Winter Rockhounding in Oceanside Oregon

Sorry I have been a bit remiss in my postings. I have been busy with a wedding, creating brooch bouquets for another wedding and making collages. More to follow on these topics on another blog. Stay tuned.

It's getting to be that time of year again here in Washington, where I've got to find places to go rockhounding that won't be buried under snow. It's a hard job, but someone has to do it... so here goes.

A Foggy Evening in Oceanside

We go to Oregon. Yep, the Oregon coast to be exact. The winter is the best time to go agate hunting on the beautiful beaches of Oregon. We usually try to pick a weekend in January or February, when the storms and waves have a had a good chance to wash away the sand and expose the rocky layers beneath.

Our favorite spot is a little town called Oceanside. It's hidden on a dead end, right on the coast with a beautiful lighthouse on the bluff up above. The neat thing about Oceanside is that it has a hidden beach you can only reach through a tunnel under the mountain, or during a very low tide. We like Oceanside because it isn't as well known as Newport, It's closer than Newport and Tillamook is only a few miles away.

Tunnel Entrance on South side of Mountain Near Oceanside

We usually rent one of the many beautiful beach houses there in Oceanside and the rates are lower during the late winter. My kids love to rent a boat and go crabbing in nearby Netarts Bay. Then we all have crab for dinner.

The Hidden Beach Near Oceanside - The Tunnel Opening is in the Center of the Picture

We find plenty of agates too. All different colors, sizes and shapes. The trick is to go during a record low tide and follow the tide out. You can also find fossils and petrified wood there.

Tumbled Agates Found in Oceanside, Oregon

Here are some links to pictures of agates others have found here:

http://people.oregonstate.edu/~wilsolau/agates.html

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2007/06/seeking_out_secret_beaches_at.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65325541@N00/4076124779

Also, keep your eyes peeled for this green rock. It tends to blend in with all the black rocks along the beach. I'm not sure what it is, but it seems to polish pretty well.

Unknown Green Rock

For  house rental information, I usually use VRBO. It's a great website to find exactly what you need, and renting a house means we don't have to spend money on restaurants.

Beautiful View from the Bedroom of one of the Homes we Rented in Oceanside

Oceanside, Oregon is a beautiful and fun rock hunting destination.

Oceanside Beach at Sunset