

38

lunchtime soccer or dog-walking, scientists here keep the lines of communication wide open,” Bozza said.

Some of the most high-profile, cutting edge marine science in the world is carried out at Hatfield and by Hatfield-associated researchers. When an enormous dock ripped from its moorings by the March 2011 Japanese tsunami landed on a Newport beach in June 2012, Hatfield scientists Jessica Miller and John Chapman were the ones who took the lead on examining the potentially invasive species on the dock. A piece of that dock now stands as a sentinel and reminder outside the front door of the Visitor Center. Marine Mammal Institute Associate Director Scott Baker has made headlines with his genetics work demonstrating that endangered whale meat was being served in sushi restaurants in Seoul and Los Angeles. His pioneering work was featured in the eco-thriller/documentary “The Cove,” released to great acclaim in 2009.

Some of the center’s research is carried out on its two research vessels, which can occasionally be seen at the OSU Ship Operations dock nearby: the 54-foot Elakha (“Sea Otter” in the Chinook language), which stays relatively close to shore, and the oceangoing, 177-foot R/V Oceanus. The Oceanus is getting long in the tooth, for a research vessel, and is slated to be replaced within the next ten years. Hatfield scientists don’t just ship out from Newport – they work all over the world, embarking from ports in the Gulf of Mexico, Antarctica, the South Pacific, the Bering Sea, and beyond.

The best way to learn about what goes on at HMSC is by checking out the Visitor Center, where most of the exhibits are related to HMSC faculty research. One particularly hot topic is wave energy – how to extract it and what the environmental impacts of wave energy devices in the ocean might be. The wave energy exhibit at the Visitor Center covers these topics with hands-on activities.

Another exhibit covers the threat of invasive species, a very real problem for the local coastal ecosystems. The VC also features touch tanks where visitors can be embraced by a sea anemone or stroke a tide pool fish. And of course, there’s the octopus, the mascot of the center that greets visitors as they enter. Check the schedule for her feeding times – it’s quite a show.

HMSC doesn’t like to let any data escape, and so even the Visitor Center is a laboratory. Here a team of researchers focused on “freechoice learning,” education that takes place outside of a formal classroom setting and under the student’s own initiative, studies the behaviors and interactions of visitors with the exhibits and with each other. Cameras and other high-tech equipment installed throughout the center aid in those studies, and a cadre of researchers works behind the scenes to learn how we learn.

The Visitor Center (2030 SE Marine Science Drive) is open 10 am to 5 pm seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Admission is by donation ($5 per person/$20 per family is suggested).

Hatfield Marine Science Center By the Numbers Years in existence: 48 Number of employees: ~300 Operating Budget: $45 million Number of research vessels: 2 (also connected to HMSC is the R/V Pacific Storm operated by OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute) Scientific publications by HMSC authors in 2011: 160 Number of volunteer hours put in at the HMSC Visitor Center in 2011/12: 9600

Science is Big Business in Newport In addition to the Hatfield Marine Science Center, lots of other scientific entities are headquartered in Newport, making us a hub for ocean research and related activities in the Pacific Northwest.

These include:

Marine Operations Center – Pacific

for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Home port to five federal research vessels that serve as platforms for ocean research and mapping activities all over the world.

National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observing Initiative

A cutting-edge array of buoys, cables, and freeswimming underwater vehicles that will record and observe every aspect of the ocean’s biology, physics, and chemistry.

Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center

This entity, consisting of faculty from Oregon State University and the University of Washington, operates two state-of-the-art wave energy testing facilities offshore of Newport (one is in operation, and one is currently under development).

Oregon Coast Aquarium

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a world-class marine educational attraction nestled on beautiful Yaquina Bay, which attracts over 460,000 visitors each year.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

This leader in science education recently purchased property in South Beach where they will site a residential education facility focused on programming about the marine environment.

Coast Guard

Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay’s mission includes search and rescue and maritime law enforcement.

39

The Oregon Coast Aquarium Up close and personal with local sea life

N

o visit to the coastal city of Newport is complete without a stop at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This world-class marine attraction overlooks scenic Yaquina Bay just south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

The Aquarium strives to be a center of excellence for ocean literacy and plays an active role in conservation, education and animal rehabilitation efforts.

Visitors can immerse themselves in the Aquarium with a wander through Passages of the Deep, named “The coolest 50 yards on the Oregon Coast!”

by Spirit Magazine. The 1.32 million-gallon exhibit displays a diverse array of marine animals including sharks up to 10 feet long. The series of tunnels feature a 360 degree view of three different kinds of underwater landscapes that are characteristic of the Oregon Coast.

Sea & Me, an interactive exhibit designed for children ages 4-10, offers entertainment for everyone. Kids will enjoy the half a dozen interactive

40

play areas while teens and adults will see seahorses, cichlids, and a wide array of colorful tropical fish.

The Aquarium’s pinniped exhibit

underwent a massive overhaul this winter and is a must-see for both new and veteran guests. The remodel enhanced the habitat for the Aquarium’s harbor seals and sea lions, interaction areas for the trainers, and increased the viewing area by over 400 percent. For an exceptionally memorable experience, guests may schedule a fishy kiss from the Aquarium’s resident California sea lions or harbor seals.

The Aquarium also boasts one of the largest outdoor seabird aviaries in the United States. Tufted puffins, common murres, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots and black oystercatchers all call the craggy cliffs and clear ponds home.

Daily feedings at 2:30 p.m. delight visitors of all ages as each bird larks about to get the fishes of their choice. In addition to the seabird aviary, the Aquarium has an additional aviary that is home to two turkey vultures.

Guests are often surprised by the size of the brother and sister pair, Ichabod and Olive,

who busy themselves with toys and other enrichment items.

A nearby underwater cave is inhabited by a Giant Pacific Octopus. Viewers sometimes need to stretch their powers of observation to spot the creature, which can camouflage with its environment and squeeze its soft body into dark crags.

Researchers now believe that octopuses are as smart as house cats, capable of navigating mazes, using simple tools and recognizing individuals. Guests can book an octopus encounter to feed and shake hands with one of these intelligent, seemingly alien animals.

