As a native Oregonian, the entire southern coast was a bit of a blindspot for me. When you grow up in Portland you spend more time in Lincoln City, Seaside, and Cannon Beach. Eventually I made my way down to Port Orford and fell head over heels for area. The only thing that I wished it had was access to the water besides paddling. Not that I don’t love paddling, but I wanted to see so much of it that kayaking wasn’t a reasonable option for someone of my skill level.
All of that changed when South Coast Tours acquired The Black Pearl, a rigid hulled inflatable boat that was perfectly outfitted for zipping around the water with a big bag of photography gear. I’ve been in similar boats along the central coast, some of which had seating that didn’t really allow you to move around, which can be extremely limiting when shooting. That wasn’t the case with Dave’s boat. When conditions permitted, I could go from the bow to the stern to get the best angle for my photos.
I’ve been fortunate enough to go on a handful of tours and each one has been a really unique experience. When the ocean is being a tad inhospitable, the coves that line the shore just north of the Port are still typically accessible and home to many different birds and marine mammals. On one such trip we were lucky enough to have a gray whale feeding in Tichenor Cove that gave us a great show. We bobbed in the gentle swell with the motor in idle while the whale went about its business, sometimes coming within 10 feet of our boat.
As tranquil and full of life as the coves are, it’s hard to beat heading out to deeper waters to visit either the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve or Orford Reef. Both offer towering sea stacks swarming with species you don’t often see near shore such as tufted puffins and sea lions. On one trip out to the marine reserve, we watched Pelicans soar over our heads while trying to find some elusive puffins. As we gently approached the puffins to get some photos, a gray whale came passing through. We were surrounded by marine wildlife and waves crashing on the rocks. It was truly a magical experience.
Exploring this area by boat is a really unique experience. As much as I enjoy getting out on the ocean in Depoe Bay and Newport, I prefer Port Orford because of how few boats you’ll find on the water. I’ve definitely felt guilty being in one of 6 boats all circling around a whale on the central coast and that just doesn’t happen here. You feel like you have the whole area to yourself and are causing less of a disturbance. It’s absolutely worth the effort.
