NETARTS SURF INN

If you visited Netarts as a kid, you might remember the "Sea Lion Motel." According to Tillamook County this structure was built in 1960, though they also reference an "effective year built date" of 1900! Without a doubt there is a lot of history here! I am not old enough to have seen it in it's glory days, but I do remember maybe staying there at least once sometime in the mid-80's. It didn't seem too bad back then. But, since I moved to Netarts about 10 years ago I pass by it every day (sometimes four or five times). During this time it was operating as a month-to-month rental, pulling down about $500/month even in it's dire condition. It went into foreclosure a couple years back, and was then purchased in November 2015 by two locals with big ideas, community ties and a sincere love for Netarts -- Contractor Nick Petersen (also co-owner of TraskBox) and local business owner Skyler Veek (owner of Lucky Bear Soap Co. in Tillamook.) It was in desperate need of renovation and we are grateful for the recent transformation!

 The Sea Lion Motel will be remembered by many, but with open arms we welcome the "NETARTS SURF INN." If you ever stayed at the Sea Lion Motel, you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes new owners, Nick and Skyler have made. With good, solid craftsmanship, care and a decorators eye this place has been reworked top to bottom -- new roof, siding, windows, floors, paint, cabinets, toilets, appliances, beds, couches...truly every last thing. Well, almost everything. 

They managed to salvaged the 1960's vintage showers, which in itself is worth coming to see. They remind me of patchwork quilts and carpet (I think my dad carpeted our basement himself with mismatched carpet squares) popular during that time, and somehow they held together all of these years and manage to have a design element that still works today. 

There are seven units total. Six have one bedroom, one bathroom and a sleeper sofa. Four of those six have a mini-fridge, sink and microwave; two have kitchenettes more suitable for preparing meals. The largest unit has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a full kitchen. At least one of the units are dog-friendly. In the future the property may also have a laundry facility for vacationers to utilize, but likely not in time for the soft opening this coming weekend. All units have cable, wi-fi, smart TV's and coffee pots, just in case you come into town for a stay and a storm moves in. It could happen! 

The Netarts Surf Inn is located at 4951 Netarts Hwy W in the heart of Netarts. "Seaworthy Coffee" is across the street, "By the Sea" grocery store and deli is next door, Josi's market is one block NW, "Lexi's Cool Stuff" is to the North and beach access is just two blocks away. You can walk to Happy Camp and all the way to Oceanside on the beach from this access point during lower tides in the Winter and pretty much all of the time in the Spring, Summer and Fall. You can also walk to "The Schooner Restaurant and Lounge" from the Netarts Surf Inn in about five minutes.

Reservations can be made at www.NetartsSurfInn.com. For now, this takes you to a Facebook page. The contact number for reservations is 503.354.2644, email: netartssurfinn@gmail.com.

I hope you will come visit Netarts and Oceanside and stay a night, or two at the Netarts Surf Inn. If you are interested in "Changing your pace and changing your life" don't hesitate to give me a call so I can help you find the perfect beach house and you can get started on your pace changing, life changing mission. 

Visit my website www.iwantabeachhome.com to see what is for sale in our area and my other website www.ilovethenw.com to see what is so amazing about this place. See you at the beach!

~Wendy

wendy@iwantabeachhome.com

NOT SO WINTER WEATHER ON THE OREGON COAST

If you haven't been here in the past couple of months, I am going to apologize now for what I am about to show you.  It almost isn't fair, though I hope to get some credit for taking the time to share! Winter 2014 has delivered what I would describe in two words as "simply splendid," which for me is much more than Vitamin-D.  It's a chance to experience this area, specifically Netarts and Oceanside, at what I would consider its very best. The photo opportunities I have been privileged enough to be a witness to and take part in have been copius.  December 2013 and January 2014 have proven to be the driest, sunniest months this area has seen in more than 40 years.  Besides the Artic blast that came to town in December, which brought temperatures as low as 10 degrees for about a week (and sun!), it has been unseasonably warm -- like 67 degrees warm with a strong East wind last Friday! 

So, without further ado, here are a few of the sunrises, sunsets and really everything in between that have graced us so far this Winter! I hope you enjoy a glimpse into our Winter experience so far this year.  I can't express how grateful I am for all we have been given!  Thank you, Netarts Bay for your participation!

First sunset of December 2013 - Netarts Bay near the marina

A couple of days after our record low of 10 - On the beach in Happy Camp, Netarts

10 degrees this Sunday morning - an unforgettable sunrise along the Tillamook River

Calm as can be in the middle of December! - Netarts Bay

Ripples from a passing crab boat and gorgeous clouds just in time for sunset - Netarts Bay



Few clouds in the sky this evening over Netarts Bay, which is rare for this time of year. - The Netarts Spit in the foreground.

Netarts Bay doing what it does best, complimented by not even a whisper of wind.  Amazing!  - Netarts Bay

More late afternoon crabbing on a very content Netarts Bay.