The Aquarium’s sea otter exhibit is home to the largest population of sea otters in Oregon today. The all-male raft is comprised of rescued otters from the California and Alaska coasts. Judge, Mojo and Schuster’s playful antics make them a popular attraction at the Aquarium. Guests can view daily feedings at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium opened its doors in 1992 to inspire the public to better understand, cherish and conserve marine and coastal ecosystems. The 39-acre facility

features indoor and outdoor exhibits that repeatedly earned the Aquarium a ranking as one of the top ten aquariums in the nation.

Built on an abandoned industrial site, the Aquarium did a lot of work to transform the grounds into an expansive naturescape for guests to explore. The north end of the property is dedicated to a nature trail that skirts an estuary – a unique feature for an aquarium.

This wild exhibit features over one hundred native plant species, many of them labeled to continue the Aquarium’s education program for guests.

As one of Oregon’s most popular attractions, the Aquarium hosts an estimated 450,000 visitors annually. The 501c3 non-profit is funded through ticket sales, grants and the support of Aquarium members.

The Aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer travel season and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter months. To check for discounts, purchase tickets and learn more, visit www.aquarium.org.

41

Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center

A new home for local history opens to great acclaim

I

by Nancy Steinberg

t is fitting that a building housing a history museum should have a colorful history itself.

Such is the case for the newly-opened Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center on the Bayfront in Newport. The stately green-grey building overlooking the fishing fleet has been a private estate, a nightclub, a restaurant, a decidedly unofficial hangout for local teens, and even the home of an off-track betting facility and Chippendale’s dancers.

When the Lincoln County Historical Society acquired the old Smuggler’s Cove nightclub, the property was, in a word, a mess. Steve Wyatt, Executive Director of the Historical Society, explained, “At that point, it could have gone either way. We could have bulldozed it, or we could have fixed it up. It was pretty nasty.”

Luckily for locals and visitors alike, the Historical Society made the risky decision to forge ahead and fix it up. After more than eight years of slow fund-raising and countless hours of volunteer time to keep the restoration going through the recession, the Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center opened at the end of June. It is stunningly gorgeous inside, open and light, a fitting home in which to house and explore Lincoln County’s maritime history.

The first thing Wyatt wants you to know about the mission of the center is that the concept of “maritime history” has been

Photos by: Jo Wienert

42

interpreted very broadly here. “We’re not a commercial fishing museum, although commercial fishing is a huge part of the Lincoln County story. We include surfing, tourism, maritime art, the oyster beds – all of these are central to the history of the area.”

The renovation of the building took so much time and energy that by the time it was nearly complete and the opening date set, Wyatt and his staff had not had time to decide on what the exhibits would actually look like, and they had very little in the way of artifacts to display. “Even three months before we opened we had no idea what it was going to look like,” said Wyatt. So he sent word out to the community: we need local maritime artifacts. The community was only too happy to help, and donations came from throughout the county.

The result is a somewhat eclectic but beautifully curated and displayed set of items that span Lincoln County’s fishing, surfing, shipping, and tourism heritage. Only a few items come from the Historical Society’s permanent collection. “We wanted to make sure to tell the story of the Native Americans here, so those items are ours,” including a massive canoe from the Siletz tribe, Wyatt explained. Most of what is on display will be returned to the owners in about a year.

Every item on display comes with a fascinating story. One compelling local

maritime story told through artifacts on display is of the wreck of the Blue Magpie, a 321-foot cargo ship that ran aground against the jetty at the entrance to Yaquina Bay and sank. A local diver contributed artifacts from the wreck that he retrieved, including a massive binnacle containing the ship’s compass.

Fluttering above one gallery is a series of colorful Japanese fishing flags, called “tairyouki,” that are traditionally flown by the Japanese fleet to express wishes for safety and a bountiful harvest. The flags were a gift from fishermen and a fishing company in Mombetsu, Japan, Newport’s sister city.

Below the flags is a guide to their symbolism.

Wyatt wants to be sure that there’s always something new for repeat visitors to see, so displays and exhibits at the museum will rotate, and some traveling exhibits will come through as well. In the late fall, the museum will host a traveling exhibit about the role the Newport fishing fleet played in the Cold War. One of the best treasures of the center is the view from its enormous bay windows and outdoor deck. Visitors will be mesmerized by the expansive vista encompassing the bustling bayfront, the fishing fleet, and the bridge.

At each vantage point, historical photos of similar views are displayed so visitors can see how that particular view has changed. Stormwatching from the building will be amazing

Great Features of the Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center Hands-on History Children’s Area

As Steve Wyatt, Director of the Historical Society, points out, it’s hard to get young kids interested in history because they don’t have much of a history yet themselves.

But it’s also important, and the museum does a terrific job by including a hands-on area that includes sea captain costumes, samples of different kinds of netting used in local fisheries, a stereopticon, and a “make your own exhibit” activity.

Outdoor Deck

While winter won’t necessarily be the best time to enjoy it, the outdoor deck overlooking the bustling Bayfront and fishing fleet is spectacular.

Gift Shop

The small gift shop includes items of interest to maritime history buffs, gorgeous posters of the view from the museum, and an excellent selection of books on local and maritime history.

Video about the Building’s History

There are hundreds of stories embedded in the walls of the museum’s building itself. Locals can tell you lots of them. A video running on a loop inside the museum which provides a short history of the building can whet your appetite.

Art Gallery this winter.

The building and the heritage center is not yet complete. The building is much bigger than it appears from the street, with nooks and crannies and sections that seem to go on forever. Current exhibits are limited to the central floor of the three-story building, but the Historical Society won’t stop there.

The next step will be installation of a theater and event and conference center on the lower level of the building. As resources come in, they will add more gallery space downstairs and upstairs.

And so the history of the building continues to be made, one artifact at a time.

When You Go: Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center 333 SE Bay Blvd (541) 265-7509 www.oregoncoasthistory.org

Hours: 11 am – 4 pm Thurs – Sun Admission: $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3-12

One room of the heritage center serves as an art gallery, now housing an inaugural exhibit of maritime art with local subjects curated by local (but internationally renowned) artist Michael Gibbons. Most of the pieces are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the museum itself. The current exhibit is stunning, but equally impressive is the amount of work that went into renovating what used to be a commercial kitchen, complete with ducts, vents, and grease-covered walls, into a serene, well-lit space for displaying fine art.

