Wacky world of winter on the Oregon Coast
By Andre' Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach ConnectionOREGON COAST - There is much that isn’t known about winter on the coast. Yes, there’s storm watching, plenty of rain, great hotel deals and whale watching week. Everybody knows that. But it’s not stormy and rainy all the time, and there are plenty of surprises about how warm coastal weather really is. But reality is even stranger than fiction on the coast. Winter creates all sorts of other freaky wonders: ghost forests, strange stuff that washes up after storms, rarities revealed by winter sand erosion, and beaches that make some surreal noises. Oregon Coast Winter Myths Engaging storms are a big attraction, but there are more pleasant days in between them than many realize. Check out the weather stats here. There are sometimes more sunny days on the beaches than inland, according to many almanacs. Because of the ocean’s influence, the coast is more temperate in climate. That means that sunny days in winter on the coast are often warmer than those inland. If the valley is around the 30’s or 20’s, the coast is rarely gets that low. Surprise Spring of February Few know that statistically, February frequently has around 10 days of windless, warm days on the coast – often much balmier than the valley. Temps can be in the 60’s. The pattern is common around the world: by this time of year, you have enough sunlight to create a climate shift. But the coast’s more temperate nature creates this mini-spring before spring break. Strange Stuff Washing Up After Storms Storms make for surprise beachcombing afterwards. Two spectacular sights and finds are “ocean burps” and “whale burps,” although the technical name is detritus. Ocean burps are massive collections of stuff brought up from the seabed that’s different every time: cockleshells, rare rocks, fish bones, squid eggs, casings from other eggs, moon snail shells, and even many live creatures. From afar, they’ll look like brownish patches – sometimes yards in circumference. Whale burps is the nickname for rock-hard bundles of sea grass that have been compressed together. Weird Discoveries of Beach Erosion Winter scours sand from beaches – sometimes ten feet or more - and the rest of the year brings it back. But Oregon geologists have noticed sand levels aren’t getting replenished as much in recent years, yielding more and more odd discoveries. Last winter saw all sorts of strange wonders exposed: two historic cannon, 16 million year old bedrock, a mail truck from the 1920’s and a shipwreck. The last few years have seen weird geological structures called Red Towers (compacted iron deposits). More are likely this winter. Ghost Forests Another aspect of beach erosion is the yearly appearance of ghost forests: twisted, spooky-looking stumps from forests thousands of years old, preserved in the sand. Heavy winters bring them out at Newport’s Moolack Beach, near Seal Rock (Thiel Creek), Hug Point, Cape Kiwanda’s north face and Cape Lookout State Park. The most spectacular ghost forest is at Neskowin, near Lincoln City, and it’s visible year-round. It’s in danger, however. Sand levels were so low last winter that some were uprooted. Your Favorite Beach Will Change in Winter Lower sand levels in winter mean more exposed rock beds and beaches that look different than you’re used to. Check out your favorite beach and see what’s new. Lincoln City’s beaches look very different right now, with more rocks showing than usual. Agate Hunting Exposed gravel areas are often a green light for agate hunters. Patches of rounded stones uncovered by sand are also a good place to look. The central coast has some good ones, including places to find the famed “Newport blues:” Lost Creek and Thiel Creek (south of Newport and just a tad north of Seal Rock), as well as Ona Beach. Newport’s Agate Beach and Nye Beach can also be good places. Beaches That Make Strange Noises They’re nicknamed "magic rock beaches" because of a puzzling, esoteric noise created by stones moving and crackling in the tide. Though it’s heard year-round, it’s more prominent in the winter when the ocean really makes these cobblestones rattle. In some beaches, like the bottom of Yaquina Head or at the north coast village of Cape Meares, it is loud, even to the point of almost a roar. These are also found at Oceanside, Rock Creek Campground between Yachats and Florence and in parts of Arch Cape.
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Andre' Hagestedt is the editor of 
