Secrets of the Season

Family Fun Nightlife Frivolity Subscribe to BC news RSS Feeds Add BC news to YOUR site

Oregon Coast Wacky Weather, Picks of the Week

High points above Manzanita are some of the most satisfying destinations in any weather

(Oregon Coast) - This week's Oregon coast picks feature some good old fashioned fun in the form of a barbershop festival in Yachats and a massive food fest in Seaside. Then, for some bonus fun, there's some tricky weather on tap for the week, which will later likely yield some surprises on the beaches.

The weather on the Oregon coast is a mix of interesting elements. There is a high surf advisory in effect until Wednesday afternoon, while the coast range is under a winter storm advisory. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued those alerts.

The high surf advisory warns of large swells generated by a strong storm system in Alaska, with sea swells rising to 20 feet late Wednesday evening. “A high surf advisory means that high surf will affect beaches in the advisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion,” said the NWS in a bulletin.

Seaside in the snow, last year (photo Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium)

It can be very dangerous to venture onto the beaches in such conditions. You can be swept off rocks or jetties, or sucked out in a big sneaker wave.

However, after the storm, one of the picks of the week will be the fabulous beachcombing this can result in. There are numerous reports all over the Oregon coast of agates being unearthed or brought in by the tide in great numbers, plenty of odd beach debris, and a bevy of curious creatures have been shoved onshore by the winter wave action.

The coast range and routes to and from the coast are under a winter storm warning through 6 a.m. on Wednesday, said the NWS. Snow levels are dipping below 500 feet, and accumulations of three to six inches are likely overnight.

Earlier on Tuesday, four inches of snow hit the Sunset Summit of Highway 26 and seven inches were reported on hills west of Dallas, on the way to the central coast. Strong winds are also possible, along with ice, although the bulk of these problems should be gone by later morning on Wednesday, allowing better traffic conditions throughout the day.

Oceanside

Best Beaches for This Week

Weather through the week and weekend calls for rain and temperatures in the 40’s on the Oregon coast, which doesn’t make for ideal beachcombing conditions. So, for this week, the beach picks revolve around high vantage spots to watch any wave action, or simply enjoy the rain and surf from your car.

Oceanside – just west of Tillamook - will be excellent for this, boasting a big parking lot that practically makes up the largest portion of this tiny town. Maxwell Point, the headland in the distance, is often the cause and the recipient of some major wave pounding as it juts out into the sea, daring the breakers to give it a wallop. And they do.

Cliffs north of Florence

If you’re bouncing around the north coast, you can’t miss the overlook above Manzanita. With the mysterious pyramid-like rock looming above you, and you looming over this grandiose view of the surf, you can’t go wrong under any conditions.

The same goes for the massive cliffs just north of Florence. There, numerous turnouts allow you to take in the vastness of the sea from on high, surrounded by black, basalt brick walls that look a bit like a castle. Especially at night, these are particularly atmospheric, letting your imagination loose. It’s not hard to picture yourself in some creepy, old B/W gothic movie, inside the prerequisite castle perched above raging surf.

Barbershop Festival in Yachats

In Yachats, The Yachats Lions Club will host its 14th annual Barbershop Festival this Saturday night, February 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Yachats Commons (Hwy 101 and W 5th St).

Not far from the Barbershop weekend lies this dramatic oceanic madness

The festival will feature performances by the quartet Overtime, who won the International Senior Quartet Championship title in 2000, the Eugene Cascade Chorus, past Evergreen District Champions under the direction of Coby Foster, and the fabulous voices of the Sweet Adelines and Coastal Aires Chorus. Tickets are $15. Advance tickets are available in Yachats at Yachats Village Market, Shirley’s, the Yachats Visitors Center, from any Lion, or by calling Art Rotter, (541) 327-2801.

An “Afterglow” follows the show at the Lions Hall for an additional $8, and will include plenty of singing, food and soft drinks.

Overtime registered as an official SPEBSQSA (Barbershop Harmony Society) quartet in April 1999. Shortly thereafter, they entered their first Division contest and won the Seniors Division. They then won the championship title for quartets at the Evergreen District contest in Spokane, Washington, and in January 2000 were named International Seniors Champions in Tucson, Arizona. Although none of the quartet considers themselves "old" their accumulated age is 260 years. This includes 172 years of SPEBSQSA membership.

