Secrets of the Season

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Central Oregon Coast Brings Out Whales Last Week of August

Killer whale surfacing near Florence (photo Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium)

(Depoe Bay, Oregon) - To the whales lingering around the Oregon coast and the Washington coast, the region is probably just a pit stop for a few million bites of phytoplankton. But to thousands of visitors to this section of the United States, the two coasts mean the biggest panoramic theater to nature’s gargantuan cetacean show.

Gray whales are plentiful in the region all summer and fall, but the central Oregon coast will make a point of it with a special whale watch week, held August 27 – September 3. Unlike the usual Whale Watch Weeks, which have volunteers up and down the entire coast at almost 30 different high vantage points, the Summer Whale Watch Week is limited to three spots on the central coast.

Cape Foulweather

They will be at Yaquina Head, Boiler Bay and the Whale Watch Spoken Here headquarters at Depoe Bay for that week. For these seven days, volunteers will be stationed at overlooks and parks all over the central coast, helping both children and adults learn about - and spot – gray whales in the ocean. Trained volunteers will be ready and waiting at those sites, daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It all started four years ago, when volunteers at the program wanted to celebrate its 25th year of existence. Newport’s Yaquina Head hosted the first one, said Whale Watch Center interpreter Linda Taylor.

“The volunteer who started it is no longer with us, but he insisted they continue it and that they add Boiler Bay,” Taylor said.

Boiler Bay, one of three official whale watch sites on the central coast

The current incarnation of this summer whale festival has more to do with spotlighting what is already there all summer and fall, and take advantage of those engaged in a last minute summer fling at the coast.

“It’s the last week of summer, so we take advantage of that and hold this for those who are out on the coast, and about ready to head back to work or school,” Taylor said. “Whales are really at their peak all summer long and in the fall.”

Taylor said the whales are loitering around these waters of the northwest, not really going anywhere – just here to grab a meal. “They go wherever the food is,” she said.

The peak migration seasons see some 18,000 of the cetaceans cruising either north or south – depending on the time of year. But Taylor said there are no statistics on how many are spotted along this coast from week to week.

Depoe Bay and its spouting horn, near the Whale Watch Center HQ

“It changes all the time,” Taylor said. “It differs from week to week how many whales are around here. So there aren’t any statistics on that.”

The central Oregon coast towns of Newport and Depoe Bay are the ticket to some of the best seats in the house in many ways – and for the entire season.

Both towns have the three official whale watching sites, as well as a plethora of whale watch vantage points and cruises, and two aquarium centers with loads of whale information.

Whale doing a spyhop (photo Lisa Judah-Altice)

In Newport, aside from the official site of Yaquina Head, other fantastic vantage points include: Don Davis State Park, in the historic Nye Beach neighborhood, and Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and Yaquina Bay each have their own lighthouse, while the Yaquina Head area has tide pools and an interpretive center. Other wonderful sites are a short drive away: the Depoe Bay Sea Wall, Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint, Cape Foulweather and the Devil's Punchbowl State Natural Area.

Also of great aide to tourists looking to spot the great beasts: this time of year means less winds and clearer skies. Less winds mean smaller waves, so the whales are much easier to spot. You can be looking at an area chock full of them, but if the waves are too choppy and big, they’re hidden behind the movement of the ocean. Clearer conditions also mean unobstructed viewing, while sunnier days make the ocean a deeper blue, making the contrast between the waves and the color of the whales easier to distinguish.

Whale surfacing (photo Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium)

September and early October bring the best weather of the entire year to the Oregon coast. It’s called “second summer,” actually, and it’s where the temperatures are at their warmest for a variety of scientific reasons.

Keith Chandler, with the Seaside Aquarium, said he sees more whales at this time of year than any other. “It’s not that there’s more whales out there. It’s just that the conditions are better to spot them.”

Visitors can learn even more with a healthy dose of fun by heading to Newport’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, which offers storytelling, interpretive programs and other events during the Whale Watch Weeks. While they’re there, they can meet the resident giant pacific octopus, Reuben, learn at the touch pool, shop the marine-centric bookstore or take a walk on the estuary trail (http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/visitor/).

Clifftops near Florence: also incredible viewpoints for whale watching

For most people, however, seeing a spout from a distance only whets their appetite for more. Visitors can see a whale up close by simply purchasing a spot on the deck of a charter boat. They come in all shapes and sizes in Newport, which is home to the largest charter and fishing fleet on the Oregon coast. Weather permitting, these seasoned captains can get visitors closer to nature than you’ve ever been before — and nothing compares to the shine on a whale’s fluke, massive and jaw-dropping, 100 feet away.

Newport's Nye Beach

Whales are just the beginning of Newport’s family-friendly attractions. Get up close to another of the coast’s most protected inhabitants, the Snowy Plover, at a new exhibit at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Since beach walkers are advised to stay far away from these birds and their nests on the beach, this sandy dune enclosure may be the closest you can ever get to this shy bird.

Visit the sea otters, the murres and the crustaceans at this favorite Newport destination, or check out many of its spring break events (www.aquarium.org).

After all that education, find some recreation at Newport’s vibrant Bayfront, complete with fishing boats, restaurants, galleries, candy stores, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Undersea Gardens (www.marinersquare.com).

Also, take a historic turn in Nye Beach, where upscale shops and cafes exude a new attitude. It’s here where Don Davis State Park sits, but there are numerous high vantage points bordering the neighborhood’s cobbled streets from which to view passing whales as well. Try the end of NW 3rd St., next to Sylvia Beach Hotel and Village Market & Deli, or the bottom of NW 11th, where the castle ruin-like remnants of a condo provide prime viewing from high up.

View from Cape Lookout

See www.whalespoken.org for more. Or for more information on Newport’s attractions and lodging opportunities, head to DiscoverNewport.com, or call 800-262-7844.

Whales will be plentiful up and down the entire coast for not just that week but through until October. Other fantastic places to spot them include the high overlooks just south of Cannon Beach, the overlook above Manzanita, the Three Capes Loop near Tillamook and its variety of high spots (Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and a variety of spots in between), Seal Rock (just south of Newport), the Devil's Churn (south of Yachats), plus a variety of high vantage clifftops between there and Florence.

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.

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