43

Marine Discovery Tours Head out to sea to find whales, sea lions, crabs, and more

O

By Fran Mathews, Marine Discovery Tours

ne of the greatest adventures visitors can have in Newport is a trip aboard the 65-foot Discovery, the tour boat operated by Marine Discovery Tours. This award-winning family-owned business was started in 1992 by a West Coast fisherman, captain Don Mathews, and his wife, Fran, a marine journalist. The Mathewses and their fun team of naturalists love sharing their “back yard” – Yaquina Bay and River and the nearshore Pacific – and its abundant resident sea life.

Their team’s mission statement says it all: “Deliver great activities and information that lead to connections with the aquatic world. Have fun.

Repeat the process!” Every year they welcome aboard 7,000 students on field trips, motor coach groups from across North America, and families from local to international.

Berthed conveniently on the Bayfront, the Discovery is the largest passenger vessel on the coast. It is loaded with comfortable seating for all in a heated cabin, the latest in safety equipment, computer monitors to watch the radar and GPS, and always, great coffee, Rogue Ales, and Oregon wines. The cruise route is determined daily by the captain – if the ocean is calm and safe, the Discovery heads out to sea. If the conditions are rough, the captain will take you only to the edge of the jetties at the mouth of the bay, then calmly cruise through 4,000 acres of salt water bay and freshwater river systems where there are plenty of sights to see, from sea lions to oyster farms.

Photos Courtesy: Marine Discovery Tours

44

Expeditions often find gray whales, seals, sea lions, porpoises, and sea birds while enjoying the beauty of the rugged Oregon coastline. From time to time more exotic animals are spotted, including orcas and sharks. Guests are always entertained with stories about the historic coastal community from the early lighthouse keepers to modern day fishermen with satellite-driven navigation systems. Endorsed by the Oregon Coast Aquarium as a “Floating Adventure,” hands-on activities onboard include pulling up authentic West Coast crab pots from sparkling Bay waters filled with Dungeness crab – Oregon’s official State Crustacean. Passengers help tow plankton nets to see the microscopic critters at the base of all ocean food chains. Yep – your favorite seafood is courtesy of these mighty microscopic wonders.

Need some new shots for your Facebook album? Navigation lessons are a favorite feature with the captain – picture your kids driving the boat … really!

Special event cruises are available for brunches, dinner parties, family reunions, weddings, and the scattering of ashes at sea. Make reservations for a unique must-do Newport experience that’s available from March through October.

For more information about Marine Discovery Tours, go to www. marinediscovery.com.

OREGON OYSTER FARMS

We ship oysters WorldWid e... just ask!

Premium oysters since 1907. Visit our Retail Store, located six miles up the Yaquina Bay Road from Newport, Oregon, for the freshest, year round selection of oysters.

We’re easy to find: 6 miles east of Embarcadero on Yaquina Bay Road

We feature the following fresh items: • Oysters in the Shell • Smoked Oysters • Oyster Meat • Steamer Clams • Oyster Cocktails • Gift Certificates!

6 8 7 8 Ya q u i n a B a y R o a d • P. O . B o x 1 4 7 5 Newport, Oregon 97365 (541) 265-5078 • fax (541) 265-2401 e-mail: oregonoyster@actionnet.net visit us on the web at: http://www.oregonoyster.com

NOAA in Newport

A federal agency takes pride in joining the local community

T

By Dennis Anstine

he primary focus for the officers and their families of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hasn’t changed as the Pacific research fleet enters its fourth year based in Newport, but its involvement in the Lincoln County community continues to strengthen.

By all accounts, it will take many more years before NOAA’s scientific, economic and communal contributions to Lincoln County and Oregon reach their high-water mark, but early returns indicate the relationship has the promise of growing into a healthy, positive bond.

Most importantly, the community has welcomed the federal agency and its 20year commitment with open arms, and the newcomers from Seattle, the East Coast and elsewhere are adjusting to the central coast’s blustery weather and lifestyle just fine, thank you.

“All over it has been a positive move for most people,” said Tracey Brennan, co-president of NOAA Officer’s Family Association (NOFA), a support group for the agency’s families. She and her husband, NOAA Ship Rainier Capt. Richard Brennan, and their two sons moved here from Norfolk, Virginia.

“There’s always an adjustment when you relocate,” she said, “but overall we love the raw beauty of the coast – it’s very majestic. We appreciate the quality of life here, that it’s more relaxed with not as much tension and hassle. There is a different lifestyle here than in Seattle, for example, but most are enjoying the change.”

Brennan said as NOFA and others volunteer at schools and events, “it has been very positive with the community accepting us and enjoying us being here. The more we have become involved, the more we appreciate this community.”

Capt. Wade Blake, commanding officer of NOAA’s Marine

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

46

Operations Center-Pacific (MOC-P), cautions that any involvement in the community needs to be secondary to the NOAA’s fisheries, hydrographic, ecosystem and ecosystem survey projects. But it is a responsibility he and others take seriously.

“First of all,” he said recently, “we’re very pleased with this facility (40,852 square feet of office and warehouse space and a 1,300-foot-long pier, all leased from the port) and grateful to the city for its support, which we appreciate. We see it as the beginning of a great relationship.”

NOAA, its officers and their families have begun to become more involved in the community through outreach by doing more volunteering. For its part, Capt. Blake said, the base has gotten involved in a variety of community events and has held guided tours to more than 3,000 visitors to the base and its ships during the last two years.

Blake said he meets with city and county officials often to let them know what’s going on on the base “so they can let other groups know what we do and how we fit into the community,” he said.

“We’ve been getting more involved as a group but a lot of our community involvement is self-generated from a group like NOFA or officers on a ship,” he said. “As a group, some helped clean up a park in Toledo and helped put flags out on the highway during holidays. When things like that pop up we will get involved.”

For example, when St. Baldrick’s Foundation for childhood cancer research held one of its head-shaving fundraisers this past May in Newport, Piper Berkowitz, the 9-year-old daughter of Capt. Eric Berkowitz, who is director of marine operations at the local base, shaved her head along with other family members.