Seaside

Seaside Gets Sweet on You all Weekend

For those of the gluttonous set, the north Oregon coast resort town of Seaside has the ultimate date idea: a weekend of sweets, chowder and other comfort foods. It’s called “Chocolate ‘N Chowder, The Coastal Comforts of Seaside,” and it happens all over the lovely little town, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Think food: chocolate sundaes, chocolate chip bagels, razor clams and crab cakes. Restaurants will be offering chowder, seafood or chocolate and dessert specials. Candy stores will feature a variety of delectables, from truffles and fudge to taffy. Nighttime entertainment spots will offer chocolate martinis, other specialty drinks, chowder and brew specials. Retailers will have specials and sales. Hours vary with individual businesses.

Look for wondrous drink concoctions as well as sweets and seafood in Seaside

On Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., there will be free tastings of various chowders and chocolate concoctions at many businesses. This is also the First Saturday Art Walk, with hours extended from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Of special interest to women is the Seaside Sisters weekend at the Civic & Convention Center, Friday through Sunday. The event includes scrap booking “crops,” classes, exhibits, a shop hop, fashion show and a benefit Bunco tournament. Some portions of the event are free, or weekend and day passes are available. For Sisters information on line see www.seasidesistersevent.com .

Call Jeanne Clark or Doug Barker at the Seaside Chamber for more information. 503-738-6391

Cool Place to Stay of the Week

Tradewinds Motel

The Tradewinds Motel in Rockaway Beach. Sure they’ve got expansive ocean views, close proximity to golfing, fishing tours and quick access to seven miles of pristine beaches. But this place has a charm that cannot be denied, as well as a practicality for anyone from families, couples to large groups. Plus, some rooms are pet friendly.

All rooms at the Tradewinds Motel are immaculate and have TV’s, VCR’s and in-room phones with data ports. The oceanfronts all have a queen bed, a double hide-a-bed, kitchen, cozy firelog fireplace and a private deck. Some oceanfront units come with all those amenities but the kitchens. Both of those categories sleep up to four people.

The non-oceanfront rooms come with a queen bed, small fridge, and coffee maker – sizable for a two-person romantic getaway, yet still perfect for those on a budget. There is an elaborate oceanfront Jacuzzi suite that has two bedrooms, coming with a kitchen, double hide-a-bed, fireplace and private deck, sleeping as many as six.

For those wanting bigger accommodations for family reunions or large gatherings such as weddings, some rooms can connect to create two-room and three-room suites. 523 N. Pacific St., Rockaway Beach. (503) 355-2112 - 1-800-824-0938. www.tradewinds-motel.com

Inn at Cannon Beach. Beautifully wooded natural setting at quiet south end of Cannon Beach. Great during winter storms with a new book by the fireplace – or when the sun is out for family fun and beach strolling. Handsome beach cottage-style architecture. Lush flowering gardens and naturalized courtyard pond. Warm, inviting guest rooms. Continental buffet breakfast. Warm Cookies. Family and Pet Friendly. Welcome gifts. Smoke-free. Complimentary Wireless Connectivity. Wine and book signing events. 800-321-6304 or 503-436-9085. Hemlock At Surfcrest, Cannon Beach, Oregon. www.atcannonbeach.com.

RELATED STORIES

Click here for video of Dec. storm aftermath

Oregon Coast Best of Awards for the Year And the winners are: best of Oregon coast restaurants, lodgings, science, odd events in nature and stunning moments for 2007

Watching Transformations of Oregon Coast Beaches Seasons change and so do beaches, revealing different sides and a variety of eye-popping sights

Structures Found on Oregon Beach May Be 80,000 Years Old - They are the remnants of a forest apparently 80,000 years old, found at Hug Point

Day or Night Mysteries and Merriment on Oregon Coast It's more than just nightlife that comes to life, but the beaches offer major opportunities

Oregon Coast Travel Site Goes Wireless Provides Lodging Reports - Oregon Coast Beach Connection now has mobile lodging and dining listings, along with weekly lodging availability reports

CONTACT / ADVERTISE ON BEACH CONNECTION