Welcome to Depoe Bay EarthCache
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Welcome to Depoe Bay. Depoe Bay is nestled among towering cliffs and expansive state parks and is the whale watching capital of Oregon. Grey whales make their home near this rocky refuge 10 months of the year.
Girded by impressive basalt cliffs that were formed millions of years ago by natural forces, Depoe Bay is the world’s smallest fishing harbor. The 5.5 acre port has acted as a safe harbor for vessels for many years, but getting into the port has often involved great strategy and chance. The stone entrance is less than 50 feet wide and more than 100 feet long. Boats attempting to navigate the coast’s volatile waters are often referred to as “shooting the hole,” a risk that has sometimes resulted in devastating consequences.
Depoe bay is named after Charlie DePoe, a Joshua Indian from the coast restoration who, with family members, received allotments of land in 1894 when the reservation was closed. The Sunset Investment Company formed the town in 1927, dividing the area into lots and selling them. The Depoe Bay Bridge was completed that same year. The bridge was later expanded in 1941 to meet the needs of the growing community.
Naturally occurring bays are formed by the differential erosion of land along the coastline. Softer material is washed away, leaving the harder material along the periphery as the water carves itself into the coast. A bay offers protection from the rougher waters of the expansive sea outside its borders.
Depoe Bay was initially formed naturally, then expanded and deepened to suit the needs of the town. The bays commercial use expanded when, in 1950, the bay was dredged to deepen it for boat traffic.
For years Depoe Bay has served as a safe harbor for commercial fishing taking refuge from the coastal storms. Today it acts as a home port and stopping point for charter vessels and private launches as well as a point of fascination for thousands of visitors who stand on the bridge and walkways to observe.
To log this earth cache, you need to:
1) Estimate the height of the waves that reach the inner basalt walls.
2) State whether it was high or low tide at the time of your visit and how did you determine that.
3) And, to prevent armchair logging, on the sign at the site:
a) What was the year of the fish fry depicted in the photo?
b) Describe the socks Charlie DePoe is wearing.
c) And, who maintains the signs at the site you got this information from.
PLEASE, DO NOT LOG A FIND UNLESS YOU HAVE SENT YOUR ANSWERS.
Additional Hints
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