Piper and her team, which included NOFA members, raised more than $6,000 as Newport and NOAA supporters became involved,

Photo courtesy: NOAA

which included three crew members of the Rainier shaving their heads while docked at Petersburg, Alaska.

NOFA has been involved in several other community events, including the Newport Food Pantry’s “snacks packs” programs for children, Christmas and holiday events, and a silent auction.

BUSINESS AS USUAL

Community involvement will likely become increasingly important for NOAA because its impact on small, isolated Newport and Lincoln County promises to be immense during the next 18 years or longer.

At this point, however, Capt. Blake and other NOAA Corps officers remain focused on their mission, which is to have “our ships continue doing what they are designed to do.” That involves about 110 crew members and about 55 office and warehouse employees at the base to support the vessels’ sea-going missions.

THE SHIPS INCLUDE:

-Bell M. Shimada and Oscar Dyson, both fishery survey vessels that primarily work the waters of the West Coast, including off Alaska’s Aleutian and Kodiak islands. They survey for the density of population of a variety of fish, including sardines and hake off the mainland and pollock, salmon and cod in Alaska waters.

NOAA also does a killer whale survey along the coast during the summer months, “which is important because they have a significant

impact to the salmon population,” Black said. The results of all the surveys assist the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in keeping its management programs up to date.

-The Rainier and Fairweather do hydrographic surveys mostly in Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, updating and creating new nautical charts of the ocean’s floor. Blake said many charts are too old to be useful, and other areas have no mapping at all.

Overall, eight vessels are under Blake’s command, down one recently with the decommissioning of the Miller Freeman, which will be replaced by a new vessel called the Rueben Lasker. There are three ships stationed in Hawaii and a fourth, the McArthur II, is currently undergoing maintenance in a Seattle shipyard.

While there is more to grow since NOAA moved from Seattle to Newport, federal funding for its missions has decreased during the last year as the government has been forced to “sequester” its spending in a variety of ways.

“Nothing has really changed as far as our missions are concerned,” said Blake, “but we have had to adjust what we do with our funding.

The cost of diesel fuel, for example, has doubled from $2 to $4 in the last few years. Our operating costs have gone up, so we’ve had to cut back on our days at sea.”

NOAA continued on page 50

Photo courtesy: NOAA

47

NOAA continued from page 49

While there has been an operating reduction, he said, there has been no cutting back on personnel because the vessels need to be maintained and properly manned when they do their missions.

The NOAA Corps consists of only commissioned officers, but its “civilian masters” and wage marine employees work for hourly wages and are represented by unions. The fleet, Blake said, consists of five different personnel systems between ship and shore, “so it can get confusing.”

NOAA’S SILVER LINING

The promise of jobs and contracts with local vendors was an important part of the attraction for the local and regional economy after a 2010 survey was done by the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County (ecdev@orcoast.com or 541-961-3837).

The report estimated that NOAA’s presence could mean a $32 million annual influx – equivalent to 800 fulltime jobs in the county – after 10 years. Even without factoring in the value of attracting additional marine science research, the impact estimates about $20 million annually in the local economy.

While the amount of money that NOAA will circulate through the local economy is real, it’s unlikely that NOAA will ever be an important employer of local residents because its jobs are listed nationwide, it hires the most qualified candidates and rarely advertises locally. Blake said he recalls NOAA hiring only two people living here.

The report also placed the NOAA budget for products and service at $8 million per year ($2 million per boat), though Caroline Bauman, the alliance’s executive director, cautioned that the local economy would capture only about half of that at the outset as companies take time to adapt to serve the need of the fleet.

For his part, Blake has given several talks at local economic development

48

meetings about the ins and outs of smaller local companies doing business with the government.

Bauman said that during the last three years more than 200 separate businesses have been represented at such training workshops and that there are more than 90 Lincoln County companies on the eligibility list for government contracts, which includes jobs with Oregon State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service.

She said Blake’s seminars have been invaluable and have often been attended by statewide employment and economic development officials, “which has helped people from all over the state learn more about NOAA. That’s also good for our tourism.”

The bid process, Blake said, can be especially difficult. He said NOAA buys a lot of goods from local vendors, including contracting with Carson Oil Co. for its diesel fuel, but the bidding process get competitive when the contract is in excess of $25,000.

“We are focused now not to just construction trade contracts,” said Bauman. “We’re seeking more service providers such as Lazerquick and Lincoln Glass, small companies that are able to access NOAA with business for less than $25,000.”

The goal is to have companies in all five categories doing business with NOAA, including those that offer highly skilled marine trades service work, such as a ”large bilge pump repair service, for example,” she said.

Bauman, who expects to finish a research analysis soon on what it takes to do business with the government, said the county isn’t making as much money from NOAA and the Hatfield Marine Research Center as it can, but there has been growth.

“We knew it would take time because of the bid process,” she said, “but with more local companies working with NOAA our bids will become more competitive. During the next three to five years we should have bigger contracts than the smaller ones we’re getting now.”

o’s Studio f f u Ci & co ee

ff s h op

AnimAl medicAl cAre of newport 162 ne 10th 541-265-6671 AnimAl medicAl cAre At

BAyside AnimAl clinic 135 strAwBerry st.

541-563-6033

collectibles, heirlooms, antiques, FREE WiFi with coffee

s erving A ll of l incoln c ounty

474 SE Hwy 101 Depoe Bay, OR

AnimAlmedicAlcArenewport.com Accredited Hospital Member of the American Animal Hospital Association

W A L M AR T SUPERCENTER Open 24 Hours!

NYE COTTAGE

•B•E•A•D•S• and vacation rentals Open daily 10-5

208 NE Coast Street • Newport, OR 97365

541-265-6262 • www.nyecottage.com

LittLe Creek ApArtments 365 N.E. 36th Street • Newport, OR 97365

• 2 Bed/ 1 Bath

VOTED #1 ts Apartmenst for the pa 5 years!

• 3 Bed/ 2 Bath • On-site laundry facilities • 2 Play Areas • Public Transportation

160 NW 25th Street • Newport, OR 541-265-6560 • www.walmart.com

Call 541-265-2663

Professionally managed by sima management, inc.

