Unusual Sights, Rare Fish, Hit North Oregon Coast

(Seaside, Oregon) – Mother Nature went a little wild in this north Oregon coast town this past week, with the surreal sight of snow covering the beach, masses of bull kelp washing up on shore and a rare, tropical fish getting tossed up by the tide.

Tiffany Boothe, spokesperson for the Seaside Aquarium, snapped some interesting shots of the snow coming down on the beach – a rarity on the Oregon coast. The white stuff lasted through most of Monday and Tuesday, finally completely melting off on Tuesday morning, Boothe said.

Snow and ice also covered Cannon Beach Tuesday, as well as covering much of Highway 101. These icy conditions caused numerous spin-outs, small wrecks and at least two vehicles flipped over, including one in Gearhart.

In Manzanita, about 25 miles south, San Dune Inn owner Brian Hines said the area received quite a mixed bag of weather on Monday. “Pretty freaky weather,” Hines said. “We have had everything: rain, hail, snow, wind, sun, black clouds. All were taking turns and alternating.”

Boothe photographed a huge wash of a species of kelp on Seaside’s beaches, called bull kelp. The stranding of these was some of the biggest the crew at the aquarium had seen in a while.

“The latest winds littered the beach with Bull Kelp one of the largest species of kelp in the world,” Booth said. “They can grow over five inches a day and over 80 feet in a year; it is an annual species.”

As if all that meteorological adventure wasn’t enough, the aquarium crew was alerted to a rare and slightly strange fish that washed up with the recent storm surges. It too was covered in snow.

“We also found an Ocean Sun Fish just south of the Sunset Beach access,” Booth said.

The technical name for an Ocean Sun Fish is Mola mola, and it’s mostly found in tropical and warmer waters than those off Oregon’s.

“They are not uncommon to this area, however, because they live a ways off shore,” Boothe said. “We don't see them on the beach that often. They usually frequent the northern coast in the summer or fall when the ocean is a bit warmer, so for the Mola mola to wash in during this time of year is a bit odd.”

Boothe said these kinds of fish can reach lengths of up to 10 feet and weigh as much as 3,000 pounds. The one found on the Sunset Beach was only about three feet.

“These are unique fish that feed on jellyfish and seem to spend most of their time basking in the sun, lazily floating along the ocean's surface,” Booth said.

Seaside Aquarium is on the Prom in Seaside. (503) 738-6211.

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