Waldport, Oregon

Friday, July 28, 2023

The drive up the Coast Highway between Bandon and Waldport is not much different than what we’ve encountered on this coast. It winds around hills and mountains and dives in an out along the seashore. It’s not a fast road especially for big rigs. The speed limit is 55mph but we seldom attain that speed due to the numerous curves some of which demand a speed no more than 25mph. Its a much more pleasant ride in the RV just maintaining a slower speed so one is not constantly slowing for curves in the road. Although its only 104 miles to Waldport its gonna take us 3.5 hours to get there not counting a half hour stop at Fred Myers for groceries in Florence.

Twenty one miles north of Bandon is the city of Coos Bay, its population of 15,985 makes it the most populous city on the coast of Oregon. The entire bay area including North Bend is home to 32,308. The bay was home to Native Americans, Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw and Coquille tribes, for thousands of years. The earliest European settlers came in 1852 when survivors of the Captain Lincoln shipwreck established Camp Castaway until they were rescued. A permanent settlement was established in 1853 which was reliant on fishing.

The Cape Arago Light was built in 1866. The previously isolated town, which was easier to reach by sea than land, was connected to the outside when a road was completed in 1871. Travel by sea was still preferable as the land route traversed over rugged terrain.

Shipyards that built minesweepers and rescue tugs during WWII were established and large lumber companies set up operations during that time. The lumber industry is not as prevalent today. Sights to see nearby is Cape Arago, Shore Acres State Park, Sunset Bay State Park and the seaport of Charleston.

We pass Tugman State Park which is located in the heart of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, one of the largest expanses (31,000 acres) of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world.

Then comes the Umpqua Lighthouse and the very popular and scenic Winchester Bay. Reedsport (4310 souls) is located on the estuary of the Umpqua River, and very popular with fishermen and tourists.

We pass the very large Tahkenitch Lake (2118 acres) on our way to Florence then Siltcoos Lake at 3114 acres. These are very large natural lakes very near the coast. We pass by Honeyman State Park, popular for folks wanting to run their ATV’s on the sand dunes.

Florence (8921 souls) lies on the mouth of the Siuslaw (pronounced sigh-YEW-slaw) River. The town is located just north of the Oregon Dunes. The town was the site of a famous scene when town authorities used 20 cases of explosives to try and rid the beach of a dead whale with very unintended consequences as the decomposing whale had built up a lot of gases- whale blown everywhere! Logging, commercial fishing and agriculture are prior mainstays but today tourism is increasingly significant. About a third of the population are retirees.

The highway north of Florence more closely follows the coast. We pass the seemingly very popular tourist attraction Sealion Caves, the breathtaking Haceta Head Lighthouse, Washburne Memorial State Park, scenic Cape Perpetua before coming into Yachats (pronounced Yah Hots), a town of 690 souls. This place is very popular with vacationers and the population explodes in the summer.

The Native Americans who live near here Coos Bay were moved from the coast and forced over rugged terrain to the Alsea Sub-Agency reservation in Yachats in the 1860’s. The indians were peaceful but treated like POW’s. The trail they used is called Amanda’s Trail, named for a blind woman who suffered greatly on the march. The hunter-gatherer tribes were forced to learn to make a living by agriculture. After years they finally learned how to subsist off of the land and were once again allowed to hunt. They were again disrupted as the government opened the land to homesteaders in 1875. Those homesteaders used the Indian trails and farms to develop Yachats.

We are staying at the Waldport/Newport KOA located just across Alsea Bay from Waldport. We stayed here last year.

As is typical with KOA establishments the sites are relatively tightly grouped, but the location has unbeatable views of the Alsea River Bridge, the bay and the town of Waldport.

Waldport (2033 souls) is located on the Alsea (pronounced Al-SEE) River and Bay. The settlement began in 1879 when squatter’s rights was purchased by David Ruble from Lint Starr for $300 for property including “Old Town”.

Many settlers were of German descent so the town was called Waldport, Wald meaning forest or trees and port referring to its proximity to the ocean. The folks earn a living here working construction, accommodation and food service, as well as professional/scientific/technical services.

We like Waldport for its large athletic field seems to be ideal for walking our mutzos. Right next door is the Joy garden, a plot of land where volunteers grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables and some flowers. All are free for the taking for whoever is in need.

We took a drive 15 miles up the coast to visit the very popular Newport (10,000 souls). The Yacona tribe called the area home for at least 3000 years. White settlers began homesteading in 1864. The city is the county seat of Lincoln County.

The city is home to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Yaquina (prounced Yaqwinna) Head Light, the Yaquina Bay Light, The Hatfield Marine Science Center orperated by Oregon State University, and Pacific Maritime Heritage Center.It’s also the western terminus of U.S. Route 20 with originates in Boston, MA, the longest road in the United States. The Oregon coast can generate hellish winds. The Columbus Day Windstorm of 1962 had wind gusts at Newport recorded at 132mph until the wind gauge stopped working! Another weather event occurred in December 1964 when 21 inches of rain fell that month- twice the norm. As you can see this beautiful Oregon coast is not as hospitable in winter as in summer.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admistration moved its base for research ships from Seattle to Newport. The base boasts about 110 marine officers and a total of 175 employees. It bases four ships including the NOAAS Bell M. Shimada and the NOAAS Rainier which support the fisheries science centers for Alaska and the Northwest.

Sights around Newport, Oregon

As one can surmise the city is a major fishing port in Oregon. Tourism is also king here as Newport is just 48 miles from Corvallis and the I-5 corridor.

We’ll head up to the Tillamook area next. See you there!