Depoe Bay - Oregon - Culture

Between the buzzing activity of Newport and Lincoln City  lies a calm oasis of beach, basalt rock and lush forest, only momentarily interrupted by the dwarfish din of Depoe Bay. It's here that a lot of surfing takes place, where you can still dodge the peak traffic times on Highway 101 and find a fairly isolated section of beach, and yet where the waters boil in violent frenzy at spots like the Devil's Punch Bowl. The seclusion begins not far south of Lincoln City, just below the luxurious, pampered existence of the Salishan Lodge and its golf course, shopping center and art galleries. Fishing Rock is a park very few know about, and the signs designating it are obscure as well. This basalt outcropping allows you prime sunset watching spots and all sorts of opportunities to monkey around, or you can climb downward and take a long walk on some beautiful, fairly untouched beach. Visitors from everywhere come to whale watch either from many shore observation spots or to take one of our charters out for a closer look. There is nothing quite so spectacular as seeing whales in their natural habitat. Our charters, weather permitting, run every hour seven days a week

Fish are sometimes processed by hand underneath the bridge on the harbor side, enticing seals to spend a lot of time begging for scraps. The locals seem to have one or two trained, and if you're lucky enough to be there at the right time, you can watch an anonymous hand cutting up fish and tossing bits to seals who will do cute tricks in exchange.

Depoe Bay also is where the ``Spouting Horns'' reside. Just below the sea wall on the north side of town sits a blow hole which shoots water high into the air under the right tidal conditions. It's been known to get strong enough to soak passing traffic. Just south of Depoe Bay lie some fantastic, crude, and truly back-to-nature hidden spots. Take Otter Crest Loop to the south, (the road is closed to through traffic, but you can drive far enough to find these seriously secret locales.) About a mile and a half down the road - which runs underneath the main road of Highway 101 - you'll encounter a rock quarry on your left. To the right is a somewhat long stretch of gravel hugging the curve which is suitable for parking. Once you park, you'll notice some trails heading down the hill and into a thick, eerie, almost magical forest. At certain times of the year, this forest will yield large, wildly colored, bizarre mushrooms which seem more at home in a children's fairly tale. It is dark, foreboding in some ways and extremely steep in spots. Up the hill and around the curves you'll soon find the entrance to the Devil's Punch Bowl (see photo at top), one of the more remarkable shows the Pacific Ocean puts on for the public.

Shopping, dining, fishing, whale watching are favorite activities in Depoe Bay and we also offer special events at various times of the year. In April we host a "Class Wooden Boat Show and Crab Feed". Our Memorial Day service is a dedication to those who have lost their lives or are buried at sea. After a brief shore side service, flower ladened boats proceed out of the harbor and cast wreaths of flowers upon the water in a beautiful and touching ceremony attended by thousands of people. On the third Saturday in September, we host an "Indian Style Salmon Bake". Approximately 3000 pounds of salmon are cooked over open fires of alder and cedar just as the Indians did years ago. Complete with entertainment, this has become a favorite attraction to our community.
Surrounded by a number of scenic parks, award winning restaurants, top notch motels, ocean fresh seafood and outstanding scenery. regardless of the season, you won't regret visiting Depoe Bay and the Oregon Coast. Our friendliness and quaintness make us one of the favorite destinations on the Coast

Depoe Bay invites 2,000 or more people to dinner at its annual "Indian Style" Salmon Bake using techniques developed by the coastal Indians. It's worth the time to come early and observe the process.
Preparation for the fire to bake the fish begins at 5 a.m., when the first of 100-plus volunteers begin to arriving at the Depoe Bay Park. By then, six cords of fir and three cords of alder wood will have been brought to the site, and the 60-foot trench, which will be used to contain the hot coals, will have been dug..
Just before the entrance to Otter Crest Loop and a tad bit after Depoe Bay, Rocky Creek Wayside juts out into the ocean and gives you a great view of the rocky, jagged shoreline to the north and to the south. It also allows you a lovely view of Whale Cove, and in some spots, you can walk down onto the alien-looking basalt rocks and traverse close to the raging waters below.