Thanksgiving on the Oregon Coast
by Cathy on November 30, 2008
The Yaquina Bay Bridge over the entrance to Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon. Home of the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
My family and I spent this Thanksgiving at the Oregon coast. We usually head for the north coast but this year stayed in Depoe Bay and explored Oregon’s central coastline instead. The weather was more than decent for this time of year so we got in a few beach walks and attempts at catching some crab on the pier under the Yaquina bridge.
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A typical fishing boat heading into the marina. The commercial dungeness crab season opens tomorrow, December 1, and we saw many boats heading out to sea with their crab pots.
Sport crabbing season is open so we tried our hand at throwing in a few pots off a long pier just inside the Yaquina harbor. Weather was great and there were many crabbers with similar hopes of a good catch.
The favorite bait of the day was chicken. Crab actually like fish better but the sea lions won’t leave it alone. Practicality wins out.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, was pulling up anything but a few small crab and an occasional starfish. This guy was huge. You can’t tell from the photo but it was about fifteen inches across. Only male crab exceeding 6-1/4 inches across the back can be taken. Everything else must be returned to the water.
Three Birds and a Beer
Depoe Bay, a few miles north of Newport, is home to the world’s smallest navigable harbor. Waves run beneath lava beds and, when the sea is rough, can create geysers up to 60 feet into the air.
The town of Depoe Bay is on one side of the street and the ocean is on the other. There’s nothing fancy or modern about the town and it looks just the way a beach town should look. I don’t think a thing has changed in the last sixty years. And it has several terrific restaurants.
A seawall runs the length of the downtown area and when the sea is rough and there is a high tide spray comes up over the wall and can reach half way across the main street.
This area is a very popular whale watching spot. A pod of grey wales makes it’s home here ten months out of the year and can easily be seen by the naked eye or with the telescopes that are placed along the walkway. The Depoe Bay Whale Center is Oregon’s newest state park.
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Tagged as: Crabbing, Oregon, Travel
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Cathy, what fabulous pictures. You could be a tour guide. You really captured the feel of Depoe Bay.
Cathy, Thanks for letting me recapture my time spent on the coast. I love the Oregon coast!!!
I think I mentioned before that we have stayed in Lincoln City many times at “D”Sands right on the ocean, coming from Chicago, I am just in awe of that ocean!! Thanks again!!
Nice photo of the bridge at Yaquina Bay! That would be a nice place for one of my bridge contemplations sometime. And I am still impressed with what you have to share about crabbing. Sounds like you had a pleasant Thanksgiving break.
Thanks so much for your comments. We do live in a spectacular place and I’m so happy you enjoyed the photos.
What a treat Cathy, thank you for taking us along.
Depoe Bay is one of my favorites, and like you I’m pleased it hasn’t changed.
Truly a delightful sequence of photos ~ well done!
You are so welcome, Mari. Looking at the ocean and taking in the beach air always refreshes my soul.