• Full-line grocery • Organically grown produce

• • • •

We’re Open Every Day

Gluten & Dairy Free Foods Large variety of bulk foods, herbs & spices Sandwiches, soups, salads & entreés made fresh weekdays Sandwiches, soups & baked goods weekends 159 S.E. 2nd Street Newport, Oregon 97365 541.265.8285 www.oceanafoods.org

Monday-Friday: 8am-7pm Saturday: 8am-6pm Sunday: 10am-6pm

Find us on Facebook!

welcome home.

A

TRADITIONAL

NEIGHBORHOOD

Lincoln City, OR

new homes for sale $250,000 - $500,000 oliviabeach.com

PLAY

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

Photo by: eongdi

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

52. Charter Fishing 54. Surfing 58. Hiking 60. North, South, East, West

Photo by: eongdi

51

Fishing Charters

A reel adventure in Newport

by Nancy Steinberg

I

f you’re a real DIY kind of person, you’d rather catch your own fish than buy it at the market or order it in a restaurant. No boat? No problem. It’s easy to reserve yourself a spot on one of Newport’s many charter boats, and chase after delicious quarry from rockfish to salmon to tuna.

While charter fishing trips go out year-round, summer weather is usually a bit more calm and comfortable for heading out to sea. Depending on the target species, trips can range from three hours for bay crabbing trips to more than 24 hours for offshore tuna in mid-summer and fall. No experience is required; in fact, beginners are sometimes the captain’s favorite clients. Dell Wilkison, a commercial and charter boat captain for more than 36 years whose boat can be chartered through Newport Tradewinds, explains, “You can’t beat women, children, and newbies – they don’t have any bad habits to break!”

Captain Dell and lots of others are ready and waiting to take you fishing. Here are some basics to keep in mind.

There are seasons and limited windows to fish for some species, so not every fish is available for the taking all the time. For all of the details on the types and lengths of trips available at a given time, be sure to call the charter company. Bottomfishing trips, which focus on rockfish and lingcod, generally leave the dock year-round. Most outfits run five-hour and ten-hour bottomfish trips, depending on the time of year and how far offshore you’re interested in venturing. The five-hour bottomfishing trips in particular are extremely family-friendly. In season, you can often find 8- or 10-hour combination trips that will take you fishing for both bottomfish and salmon. One-day licenses that will cover you for the trip are generally available from the charter companies; boats will inform you of limits on various species.

Salmon is the Pacific Northwest’s iconic fish, and by many accounts they are bouncing back from some tough years. Summer salmon trips target either coho (mid-June to mid-August) or Chinook (June – October). You will need licenses and tags for salmon fishing, but both are available from the charter companies (usually annual licenses are not available for purchase, though).

Halibut “openers,” short windows of time during which anglers are allowed to fish for these giant flatfish, are scattered throughout the year, and vary depending on assessments of how many fish there are. They are fished until a set total quota is reached, so later halibut dates might not be fished at all.

Albacore tuna usually show up in June or July and stick around close enough to shore to catch until mid-fall. These gorgeous and delicious fighting fish are caught with either rod and reel or a hand-line. Albacore is a delicacy, whether barbecued, canned, or eaten raw, sushi-style. Newport Tradewinds runs a marathon tuna trip: 33 hours at sea to cover multiple bouts of fishing. Captain Dell says, “If we’re out far enough at night we can put lights out for squid on these trips too.” Sushi and calamari in one trip -- sounds like heaven to me.

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

52

Finally, if it’s crab you’re after, you can catch them, too, either on a dedicated bay crabbing trip (for example, Captain’s Reel offers a three-hour crabbing trip) or by adding on ocean crabbing with most of the other types of trips mentioned here, for an extra fee.

An Oregon shellfish license is required for crabbing (available from the charter companies), and again, note there are fishery restrictions that the boats will enforce onboard.

Weather can be stunningly variable at sea. Even the rare warm summer day at the beach can translate into cool temperatures offshore, so dress in layers and in appropriate footwear. Coffee is usually part of most charter deals, but bring your own food and drink. Most charters offer fish cleaning and crab cooking services back at the dock (for a fee). For prices and more specifics, get in touch with the charter companies directly – they’re happy to help find a trip that’s right for you.

Always remember, while Newport-based charter boats are usually highly successful, it’s called “fishing,” not “catching.” Just being out on the ocean can be treat enough. Even Captain Dell, with his decades of experience on the water, marvels, “I’ll see new stuff every time I go out, especially on the offshore trips. Forty miles or more offshore, and the critters there are just not the same as the ones we see close to shore.” Gray whales, Japanese tsunami debris or glass fishing floats, bizarre jellyfish, sharks – he’s seen it all, and he can’t wait to share it with visitors.

All Aboard!

Charter Companies in Newport Newport Tradewinds

653 SW Bay Blvd.

541-265-2101 http://www.newporttradewinds.com/

Captains Reel Deep Sea Fishing 343 SW Bay Blvd.

541-265-7441 http://www.captainsreel.com/

Yaquina Bay Charters

1000 SE Bay Blvd. (near the Embarcadero Resort) 541-265-6800 yaquinabaycharters.com

Newport Marine Store & Charters

2128 SE Marine Science Drive, South Beach 541-867-4470 www.nmscharters.com

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

53

Surf’s Up

Travel to Newport for year ‘round surfing

by Rick Beasley

O

regon’s spectacular and beautiful surf is a magnet for camera buffs, artists and soulsearchers. For a growing number of people, however, the powerful elegance of an ocean wave is more than an art form that touches the psyche.

It’s a tube-monster, man, a surging mountain of fun that demands to be ridden in all its chilly bluster!

Some of the Pacific’s finest waves dissolve on the sandy, uncrowded beaches of Oregon, but it’s only been in the last 10 years that surfing has gained momentum as a year ‘round sport here.

Today, a 35-mile stretch of surf between Newport and Lincoln City is a relative hotbed of surfing action — relative, compared to Santa Cruz or Waimea Bay, where surfers bob elbow-to-elbow and fight each other to ride the waves.

Damon Fry moved to Oregon to take

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

54

advantage of the excellent surfing waters around Lincoln City.

“I came here from California and the Oregon surf hasn’t let me down,” he said.

