54. Digging for clams is good (but not clean) fun on the coast.
Clamming is a great avenue for getting out and enjoying the outdoors on the coast. Often rewarding, sometimes frustrating, but always fun, this pastime has primitive roots. Natives on the coast would forage for food by digging clams.
Species found on Coos Bay include Martha Washington, Empire (horseneck), soft-shell, cockle and steamer (little-neck) clams. The Empire and steamer varieties are the most popular with clamdiggers in our region, as they seem to be the most abundant.
Knowing what to look for is crucial for clamming. Each clam has its own distinct hole pattern. This dictates the technique and tool used for harvesting. Some clams require raking the surface to expose them, while others necessitate digging with a clam shovel. Understanding and monitoring tides is important for clamming. Attempting to dig clams on too high a tide may result in a bucket of sandshrimp ‹ and no clams. Pick up a tide book and plan to go clamming on a minus tide. Two hours before and after low-tide is the window for optimum clamming. Clean the sand out of the clams by soaking them in cool, fresh water for two to three hours. Remove the outer layer of skin on the necks and tenderize the clam by smashing with a meat-tenderizer. For a tasty treat, whip two eggs in a bowl, bread the clams in crackermeal and fry to a golden-brown over medium heat. Enjoy!
More of Interest:
Wavecrest
Discoveries
Seaport
RV Park, Charleston
The Portside Restaurant
Oregon Institute of Marine Biology
55. Area parks are just ducky.
Not only do many city and county parks include playgrounds for youngsters, many also are good spots to picnic and feed ducks and geese.
Coos Bay’s finest duck gathering spots are Mingus Park and John Topits Park at Empire Lakes.
Mingus Park, located just a few blocks from downtown, is one of the most popular places to bring a lunch to share with the attentive waterfowl. There is a paved walkway all around the pond with plenty of spots to throw bread scraps to the ducks. The cackling, waddling, quacking crowd is all too eager to follow visitors around on their journey through the park, to the playground, over the bridge to the Japanese Gardens and on to the swimming pool. John Topits Park is located off of Newark Avenue next to the Southwestern Oregon Community College Campus. Once there, visitors can fish and feed the ducks or walk around one of the lakes.
As for county parks, Tenmile Lakes at Lakeside is a good one to visit. There’s a nice ramp off which to feed the ducks and you can fish while doing it.
56. Don’t leave your skateboards at home.
Instead of skateboarding down the streets of Coos Bay, skaters now have a concrete course available at Mingus Park.
Steve Doty, operations administrator for the city, said the skateboard park has been around for about six years.
“It is a simple design,” he said. “The project cost the city about $10,000 to $12,000.”
The park is open daily until dark, but Doty said skaters often use the park even later.
“As long as they are not making too much noise, I don’t think there has been very many complaints,” he said.
A skateboarding park is also in the works for the city of Myrtle Point. The new facility will be located in Lehnherr Park and the city hopes to begin construction in August. Youth are using the park’s old tennis courts as a makeshift skateboard and in-line skating area.
57. Beachcombing: It’s impossible to pick up just one shell.
Looking for shells along Oregon beaches is a favorite pastime of many visitors and local residents.
There are some things people should remember to bring along before setting off on one of these journeys. Even if it’s sunny, a warm jacket is a must to protect against cool north winds in the afternoon, as are good shoes, a hat and something in which to carry your treasures. Here is a list of several state parks on the South Coast that are good for beachcombing and other activities such as picnicking.
Bandon State Natural Area
Bolon Island Tideways State Scenic Corridor, near Reedsport
Bullards Beach State Park, near Bandon
Cape Blanco State Park, in Curry County
Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, near Bandon
Harris Beach State Recreation Area, near Brookings
Humbug Mountain State Park, in Curry County
McVay Rock State Recreation Site, in Curry County
Otter Point State Recreation Site, in Curry County
Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint, Curry County
Port Orford Head State Park, in Curry County
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, in Curry County
Seven Devils State Recreation Site, in Coos County
Shore Acres State Park, in Coos County
Sunset Bay State Park, in Coos County
Winchuck State Recreation Site, in Curry County
Remember there is a $3 day fee for using many parks and it’s best not to leave anything valuable in your vehicle, especially in remote areas.
