Wildlife « Oregon Sea Grant Sustainable Tourism

Florence, Oregon is a town of art. On the left, there is a photo of one of the latest murals. Spectacular.

The city contains a lot of artistic murals, displays, statues (of seal lions). Bunches.

Florence is located at the mouth of the Siuslaw River about midway between Newport and Coos Bay. It has a population of approximately 8,466 people.

Florence is a historic riverfront town that provides a diverse array of activities for locals and visitors.

While logging, commercial fishing, and agricultural industries have served as the historical pillars of Florence’s economy, tourism is becoming increasingly significant. There are a variety of businesses, points of interests, and parks in and around Florence that offer unique experiences and outdoor recreation.

Entertainment

One can enjoy headliner entertainment at the Florence Events Center or Three Rivers Casino Resort after exploring the Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, and the Heceta Head Assistant Keeper’s House. The park features a seven-mile network of hiking paths that join the short hike to the lighthouse.

The Keeper’s House functions as both an interpretive center and a bed and breakfast. Guided tours are offered by knowledgeable docents during the summer to educate visitor’s about the iconic lighthouse and its rich history.

Sea Cave

A ‘must see’ attraction located 15 minutes from the Florence city center is North America’s largest sea cave. This amazing cave is a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary.

As many as 200 Stellar sea lions reside in the cave. The Sea Lion Caves are part of the Oregon/Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve.

Visitors can take an elevator ride descending 200 feet down into the Sea Lion Caves, which is as tall as a 12-story building and as wide as a football field.

The Caves are not a zoo. The wild animals are protected and come and go as they please and follow their normal routines.

The cave is alive with sound, roars, bird calls, and crashing waves. This sea cave is the only known mainland home of wild sea lions in the world and is a must see for visitors of Florence.

During the summer, sea lions lounge in the rookery areas (along the rock ledges outside) with their young. In the fall and winter, they can be found inside the cave’s natural amphitheater.

Depoe Bay, OR does not just have the reputation of being the world’s smallest harbor; it is the “Whale Watching Capital of Oregon’s Coast.”

In this six-acre harbor (also called Depoe Bay) you can come see whales almost year round. During the winter migration, gray whales make the journey south, leaving the waters of Alaska in favor of the warmer water in northern Mexico.

Migrations

This migration usually occurs in late December to February. During the spring migration that begins in March, whales head back up north to Alaska.

While these two migrations are the ideal times in which to see whales, it is almost certain you can see a whale in Depoe Bay any time of the year. This certainty is largely due to the group of gray whales that comprise the Pacific Coast Feeding Group.

Summer Feeding

Instead of making the journey all the way back to Alaska, this group of gray whales spend their summer feeding around the reefs in Depoe Bay. Around 18,000 gray whales pass through Depoe Bay over the course of the winter and spring migrations.

Grey Whale spout – photo taken by Rowland Willis

The most common whale seen off Oregon’s coast is the gray whale. Around 18,000 gray whales pass through Depoe Bay over the course of the winter and spring migrations.

Blue whales and humpback whales can also be spotted but in much deeper waters (usually no closer than 10 miles off the coast). If you’re really lucky, you might even be able to spot a pod of orca whales (also called killer whales). These beautiful predators are most likely spotted during mid-April when they come to intercept baby gray whales.

Charters

Charters like Tradewind Charters, Dockside Charters, Whale’s Tail Charters LLC, and Whale Research EcoExcursions LLC will accommodate any experienced or novice whaler’s needs with an up to two hour long tour, depending on the season.

Information for this post was sourced here.

Crabbing on the Oregon coast? There’s a good chance that you’ll catch a Dungeness or a Red rock crab, two of the most commonly caught crab species.

In 2016, the Dungeness crab was the highest valued fishery in Oregon’s commercial fishing industry at $51.3 million. Red rock crabs are also commercially harvested but are not valued nearly as much in comparison to the larger Dungeness.

Identification

Dungeness and red rock crabs vary in their size, color, habitat, and behavior.

Dungeness crabs are best identified by looking for their large, white-tipped claws, ten carapace (the hard upper shell) spines, and a red-brown to purple coloration. They can grow to be eight-inches across their backs (or carapace).

Red rock crabs have black-tipped claws, a wide fan-shaped carapace, and are usually a dark red color. They are also a bit smaller than Dungeness crabs, usually measuring in at six inches across the upper shell.

Where Found

Dungeness crabs prefer the sandy and muddy areas of shallow lower estuaries. Even so, they are sometimes found in ocean depths of up to 2,000 feet. Red rock crabs tend to live in rockier habitats with higher salinity rates such as a larger estuary.

Next time you are out crabbing, keep an eye out for these two common crabs and make sure to follow harvesting regulations!