Читать книгу Grant's Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids - Grant McOmie - Страница 16

6

Written in the Rocks

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? I found one near Newport on the Oregon coast.

It’s a mystery about the formation of the Oregon coastline and where 12-million-year-old history is written in the rocks. Anyone can crack this case—all you need is a little time and a spirit of adventure.

South Beach State Park, a mile south of Newport, is a jewel in the rough across the Oregon outdoors. The 500-acre parkland offers spacious campgrounds—with nearly 280 sites—that are perfect for tents or trailers. Plus, another thirty yurts for folks who like to camp but lack all the gear. Many of the park’s facilities are ADA accessible and throughout the summer months bike rentals are available as well as daily interpretive programs, guided hikes, and Junior Ranger activities. Restrooms and hot showers make the park especially family friendly. Park Ranger Dani Padilla said that South Beach State Park is often coined a “destination vacation” for the varied activities that are easy to find along the central coast. For example, she suggested a guided paddle trip (they are offered 5 days a week) on nearby Beaver Creek: “Paddling on Beaver Creek is one of the most peaceful and one of the closest times you can get in tune with nature. We don’t have tidal influence on Beaver Creek so you’re not worried about the tides or the waves, and you will see all the migratory birds, eagles, and ospreys.” Also nearby the campground are a playground, horseshoe pits, and a 9-hole disc golf course. You can check out horseshoes and discs or pick up maps, brochures, souvenirs, and camp items at the hospitality center.

More than 3 million visitors flock to the 24-mile stretch of beach between South Newport and Yachats each year. And yet—according to Assistant Park Manager Alan Freudenthal, the search for peace, quiet, and solitude takes very little effort: “You may look a little bit more and you may need to get a little further away from the cities, but places like Brian Booth State Park includes Beaver Creek, Ona Beach, and more—there are great hiking trails throughout that allow you to hike to the top of a mountain and see the ocean and not hear any road noise or see very few people.”

You can discover Oregon history that’s written in the rocks like this cockle clam fossil that’s 12 million years old.

Park Ranger Christopher Maitlen said that beachside agate collecting is a popular recreation, especially with the kids and pays off with gorgeous stones that park visitors can keep. Maitlen is a big fan of the park’s interpretive program called Beach Booty 101 and that’s no surprise—he’s the teacher. The two of us met at Ona Beach and watched the kids frolic in the sand and the knee-deep water—some youngsters were bent over to carefully scan the sand. It was an obvious clue that the kids were looking for treasures. “This is called a wrack line, Grant, the line of debris left on the beach by high tide,” explained the longtime ranger. “We actually have two wrack lines from the two high tides each day. As you can see, we have a few specimens of agates and shells along this line mixed in with all the vegetation.”

Collecting agates is for personal use only! You are allowed 1 gallon per day and you must use your own bucket to collect them. Critically, no digging into the sand is allowed; you must pick the agates off the beach. “That’s to keep it from going to commercial use,” said Maitlen. “This is for private collections so you can have a memory of your visit to the coast.” Maitlen loves to share his own collections that show you what you might find for very little effort; not just agates or jaspers but fossils that date back more than 12 million years and where he insisted, “Oregon history is written in the rocks.”

“Creatures—mostly clams or snails—are frozen in time, captured in layers of sandstone,” he said. “It’s kinda funny—there they were, living a happy day on the beach just like you or I might, and then all of a sudden a dramatic explosion occurred and silt and volcanic ash covered them up. Through millions of years, pressure and heat fossilized the shell matter.”

Maitlen explained that Oregon was once a tropical landscape with volcanic activity a constant marker of time—tying to understand how it all changed is a part of the mystery that he loves to consider: “The rocks and fossils humble me when I consider the passage of so much time that I can hold right in my hand. I know that I am just a speck on this planet for a fraction of time and Oregon State Parks rangers and other staff feel it’s important that we offer visitors the chance to find these treasures too. It’s a wonderful thing and we’ll continue to offer assistance to families that want to enjoy agate collecting. So get out here and take a walk because the agate beds are where you find them.”

Agates are found all along the Oregon coast, but this stretch from South Newport to Yachats can be especially bountiful. Be sure to check the tide schedule and do your beachcombing during outgoing tide to readily access the high-tide wrack lines and uncovered gravel. Venturing out after a storm can yield positive results as stormy waves deposit new finds on the beach. Agates are usually translucent and can be easier to find when still wet and shining in the sun. Also keep an eye out for petrified wood and fossilized shells. If you start your agate hunt at Brian Booth State Park you will find restrooms, picnic tables, and a paved parking area.

6A South Beach State Park

Where: 5044 Oregon Coast Highway, South Beach, OR 97366

Web: oregonstateparks.org

Phone: 800-551-6949; 541-867-7451

6B Brian Booth State Park/Ona Beach

Where: Spans US Highway 101 at the intersection with North Beaver Creek Road, 1.6 miles north of Seal Rock, OR 97376

Web: oregonstateparks.org

Phone: 800-551-6949; 541-867-7451

Watch the Episode: traveloregon.com/RockWriting

TIP

On the Coast with the Kids

A trip to the coast can be fun, exciting, and relaxing all in one, but parents need to know the risks. Situations change rapidly at the beach: tides, sneaker waves, sinkholes, and sandbars can create a tricky environment. The best way to ensure your family stays safe is to pay attention and stick together. It’s tempting to relax on the sand with a good book while your kids frolic in the surf, but always stay with your children in the water. Regardless of whether they are strong swimmers, waves can quickly upend a child and rip currents can pull strongly even when just wading in the water. Having an adult within arm’s reach can prevent disaster.

Keep foremost in your mind the phrase “Never turn your back on the ocean.” Oregon’s sneaker waves are exactly that—sneaky—and they can catch your whole family off guard. It’s easy to lose your balance in the sand when quickly surrounded by these high-washing waves. Or worse, to be toppled off a drift log you thought was well beyond the ocean’s reach. Never allow children to play on or around beached logs as just a small film of water can lift them far enough off the sand to roll over children and adults. Even small logs can be waterlogged and far too heavy to lift. And sneaker waves can carry with them a literal ton of sand that can weigh you down quickly.

Cliffs and rocks can be equally dangerous as wave and current patterns vary around these formations. Cliffs can be unstable and rocks can have sharp or rough edges and be slippery at any time. Use caution and never consider these natural features as play areas.

Even in familiar areas, unexpected changes in topography or landmarks can occur. The ocean is ever-changing and the hazards on a particular beach the previous summer may be completely different during a different season or the next year. Before you go, familiarize yourself with riptides, rip currents, and undertows. Know how to spot and avoid them, and educate yourself and your children on what to do if you encounter them. Swim parallel to shore until you escape a current’s path. Always obey posted warnings and off-limits areas.

A trip to the coast is a wonderful way to build lasting memories with the whole family. Remaining vigilant during your visit helps ensure those memories are all positive.