Oregon Coast an Odd Mix of Stormy Waves and Warm Temps

Published 11/05/2012

(Depoe Bay, Oregon) – What did you miss at the Oregon coast this week? Almost summer temperatures mixed with paradoxically crazed surf conditions. It was like summer and winter at the same time on the central Oregon coast Monday. Here's a brief tour of some of the highlights of this unusual weather pattern.

If you want to start things off with a bang – at least in the oceanic sense – you can do so quite literally at Depoe Bay. Monday, this often raucous place was again in a wild mood, with wanton waves to match. The Spouting Horn in town was going sufficiently bonkers, soaking onlookers at least a little. But mostly those waves were gargantuan at times. In this case, they were at least 40 feet high.

Head down the road a tad to the Devil's Punchbowl and you're in for, well, one helluva sight. The Punchbowl itself wasn't such in an especially manic mood, although it was plenty riled up. But the waves in the surrounding area were big enough to make some hefty impressions. Here, you're looking out to the southwest, towards Newport a bit.

Just below this viewpoint, this was the absorbing scene. Yes, it's indeed November, but the temps were up around 60 out here. This made for quite the epiphany when you realized the rather wild wave conditions and the mix of warm temps. What a dichotomy.

A bit further south is Beverly Beach State Park, sitting astride Spencer Creek and a massive bridge that hosts Highway 101 overhead. The rocky cliffs here are fascinating in structure, and the whole scene became ever more so as a fog began wandering in.

One of the fascinating features here is the big, ancient stump – some 4,000 years old. It was part of a “ghost forest” in the area until it was washed up here back in the 90's. There are numerous ghost forests around the Oregon coast, including near Cannon Beach, Seal Rock, Arch Cape, Newport and the one seen year-round at Neskowin.

More towards dusk, the fog encroaches more heavily on Beverly Beach and its bridge.

Wander a bit further down the road and you hit Moolack Beach, which quickly became inhospitable and ill tempered with its sneakers waves. These were truly scary.

The day ends with some stunning, ethereal scenes around Nye Beach in Newport. The fog, mixing with various light sources, turns the thick masses of fuzzy air wandering past the Turnaround some interesting shades of purple.

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