“The people are friendly and the water’s not polluted. There are three epic seasons here, but you have to want to surf bad. Sometimes, you have to hike through the brush to get to the surf, and you wear thick wet suits to deal with the cold water. But the surfing is so great you almost want to be quiet about it.”

To many, Oregon’s nippy surf has always loomed like a jewel behind glass — close, powerful and beckoning, but impossible to touch for all but the hardiest who could endure its cold edge. Long a bastion of hard-core surfers who braved its Endless Winter waters, surfing was considered more spectator sport than participant activity.

But that’s all changed, according to Mike Olsen, one of the local old-school surfers who knows all the breaks from South Beach to Roads End. The advent of new wet suit

technology has opened the door to surfing waters that are reliably cold 12 months a year, he observed.

“In the early 80’s it was rare to see a car with a board on top cruising down Hwy. 101,” Olsen said. “Today, you may see a dozen cars jammed along a turnout, with surfers bobbing in the water and riding the waves. The reason for the growth is the development of really good-quality wet suits, and of course the rise in popularity overall of surfing.”

The release of the movies such as “Blue Crush,” “Point Break” and “Endless Summer II” create novel twists to the sport, as well.

“A lot of California surfers settled in Portland to follow their careers,” Olsen said.

“Their kids — who had grown up on Dad’s surfing tales of the 60s and 70s — saw those movies and told pop to teach them the sport.

Now, we’ve got whole families driving over Surf continued on page 58

OREGON COAST

COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS GO-TO SOURCE FOR ARTS INFO OCCA PROMOTES AND PROVIDES HIGH-CALIBER ARTS EXPERIENCES ON THE OREGON COAST. NEWPORT VISUAL ARTS CENTER 777 NW Beach Dr., Newport 541-265-6540

NEWPORT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 777 W. Olive St., Newport 541-265-ARTS (2787)

0OMJOF BU DPBTUBSUT PSH t &NBJM PDDB!DPBTUBSUT PSH

When every second counts “You� may be the one to make an “Impact� on someone’s life.

SUDDEN IMPACT

Specializing in Human and Pet First-Aid, CPR as well as other EMS Education Services

T: 541-994-3070 • F: 541-994-8339 4039 NW Logan Road, Lincoln City Oregon 97367

Dixie V. Lorange EMT-I OHD/EMS/NFPA Instr.-I PHTLS/NW CISM

720 SW Hurbert St. • Newport 541-270-7020 • 541-563-4668 Email: simpact@peak.org

Surf continued from page 56

for a weekend of surfing. It’s really become a family sport in the last couple of years.”

Surfing in Oregon started in the 50s and saw the formation of surf clubs in the 60s, but it wasn’t until the 80s when things really started to grow. Now it’s a family event, with the parents and the kids discovering a sport they can all participate in and have fun.

The sport offers great exercise — like swimming, it uses most of the body’s muscles — and surfers agree it’s “major stress-reducer.”

The smooth moves of experienced surfers make the sport look easy, but even the best longboarders admit they never stop learning.

Surfing, like any sport, takes practice and commitment to master.

“Actually, surfing is real easy once you get to know it, and get past the part where you’re just getting bashed around,” said Albany surfer Ronnie Walls. “There’s a lot more surfing going on around here than people think.”

Photo by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

56

Surfing lessons available from the local Newport shops are inexpensive and fun and are crucial in teaching novice surfers how to deal with hazardous surfing conditions, like rip tides. You can always go out and learn with someone who knows what they’re doing, but a two-hour lesson is the best way.

Otherwise, you may just end up struggling.

Beginners usually start out with a nine-foot rental board. Many first-time surfers “Jonesout” on the sport and return to buy brand new boards the same afternoon, which start at about $450.

Even more critical than the board is the wet suit — look for one that’s at least 5 mils thick, and is full-bodied with a hood and booties.

Good surfing can be found almost anywhere along dozens of beaches between around Newport. Shifting sands that play havoc with “the break” and seasonal changes in the currents make a call to a favorite surf shop a mandatory routine. You can waste a gallon or two of gas just looking for waves,

so give the local surf shops a call, first.

Surf Shops For more information on lessons and equipment sales and rentals, contact experts at the following local surf shops:

Ocean Pulse Surfboards:

429 SW Coast Hwy, Newport, 541-265-7745.

The Oregon Surf Shop:

4933 S. Hwy 101, Lincoln City (Taft area), 541-996-3957.

Ossie’s Surf Shop:

4860 North Coast Highway Newport, OR 97365 541-574-4634

Safari Town Surf Shop:

3026 NE Hwy 101, Lincoln City, 541-996-6335.

COME STAY

in Lincoln City!

Just S Yaquina Bouth of ay B next to th ridge, Oregon C e oa Aquarium st

For a Unique &ndly rie Family F ing Shopp ce!!

Experien

Something for everyone. Gifts, food, collectibles, yarn shop, rock shop, leather, pottery, tie dye, swords and daggers, a store with new & used, Pirate’s Plunder and so much more.

3517 NW Hwy 101 • Lincoln City, OR 541-996-9900 Also in Seaside, Oregon 866-738-6269 Check us out at BOTH locations!

1-800-4-MOTEL6 www.motel6.com

(541) 867-6531 • South Beach

Retreat Next Door to Georgie’s Beachside Grill Casual Oceanfront Dining Served Everyday

The Postcard That’s Real We’re Oceanfront & Newly Remodeled in Newport, Oregon

855-428-6708 | hallmarkinns.com

744 SW Elizabeth St. Newport, OR • 541-265-9800

www.GeorgiesBeachsideGrill.com

Take a Hike!

Lace up your boots and get onto the beaten path

N

by Nancy Steinberg

ewport is a beautiful place to hike, especially for families – the terrain is varied and generally not too challenging, the views are spectacular, and a latte or ice cream cone are never very far away. Just to the north and south of the city (see listings) are some more challenging, longer hikes that would appeal to more serious trekkers. Here are some short hikes within city limits.

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area The federal Bureau of Land Management operates the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, a spit of land at the north end of town that juts out dramatically into the Pacific, punctuated at the end by the stately and beautiful Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

There are a number of short walks and hikes that can be strung together for a complete tour of the headland. Note that there is a $7 admission fee for cars.