For more information, those interested can check out the state’s Web site .
58. Go play tennis or basketball.
Tennis and basketball are two sports that can be played 365 days a year, even on the South Coast ‹ which has plenty of places to play, rain or shine. Coos Bay/North Bend has many options for the tennis fan. The best-equipped facility is the William J. Sweet Memorial Tennis Center located at 3333
Walnut St. off of Ocean Blvd. in Coos Bay.
The tennis center, which operates with the Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon, has five indoor courts and an on-site pro shop. From novice to pro, the center has designated nightly gatherings for all and can be reached at 541-269-2475.
Also in Coos Bay are four courts at Mingus Park near downtown. These courts have an excellent surface and are popular in the summer time. Southwestern Oregon Community College has four playable courts on the northeastern part of campus as well.
North Bend High School has seven courts near the swimming pool with two more behind the adjacent junior high school. Other North Bend locations include two courts in Simpson Heights (near Ferry Road Park) and in Airport Heights.
Holding serve around the rest of the South Coast are: Reedsport has two courts near its high school and U.S. Highway 101; Coquille has two courts near the hospital on Fifth Street; two good courts in Myrtle Point past Tubby’s Restaurant a block down the road on the left; and Powers has courts at County Park. The courts at Coquille and Myrtle Point require keys that are available at the city halls.
For
hoop fans, indoor basketball courts are littered around the Bay area, mostly
at local high schools (Marshfield and North Bend) and Southwestern
Oregon
Community College. Some of the better outdoor sites with full courts are
at Airport Heights in North Bend and Mingus Park in Coos Bay.
59. Coos Bay Boardwalk: A good place to stretch your legs, learn about historic peoples.
Welcome to the Coos Bay Boardwalk. This will be one of the first things visitors see as they enter downtown. Flags of 22 countries line the walkway that winds along the waterfront with U.S. Highway 101 alongside. One can grab a cup of coffee from a local coffee house or bring a lunch from a local restaurant and enjoy the scenery, while sitting at one of many benches or picnic tables along the boardwalk.
Or, take a self-guided tour of the boardwalk, seeing information about the Bay Area. In the pavilions, visitors can study a historic tug boat or walk on a map of the Coos River watershed. There is information about how people have used the watershed since prehistoric times and have lived worked and played here. Pictures and information about how the waterways were used are on display as one tours the boardwalk. History of the Marshfield waterfront is displayed as are histories of the Coos Indians and the natural harbor. Housed in one of the pavilions are 14 beams showing visitors the types of woods that grow in the area.
The boardwalk and interpretive structures were dedicated July 16, 1994. The old wooden tug exhibit of the Koos 2 includes information about how the vessel was used in the early 1920s. It was retired in 1987 and donated by Knutson Towboat Company. Next to the tug, are docked ocean-going tugs used by Coos Bay-based Sause Bros. Ocean Towing in its sea-going cargo operations worldwide.
There also is a marina that is home to the Rendezvous tour boat and many smaller fishing boats and pleasure boats. Also, one can stroll along the paved walkway to exercise the dog and take in the sights of Eastside, where ships can be seen docked at the Georgia-Pacific dock across the bay. It’s a good place to watch wildlife, too, as seals are common in the bay along with waterfowl.
More of Interest:
Oregon International Port of Coos Bay
Checkerberry's Flowers & Gifts
60. Raft the Rogue or take a mail boat.
One of the more unique experiences the South Coast has to offer is the mail boat trip up the Rogue River. The jet boat excursion first started in 1895 out of a need for mail delivery service into the river canyon, but now is a six-month tourist event into the wilderness back country of Curry County. The mail boat trips averages 30,000 passengers a year into the wild and scenic areas of the Rogue River where everything from black bears upriver to sea lions at the mouth of the river can be seen. The jet boats can skim over shallow waters and offer three different trip
lengths: a 64-mile round-trip runs 32 miles up the river to Agness; an 80-mile round trip into the white water section north of Agness; and a 104-mile round trip upstream to Blossom Bar rapids (as far as the boats can go). All trips include a one-to-two hours break and a meal stop at the passengers’ choice of three different docks in Agness. The mail boats run seven days a week from May 1 to the end of October, and morning and afternoon departures are available in July and August. For trip reservations, call Rogue River Mail Boat Trips at (800) 458-3511 for schedule, pricing and history.
Upper Rogue River also has plenty of rafting opportunities near Grants Pass in the wild section of the river. Many raft tours last three to five days.
For more information, contact Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce at (800) 547-5927.
More of Interest:
61. Movie listings for Coos Bay and North Bend theaters
Movie listings for Coos Bay and North Bend theaters run daily in The World.
In Friday editions, descriptions of shows are also included on Page A6.
Florence Cinemas, Emporium Shopping Center, 1930 U.S. Highway 101,
Florence, (541) 997-2727
Harbor Theater, Old Town Florence, (541) 997-3361
Pony 4 Theaters, Pony Village Shopping Center, North Bend, (541) 756-3447
Egyptian Theatre, 229 S. Broadway, Coos Bay, (541) 267-3456
Savoy Theater, 811 Oregon St., Port Orford, (541) 332-3105
Redwood Theater, 621 Chetco Ave., Brookings, (541) 469-3701.
62.
Gaze at the grazers at Dean Creek.
The Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area is a favorite stop for locals and tourists alike. The area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is home to a herd of more than 60 Roosevelt elk that graze and lounge in former pastureland along marshes.
The three-mile-long reserve cut by wetlands is located a few miles east of Reedsport. It includes parking lots and information kiosks.
Binoculars aren’t necessarily needed to view the elk, since the elk are hardly timid and usually somewhat close to the road. There are spotting scopes on-site, though, for those who want to look an elk in the eye. The viewing area is also extremely popular with photographers.
The area also includes interpretive panels and handicapped-accessible restrooms.
Once managed for cattle, it’s not unusual now to see dozens of elk on the property, especially during hunting season.
The wetlands within the viewing area also provide a good area for bird watching. Great blue herons and puddle ducks are common. Spotting scopes only please.
63. New River---a spot for those who prefer solitude.
The Bureau of Land Management’s New River is a good spot for a break on a coast driving tour.
New River is just that, a stream formed about 120 years ago in a low-lying marshy area. Much of the area was pastureland that flooded and aided by diking from ranchers eventually formed the river that meanders parallel to the beach before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.
Plan to spend a full day or at least a long afternoon here, because to see the river, a hike is required. The gravel road that leads to the river’s edge is closed during the summer months. It’s not a trek for people in wheelchairs. People with toddlers should plan to carry or pack them. For others, the hiking is fairly easy. The 1,168 acres is cut by several trails that lead to Muddy Lake, along wetlands, dune and through a young coastal forest. One caution: The Ocean View Trail can be a challenge for those who are packing children, because of the brush and trees that often crowd the trail.
New River is designated an area of critical environmental concern. The threatened Western snowy plovers nest and forage near the beaches. Chinook and coho salmon migrate through the river. It’s also an area used by many schools for science and ecology study.
To get there, drive about eight miles south of Bandon, turn right on Croft Road. For those traveling north from Langlois, go about 4.5 miles and turn left onto Croft Road. There is a site host stationed at the parking lot.
64. Powers to Agness road offers view of Coast Range.
The remote road from Powers to Agness is part of a national scenic byway.
It’s a road intended for drivers willing to take their time, especially on the 10-mile gravel stretch on the Agness side of the pass over the Siskiyou Mountain Range.
The road was just re-opened last fall after being closed for more than a year because of slides. But it’s not just re-opened, the road also is improved in some ways.
“We have started doing some interpretive signs along the route and we have more planned,” said Carl Linderman, ranger of the Powers Ranger District Officials from both the Powers and Gold Beach ranger districts are planning interpretive signs to highlight the scenery and history of the route linking the ranger districts. “It’s an ongoing project that we have,” Linderman said. “We are trying to interpret all the different things that are along there from geology to plants.”m For example, a small nature trail has been added at the Daphne Grove campground south of Powers, he said. Even without the interpretive signs, the trip provides some scenic views of the forest and the upper reaches of the Coquille River. The most spectacular view is just on the Agness side of the pass, looking down into the Rogue River valley.