Wild, Wacky Maker of Monsters in One Oregon Coast Burgh

Published 06/06/22 at 6:45 PM PST
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Depoe Bay, Oregon) – Along those rough, intricate edges of the central Oregon coast, Depoe Bay has a reputation for monsters. This quiet little village halfway between Newport and Lincoln City regularly produces large, even gargantuan waves that are the cause of constant spectacle. It seems to happen no matter the weather. (Depoe Bay's South Point, all photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Wintertime is the best to catch the most incredible wave displays in this cozy little town between two giants on the central Oregon coast. Under the right tidal conditions, fissures in the rocks below the seawall downtown will squeeze the water into one giant squirt, spouting seawater high into the air. Occasionally you'll catch the delightfully surreal sight of the spouting horn shooting high enough to soak cars on the highway. Be prepared to get soaked if you're parked near them and venture outside your car.

There's few things more startling (but amusingly so) than being in that traffic and abruptly getting soaked by an ocean wave that was launched airborne by the spouting horn.

Depoe Bay is the only town on the Oregon coast with a spouting horn in its downtown area, much less in a populated spot. Depoe Bay's Spouting Horn Then and Now: Oregon Coast History

During especially high tide events, the entire seawall of Depoe Bay gets hit with the oceanic pyrotechnics. Walls of water can appear sometimes 30 feet high after slamming into the cliffs. While all this is exceptionally spectacular, it's also the most dangerous time of year. For some reason, some individuals have thought they were invincible and stepped over the seawall and onto the cliffs, only to get killed. Don't make such unwise decisions: stay behind the seawall.

North Point

Still, even in moderate to somewhat calm weather it doesn't take much for wild 'n wooly wave action. It takes extremely calm conditions to quiet the swells and explosions at Depoe Bay.

Other remarkable moments await just north of town, such as the viewpoints around Boiler Bay, where, if the tides are right, you can spot the boiler from an old shipwreck (which is where this spot got its name from).

Major water eruptions can be seen for miles around here, including Boiler Bay, Cape Foulweather, the winding thrills of Otter Loop Road, Fishing Rock State Park and Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint. Depoe Bay Maps and Virtual Tours

Rodea Point

Immediately south of that is Rodea Point and the entrance to Otter Loop Road. The point is one dramatic watery explosion after another, while the road hosts staggeringly beautiful cliffs, a dense rainforest and the delightful Ben Jones Bridge. Some of the most wowing scenery on the entire Oregon coast sits along this somewhat secretive route.

Hotels in Depoe Bay - Where to eat - Depoe Bay Maps and Virtual Tours

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