A recent hike up Communications Hill at Yaquina Head (so-called because the Coast Guard maintains communications equipment at the top of the hill) afforded some of the best views in Newport, despite the raw and rainy day I chose for the hike.

The trail is less than a mile long, moderately steep in places on the way up, and traverses

58

a typical shore pine and Sitka spruce forest.

On this particular morning, the only sounds I heard were the crunching of gravel under my feet and the whoosh of the surf below. My favorite spot on the hike is not necessarily the top, although the view from there of scalloped waves, often with intrepid surfers sprinkled about, is amazing. Even better is the moment just after making the major switchback in the trail, where there are expansive ocean vistas to both sides of the trail.

Interpretive signage along the trail lists the types of native vegetation to be seen: elderberry, red alder, bleeding heart, and more. I kept a close eye out for grey whales.

While I didn’t see any on this hike, I have seen whales while hiking here on many other occasions. Other wildlife sightings could include songbirds, chipmunks, bald eagles, and, seasonally, gorgeous formations of pelicans flying low over the water.

Hikers can use the series of paved and wellmaintained pedestrian paths to connect to the other short hikes and walks at Yaquina Head. Salal Hill, further out the headland, is a shorter but steeper trail, which also affords outstanding views from the peak. Spring wildflowers can be spectacular here. While descending stairs doesn’t usually count as taking a hike, the staircases down to Cobble

Beach are a bit steep, with a great beach as the payoff at the bottom (and of course, what goes down must somehow come back up, so there is a workout involved). Covered in uniformly smooth, round black stones of volcanic origin, one of the most remarkable things about this beach is its sound: listen for the hallmark clatter of the cobbles being tossed and jumbled each time a wave comes ashore. The large offshore rock islands often provide haul-out areas for harbor seals. If you happen to come across a baby seal on the beach here, or anywhere else, please leave it alone and give it a wide berth – its mother is just offshore foraging for food and she will be too shy to return to her baby if you hang around.

Mike Miller Park and Connected Trails Mike Miller Park in South Beach is a gorgeous one-mile loop trail that traverses a range of habitats, from an old spruce/fir forest of towering trees to freshwater wetlands. In recent years the Mike Miller loop has been linked to new trails near the Newport campus of Oregon Coast Community College; the trail system can be accessed either from the playground at the Wilder community abutting the college campus or from the Mike Miller trailhead (see sidebar for directions).

Having recently become enamored of trail running, I like to take these trails at top speed, but it’s equally fun to take your time.

If you park at the Mike Miller trailhead off of Rte. 101, you can pick up an interpretive brochure and follow the numbered markers along the trail to learn more about this iconic Pacific Northwest ecosystem. In spring, wild rhododendrons tower overhead and salmonberry and other typical native vegetation in every shade of green crowds the view. In most years ospreys nest in snags in the park’s 40 acres, and other bird life is abundant as well. An observation deck at the park’s wetland area brings hikers closer to the newts, turtles, and ducks that are often found in the water. Terrain is mostly dirt (watch for stumps and roots that try to trip you!) with some gravel and a few small bridges crossing over creeks or particularly wet areas.

About half-way around the loop you will come to signs indicating side trails to the community college and the Emery Trail, named after the generous landowner who has donated the use of some of his property for the extensions of these trails. The Emery

When You Go: Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

750 NW Lighthouse Drive (follow signs off of Rte. 101 north of town) 541-574-3100 Park grounds open 8 am to 8 pm daily $7 fee for non-commercial vehicles; free to walk or bike in www.blm.gov/or/resources/ recreation/yaquina/index.php

Mike Miller Park

Left on SE 50th Street south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge - No fee http://www.co.lincoln.or.us/ lcparks/mike_miller.html

South Beach State Park

South of the Yaquina Bay Bridge on west side of Rte. 101 541-867-4715 - No fee for day use http://www.oregonstateparks.org/ index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_ parkPage&parkId=149 ADS

Beaver Creek State Natural Area

Turn east onto Beaver Creek Road 7.4 miles south of Yaquina Bay Bridge; Visitor Center is on the right in a little more than a mile 541-563-6413 - No fee http://www.oregonstateparks.org/ index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_ parkPage&parkId=191 Trail is an out-and-back spur that runs by more wetland area and includes a couple of strenuous but short hills. The community college trail links up to the Wilder housing development near the campus, emerging at a lovely playground maintained jointly by Wilder and the City of Newport. The City’s long-term plans are to extend these trails even further through South Beach, eventually hooking into a trail planned to run all the way from Corvallis to the coast.

South Beach State Park South Beach State Park maintains a range of trails, from a flat, paved bike trail perfect for bikes, scooters, strollers, and rollerblades, to wooded trails that can provide quite a workout. Skirting the edge of the park’s campground is the Cooper Ridge Nature Trail, a 1.75-mile loop through forest and meadow habitats. Terrain is dirt and sand, and there are a few moderately challenging hills. The South Jetty Trail, a paved ADAaccessible path, is a one-mile link between the park and the South Jetty recreation area (see the section in this magazine on biking for more information about this trail). The

Old Jetty Trail is another wooded alternative, which basically parallels the paved trail but goes through the shore pine forest and dune habitats of the park. Wildlife is abundant in South Beach, especially in the early morning hours – keep your eyes open for deer, birds, and even the occasional coyote.

Beaver Creek State Natural Area Eight miles south of Newport is the relatively new Beaver Creek State Natural Area, which is laced with gorgeous upland meadow trails.

Trails start from the Visitor Center, or from a less well-marked parking area on South Beaver Creek Road (ask at the Visitor Center for directions). Because much of the park is in low-lying wetlands, trail access can be limited, or covered in mud and water, during some months so the southern access point allows for a less mucky start to your hike. Hikers will almost surely see evidence of the elk herds that frequent the park, and perhaps signs of other wildlife – bears, raptors, deer, river otters – as well. Friends who live in the neighborhood have even seen cougar and bobcat.

More Hikes to the North & South For hikers interested in longer and more difficult hikes, just north and south of Newport are some perfect options.

To the north: Cascade Head, Lincoln City

Trailhead on Three Rocks Road off of Rte. 101 (Park at boat ramp) Note: all trails open July 16-December 31; some are otherwise closed. - No fee http://web.oregon.com/hiking/ cascade_head.cfm

To the South: Cape Perpetua National Scenic Area, Yachats

Visitor Center: 2400 Hwy 101, Yachats 541-547-3289 $5 per vehicle or Northwest Forest Pass http://www.fs.usda.gov/ recarea/siuslaw/recreation/ recarea/?recid=42265

59

Get Out of Town!

Adventures to the north, south, and east of Newport

H

By Nancy Steinberg

ere at Travel Newport, we just love Newport. We don’t know why anyone would live or vacation anywhere else. But we do acknowledge that Newport doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is part of a vibrant central coast community where there’s lots to do and see within a relatively small radius. Come visit us, but check out our stunning neighbors too!

Here are some ideas for extending the radius of your trip here.

NORTH

Depoe Bay, 12 miles north of Newport, is an adorable little town deemed the Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon coast. Here you can board whale watching boats and fishing charters from the world’s smallest harbor, or even watch whales from the shore in the summer time. Whale information abounds: Oregon State Parks operates a whale watching center across the street from the Whale, Sealife, and Shark Museum operated by marine biologist Carrie Newell. You can find food from salt water taffy to fresh, local seafood as well as souvenirs galore along the main drag.

More fun awaits in Lincoln City, about 25 miles north of Newport. Whether you want to play golf on a world-class course (Salishan Resort), rent paddle boats to play on Devil’s Lake, take a cooking class at the Lincoln City Culinary Center, or see a movie at the lovely old Bijou Theater, you’ll find never-ending fun.

SOUTH

Seal Rock State Park, only 10 miles south of Newport, is absolutely stunning. The offshore rocks provide habitat for flocks of birds, and harbor seals often haul out there as well. At low tide, these are some of the best and most accessible tide pools around.

In Waldport, 15 miles south of Newport, check out the Kayak Shack for guided kayaking tours of Alsea Bay, poke around endlessly in the Waldport Flea Market, or chase salmon and steelhead in the Alsea River.

Yachats is a funky, beautiful small town about 24 miles south of Newport. The quaint downtown area is lined with unique gift shops and awesome restaurants – do not miss the Green Salmon and their incredible organic coffee and decadent pastries. Just south of town is some of the best hiking on the Oregon coast at the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.

EAST

Just east of Newport is Toledo, an arts mecca Photos by: Jo-Hanna Wienert

60

Toledo

and mill town rolled into one. Renowned painter Michael Gibbons maintains his studio and gallery here, along with artists Sam Briseño, Ivan Kelly, Doug Haga, Becky Miller, and others. Don’t miss Pig Feathers Barbecue and the Twisted Snout Brewery at the end of Main Street. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can bike (or, truth be told, drive) from the Bayfront in Newport all the way to Toledo along gorgeous Yaquina Bay. If you bike, you’ll really earn your barbecue and beer!

WEST?

It’s a little harder to visit our neighbors to the west, the closest of which is, well, Japan. But we do recommend finding a way to get out onto the ocean if you can. Have an educational adventure aboard a Marine Discovery Tours cruise (see p. 46 for more info), or take a fishing charter to chase halibut, salmon, rockfish, or tuna (more info on p. 54). You’ll get a whole new perspective on Newport if you view it from the rolling ocean.

Get Out continued on page 62

r e v D i s co tripadvisor Award of Excellence Two Years Running!

u o Y

D o t s u M

w e

N Wild r

C aug ht

Sustainable Seafood

Grilled Specialties • Fish-N-Chips Sandwiches • Salads • Chowder “The fish is so fresh and nicely prepared. The staff are always SO friendly!”

Clare - Corvallis, OR

“Best clam chowder had in Newport, maybe anywhere!”

“We came for another, stopped here instead. More character and less pretension.”

Dave - Portland, OR

Joe - Meridian, ID

Beer/Wine, To Go & Kids Menus Always Pet Friendly Private Party Room Custom Smoking Heated Patio Catering

@ Gino’s

Fish Market & Cafe OPEN EVERY DAY 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

808 SW Bay Blvd on Newport’s Historic Bay Front

o ce a n b l e u s e a fo o d s. co m 541-265-2424

Get Out continued from page 60

When You Go: Depoe Bay

Depoe Bay Whale Center 541-765-3304 w w w. o r e g o n s t a t e p a r k s . o r g / index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_ parkPage&parkId=183

When You Go:

Whale, Sealife, and Shark Museum 541-912-6734 oregonwhales.com/Museum/museum. html

Lincoln City

Salishan Spa & Golf Resort 1-800-452-2300 www.salishan.com Devils Lake boat rentals at Blue Heron Landing 541-994-4708 www.blueheronlanding.net

Toledo

Lincoln City Culinary Center 541-557-1125 www.oregoncoast.org/culinary/ Bijou Theater 541-994-8255 www.cinemalovers.com

Seal Rock

Seal Rock State Park 541-867-7451 w w w. o r e g o n s t a t e p a r k s . o r g / index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_ parkPage&parkId=147

Waldport

Kayak Shack 541-563-4445 www.whskayakshack.com Waldport Flea Market 541-563-6436 www.waldportfleamarket.com

Yachats

Green Salmon 541-547-3077 www.thegreensalmon.com Cape Perpetua Scenic Area 541-547-3289 www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/ recreation/recarea/?recid=42265

Toledo

Gallery Michael Gibbons 541-336-2797 www.michaelgibbons.net Gallery Brise単o 541-336-1315 h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / GalleryBriseno Ivan Kelly Fine Art Studio 541-336-1124 www.ivankelly.com Pig Feathers Barbecue 541-336-1833 pigfeathersbbq.com

62

Bay Road

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner is served 24 hours a day!

Pancakes • French Toast Stuffed French Toast Breakfast Burritos • Cafe Omelettes

Burgers • Sandwiches • Soups • Salads Bread Bowl with Homemade Chili or Chowder Fish & Chips • Shrimp•Crab Oysters • Steamed Clams

& much more!

EVERY THING HOMEMADE!

PUBLIC VOTED #1

NE 6th Street & Hwy 101 Across from ProBuild

541.574.6847

great breakfast and seafood all day