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1.
Slide down a sand dune into a lake
Golden sand dunes next to freshwater lakes are common in the Oregon
Dunes National Recreation Area that stretches from North Bend to Florence.
Some lakes are bordered by really awesome steep dunes where you can slide
right down into the water. One of these places is at Honeyman State Park
just south of Florence.
Although
some of the small rainwater-filled lakes in the dunes tend to disappear as
the summer season progresses, others are deep permanent lakes fed by
streams and maintain their water level all summer. Hall Lake, just west of
Tugman Park near Lakeside, is one of these. A hike is required to get to
the lake, which has one of the highest, steepest dunes in the whole
40-mile stretch, rearing right out of the end of the lake. Managers of the
recreation area are in the process of making plans for trail, parking and
facility improvements at Hall Lake and want to offer many types of
educational and recreational experiences for visitors to the dunes. |
2. Smelt jigging great for
beginners and pros
Jigging for smelt can be called “cheap entertainment” for the whole
family, said Sandy Warner, owner of Basin Tackle in Charleston.
For less than $5, you can buy a herring jig setup that has six size 6 or 8
hooks on it and a 1/2- or 1-ounce bank sinker and be ready to go. The only
other necessity is a fishing pole and a bucket for the fish.
No bait is required. Smelt are attracted to the bright shiny hook bobbing
up and down in the water.
Smelt usually show up in the bay in May and June. The most popular spots
to drop a jig in the water are on `B’ dock, the transient dock, in the
Charleston Boat Basin or the public fishing dock between Hallmark
Fisheries and the South Slough Bridge at the county park.
No license is required and each person can catch up to 25 pounds quite
a lot using a jig, and seldom does anyone actually catch that many.
Warner said cleaning smelt is easy. The fish is gutted, then dipped or
rolled in flour, possibly with a little corn meal added in, and then
quick-fried. The meat peels away from the bones.
As with any outdoor activity, it’s always best to check the regulations.
The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife provides free fishing and
hunting regulations at its offices and most outdoor stores.
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3.
Coos Bay offers historical building tours
Coos Bay is full of historical buildings just waiting to be
discovered. Buildings on this tour were built as early as 1893 and show
different styles of architecture.
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4. Sandcastle art
All it takes is children (or anyone young at heart), water, sun and
sand!
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6.
Hiking, canoeing, learning all in a day’s fun at South Slough
The halting of development here almost 25 years ago has allowed
much of the South Slough National Estuarine Reserve to return to a
seemingly untouched forest and estuary interface. Surrounded by two
cities, a fishing village and the largest coastal deep water port between
San Francisco and Seattle, South Slough is a sanctuary. |
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7.
Pioneer cemeteries hard to find, worth the effort
Many famous and infamous residents of the South Coast eventually ended up
in one of the pioneer cemeteries found in nearly every community on the
South Coast. |
8. Coquille Falls
Sometimes the best camping spots are in the most remote locations.
One such spot to set up for lunch is the rocks near Coquille Falls,
located about 20 miles southeast of Powers.
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