Dead Oregon Coast Whale May Have Its Home on Beach Near Manzanita

Published 09/22/2016 at 7:21 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) - A 38-foot deceased Humpback whale that washed in and out of north Oregon coast beaches this week seems to have found a permanent home at Short Sand Beach in Oswald West State Park. (Photo of the humpback at Oswald West State Park courtesy Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium).

Or at least as permanent as any beach can get. Its current spot is considered stable enough that Oregon coast officials – including Oregon Parks and Recreations Department (OPRD) – are content to just leave it there. The biggest reason is that there is no way to get heavy equipment down there to bury it or get it out it the first place, so state officials will actually use it to teach about nature.

In fact, interpreters from OPRD will be on that beach this weekend from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to teach visitors about the whale and how it feeds the local environment.

When the full grown humpback washed up initially this weekend, it had a powerful and foul smell because its internal organs had burst out of it. Now, that smell is gone – but there will be some health issues to be aware of when visiting short sand while the whale is there.

Crews from the Seaside Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network's Portland State University office tried to do a necropsy on the dead whale Thursday, but with the internal organs gone – and the fact the whale has been dead too long – finding the actual cause of death is impossible.

Tiffany Boothe from the aquarium was one of those on scene Thursday.

“We didn't really discover anything,” Boothe said. “With the organs gone there was no way to do a necropsy.”

She said from what inspections they could do it seemed like a healthy whale, and yet there were no signs of trauma. Boothe said the crew did a long crosscut along the corpse and found no signs of hemorrhaging.

When it initially stranded last week, it was discovered the tail was missing. But Seaside Aquarium crews strongly believe that happened postmortem, and that it was a boat that had severed the tail when passing the carcass as it floated along.

Boothe said blubber will go for testing for heavy metals.

Keith Chandler, aquarium manager, said the intense smell came from the organs that spilled out of the carcass when it first landed on Falcon Cove Beach – about two miles north of short sand. At that first stranding, Chandler said he could literally smell it one mile away.

Now, the whale will serve as a teaching moment. Chandler said it will likely remain on this beach for a long time, as short sand is not as steep or as dynamic in tidal action as Falcon Cove Beach. A good storm or high tide could whisk it away again, however.

OPRD staff will tell the public about how the whale will continue to feed nutrients into the ocean, feeding the crabs, fish and other creatures and plants.

“This is all a part of nature,” Chandler said. “It's all part of the normal natural cycle.”

Still, Chandler warned you should definitely stay away from the creature's remains, as contact by you or your pets could mean contracting disease.

“Keep animals off any dead creature on the beach,” Chandler said. “Always keep a leash on them when you're around a dead thing like this. And yeah: don't touch it. It's really tempting, but don't.”

short sand is a hugely popular surfing hotspot on the north Oregon coast as well, and Chandler said you should stay out of water that is near the dead whale. That goes for swimmers and surfers, he said.

“Use common sense,” he said. “Don't swim in areas around the whale.”

Manzanita Hotels for this - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour

More of the whale photos from this week, courtesy Seaside Aquarium

Below: Short Sand Beach

 

More About Manzanita, Rockaway, Wheeler Lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 

Outstanding Hotels / Places to Stay at Gold Beach: Quirky Gems of S. Oregon C...
Gold Beach boasts a lot more than many may know. Gold Beach hotel reviews

Best Rooms for Close Walk to Silver Point
7 Oct 2026 at 9:15am
Tolovana Inn is the closest you'll get to walking to the southern Cannon Beach wonder. Cannon Beach reviews

What's Old is New Again on Oregon Coast: Inn of the Four Winds Reopens As New...
Some of the biggest ocean views in Seaside, historical charm. Seaside hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel review

Beaches 2026: Giving the Oregon Coast Online
20 Aug 2026 at 4:35am
New ways to give the gift of a night at the beach or fun gear. Rockaway Beach hotel reviews, Lincoln City hotel reviews, Manzanita hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel reviews, Pacific City hotel specials, Pacific City hotel reviews, Newport lodging deals, Newport hotel reviews

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles)

October Vacation Rental Deals in Lincoln City - Central Oregon Coast. A1 Beach Rentals
2 Oct 2026 at 8:05am
Some rates lower than most motels. Lincoln City

Oregon Wildlife Officials: Bear Advice for the Season, Especially the Coast
25 Oct 2026 at 10:06pm
Autumn temps are triggering Oregon's annual bear feeding season. Sciences

Silverton Oregon Weather - 7-Day Forecasts, Alerts, Temps, Sky Cams, Snow, Storms - Silver Falls State Park
20 Sep 2026 at 6:47am
Silverton Oregon Weather - 7-Day Forecasts, Alerts, Temps, Sky Cams, Snow, Storms - Silver Falls State Park, Marion County

Search Suspended for Missing Pilot Off Oregon Coast - Newport
22 Sep 2026 at 9:28am
The 78-year-old crashed into the Pacific near 1 pm. Coast Guard. Astoria Coast Guard, North Bend Coast Guard

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is 'Off the Rails' with Fall Rides, Holiday Trips
6 Oct 2026 at 5:49pm
Fall Splendor rides now taking off, holiday rides announced: Wheeler events, Rockaway Beach events, Garibaldi events, Tillamook events

Active Winds Along Oregon Coast, Cascades and Valleys: Touch of a Fall Storm
25 Sep 2026 at 9:22pm
UPDATES: High Wind Advisories in Valley, Gorge. Gale watch along the coast, brief thunderstorms in NW Oregon possible. Weather

Oregon Coast Warm 'n Fuzzies: Manzanita's Ocean Inn Launches Winter Deals
20 Oct 2026 at 9:22pm
Nifty special to get your bones warmed on those chilly to windy winter beach days. Ocean Inn, Manzanita hotel specials, Manzania reviews

Lincoln City's NW 15th St. Ramp, Oregon Coast Access #44: To Drive or Not to Drive
29 Oct 2026 at 9:21pm
Rules about driving on the beach; odd science of the access. D River access, Roads End. Part of the Lincoln City, Oregon Coast Virtual Tour, Inland 101, Neskowin

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright © Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted