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'Tis the Season for Record Number of Oregon Coast Whales |
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Covering 180 miles of Oregon coast travel: Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Rockaway, Garibaldi, Tillamook, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Wadport, Yachats & Florence.
12/24/06
Secrets of the Season |
'Tis the Season for Record Number of Oregon Coast Whales
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| Whale breaching near Seaside |
(Oregon Coast) - Whale Watch Week has just about descended on the Oregon coast, and state officials are saying it is a record year for catching the grandiose cetaceans on their travels southward.
Officials at the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay are saying there have been a record number of gray whale sightings all year, thanks to an abundance of food. Morris Grover, a spokesman for the center, said since the summer sightings are the highest they’ve ever seen.
In December and January, they migrate over 6,000 miles from their summer feeding grounds in Alaska to their winter calving grounds in Mexico. But this year, Grover said it’s been a non-stop parade of them. “There hasn’t been a time when we haven’t had whales since July,” Grover said. “There’ve been a lot of them all summer – and hopefully this will continue – because of the upwellings of nutrients. It’s the most food we’ve had for them in 20 years.”
Whales
are seen in great numbers throughout this time, and Oregon State Parks
and Recreation Department has set aside the last week of every year to
promote this spectacle with Whale Watch Week. Volunteers will be at 26
vantage points along the coast from December 26 through January 1, to
help whale watchers spot the cetaceans on their journey. They will be
stationed on the coast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Inn At Spanish Head, Lincoln City. It's Lincoln City’s only resort hotel built right on the beach with all oceanfront rooms - nestled against a rugged cliffside overlooking a soft, sandy beach. Enjoy dining in the penthouse restaurant and bar - whether you’re in the mood for a casual meal or a candlelight dinner. They offer an array of seafood specialties, juicy steaks and other Northwest favorites, including a decadent Sunday buffet. Rooms range from bedrooms to studios to one-bedroom suites with microwaves and refrigerators to full kitchens. Hotel amenities include wi-fi, spa, saunas, exercise room and a year-round heated swimming pool. Kids will love the game room and easy beach access. Full-service conference and meeting rooms for that inspirational retreat; extensive, gorgeous wedding possibilities. Near the south end of Lincoln City at 4009 SW Highway 101. 1-800-452-8127 or 541-996-2161. www.spanishhead.com |
Sightings have been
30 percent above normal since July, Grover said, and the numbers tower
above last year’s record lows. The Whale
Watching Center is comparing numbers to other years and the count is
higher because of the whales' proximity, meaning they are easier to
spot because of how close to shore they are showing up.
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| Depoe Bay: more attractions than just whales |
“Typically, the summer whales are gone by November,” Grover said. “But they didn’t leave. So the summer whales - about 200 - are traveling with the arctic whales. We can’t have more whales, because there are only 18,000. But they are showing higher counts because they are closer to shore where they can get bites to eat.”
Grover said nine of them showed up in Depoe Bay on Saturday to chow down.
Tradewinds Motel, Rockaway Beach If expansive ocean views, close proximity to golfing, fishing tours and quick access to seven miles of pristine beaches is your thing, then this quintessential beauty in Rockaway Beach is your ticket to vacation fun for families, couples or large groups. 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 types sleep up to four people. The non-oceanfront rooms are appointed 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 |
“There’s been no change in their food supply here,” Grover said.
The beasties eat a form of shrimp called mysids, which are about the size of mosquitoes. These are brought up in great numbers by the upwellings because they feed on the phytoplankton that comes with the upwellings. Grover said the abundance of kelp beds on the Oregon coast also make conditions agreeable for the gray whales’ food. “Wherever there’s kelp, there’s mysids,” Grover said.
These upwellings of food and bio-matter are not necessarily related to the upwellings which probably created the dead zone earlier this year, said Grover. But the fact the ocean is in a kind of overactive nutrient production mode bodes well for next year’s whale watching.
“All this probably means more food next year, and that will mean more whales,” Grover said.
See more at www.whalespoken.org.
Upwellings can cause
other strange sights, such as glowing phytoplankton, see:
Curious
Ocean Sights A Week Before Oregon Coast Storm Glowing
phytoplankton was seen in Newport in some unusual circumstances
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Lincoln City Vacation Homes There’s something for everyone among this selection of wondrous homes: smaller homes with a view to a large house that sleeps 15. All the homes are either oceanfront or just a few steps away from the sand – all with a low bank access and fantastic views. Most are in the Nelscott area; one is close to the casino. You’ll find a variety of goodies, depending on the home: fireplaces, multiple bedrooms, dishwashers, Jacuzzis, washer/dryers, hot tubs, cable TV, VCR, barbecues; there’s a loft in one, and another sprawling home has two apartments. Pets are allowed in some homes – ask ahead. Each comes with complete kitchens so you’ll have a home away from home. Most have the seventh night free. Prices range from winter $85 to summer $230 per night. www.getaway2thecoast.com. 541-994-8778. |
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