Inside Devil's Punchbowl - Extraordinary Depoe Bay
Depoe Bay Virtual Tour

The Devil’s Punchbowl sits at the tip of Otter Rock, about a mile or two south of the cape. Normally, this wacky-colored sea cave is swirling with an angry tide, especially in the winter when storms compact the waves into a mighty mess. Even in the calmer waters of summer, it’s interesting to watch stuff roll around in there.

Periodically, perhaps no more than once or twice a year, extreme low tide events allow access from the beach below Otter Rock, and you can actually walk inside this raucous little cavern.

All around you are weird walls of smeared and melded colors, evidence of the constant churning that goes on in there. The floor is covered with all manner of marine debris, but mostly it’s layered with polished stones ranging in size from large rocks to sizable boulders. It’s not easy to walk about inside.

During these rare events, you still have to watch very carefully for the incoming tide, as it is swift and merciless. This isn’t a place you want to get caught inside, as the canal-like rocks on the outside that sort of guard the Punchbowl’s interior are often flooded with fairly high water even in these low tide events (pictured here).

Really, entering and leaving the cave is the most dangerous part, and that is where you’ll have to watch closely for changing tidal conditions.