Sunrise over the beach in Oceanside at low tide - Oceanside, Oregon

Seemingly gentle and beautiful tide coming in at sunrise - Oceanside, Oregon

60+ degrees on New Years Day 2014 - Netarts Spit

They are grateful for the nice New Years Day weather I am certain - Netarts Spit

Hands down the most beautiful and meaningful sunset I have ever experienced - January 2, 2014 over Netarts Bay

Painted sky - Netarts Bay

The visibility in the bay is so good you can see shells on the bottom! - Netarts Bay 

Dried flowers right where I needed them - Low tide, Netarts Bay

Low light noise takes on the feeling of a painting - Netarts Bay

Glorious East wind creating veils off every wave rolling into the beach - Cape Meares

The East wind, incoming tide and setting sun doing a wicked dance! - The mouth of Netarts Bay 



He loves living here in Netarts as much as I do.  It must be the sunsets!! - Netarts Bay, Blue Heron

JACOBSEN SALT CO. PUTTING NETARTS BAY ON THE MAP

Here's something you may not know that I think is pretty cool and interesting! Right here in our own backyard the cold and pristine waters of Netarts Bay are being turned into salt that is being described by those with discriminating palates as having "beautiful taste, texture and appearance."  The proprietor of this new salt operation, Ben Jacobsen of Jacobsen Salt Co. has the mission of creating the best finishing salt America has to offer. And, from what I can gather he believes Netarts Bay has water capable of doing just that.  According to their website 94 restaurants (+/-) across the United States are currently using his salts in their creations, which may be a good indicator that he is in fact correct!

 This blog post started after a guy walked into Rob Trost Real Estate in Netarts yesterday with one question:  Do you know where I can buy that Netarts Bay salt?  He said he just saw it on AM Northwest!  We told him it was called Jacobsen Salt and directed him to The Schooner Bar & Grill around the corner on Netarts Bay. Immediately after he left we pulled up AM Northwest online and found a link to what he was talking about.  Take a peek at the footage in the link below!  I thought it was a fun segment. The hosts were so excited about the taste it made me want to run out and get some to try myself! 
Here is a link to the show:
http://www.katu.com/amnw/segments/FEAST-Portland-223674071.html

Something I also just became aware of while perusing their website is that Jacobsen Salt Co. is holding a Fall Dinner Series right at their Salt production facility on Netarts Bay!  Each dinner will feature a different chef and a four course meal, also wine or cocktail pairings and dessert all with the backdrop of glorious Netarts Bay.  Prior to each dinner, wine and appetizers are served as guests are given a tour of the facility and grounds to showcase the salt harvesting process. They are even offering round trip transportation from the Portland area (for an additional fee) if you don't live in and around Netarts.  The grand opening event took place September 7, but future dates include September 18, October 5 and October 19.  Dinner prices range from $135-$175.

Visit their blog for details: 
http://jacobsensalt.com/blog/

Perhaps they will someday have short kayak tours launching right from their bay front bank after dinner!  Now that would be a wonderful way to finish off the evening, considering their ideal location toward the South end of the bay -- especially in the Fall!  What do you think Ben?  I hear Kayak Tillamook puts on a great tour.  They'll even bring the kayaks!  Something to think about I'd say!

When you have a chance definitely check out their website.  There's a ton of great reading material and product to discover!
http://jacobsensalt.com/

Great job Jacobsen Salt Co.!  We are having a great time watching your success and love that Netarts Bay is so important to your creation.

See you at the beach!
~Wendy
www.iWantABeachHome.com

GREAT THINGS TO DO....EVEN WHEN IT RAINS!

We had friends and family in town last week, which was a good reminder of all things great to do within just a few minutes of home!  When I asked them how they spent their days here's what they said:

1 - Went to the Cape Meares Lighthouse (the shortest lighthouse in the world) and the Octopus Tree.

2 - Hiked down the stairs to Short Beach between the lighthouse and Oceanside.  Hunted for agates.

3 - Crossed the creek at Short Beach and got their shoes wet.

4 - Ate at the newest restaurant in Oceanside -- The Blue Agate Cafe.  LOVED the food.

5 - Walked on the beach in Oceanside at low tide x 3...rain or shine =)

6 - Stopped in to Lex's Cool Stuff on Crab Avenue in Netarts.  Touched and tried on all kinds of things.  Purchased a fantastically decorated witch hat, a pair of velvet pumps that look like they've never been worn and turquoise snake-ish skin looking boots.   I have actually never been into the store.  I'm feeling a blog post coming on about her cool stuff in the future =)

7 - Headed into Tillamook: Destination: La Tea Da for a light fair and tea.  They couldn't say enough about this place.  All very good things, including plans to return in the future.

8 - Returned to Netarts for "Happy Hour" and appetizers on the bay with family and friends.

9 - Drove back into Tillamook for First Friday at the Blue Heron.  September's Event: Grape stomping!  It sounded like they had a great time enjoying wine, food, music, the works!  Lucy and Ethel even made an appearance and apparently fell out of their bucket onto the concrete!  Ouch!  That's gonna hurt in the morning!

10 - Made appointments at Chez Belle Salon in Tillamook for manicures and pedicures.

11 - Had an amazing seafood feed back at the house -- Fresh caught local salmon and fresh Willapa Bay clams cooked in white wine and garlic.

12 - Went to the Tillamook Farmer's Market Saturday morning.  Ate breakfast at the La Mexicana Cart.  Returned with fantastic fresh veggies and flowers.

13 - Picked up fresh oysters from Pacific Oyster in Bay City for their farewell Oyster BBQ.

14 - Spent an afternoon on the deck at the Schooner enjoying wine and a spectacular view of Netarts Bay!

15 -  Headed into Tillamook for lunch at La Mexicana.

16 - Returned to the beach in Oceanside, but went through the tunnel this time and checked out some tide pools.  Waded in to the tide pools to get pictures of starfish...got their shoes wet again!

17 - Ate breakfast at Roseanna's in Oceanside.  Enjoyed fantastic food and watched the fog lift revealing the magnificent Three Arch Rocks.

Not to bad for a four night stay, especially considering it rained two of those four days!  I loved hearing of their adventures each day and enjoying seafood feasts each night.  Really there is so much to do here and truly just not enough time!  Thank you, Teri, Carolyn and Donna for coming to Netarts for a visit.  It was a ton of fun and we can't wait until you come back!

See you on the beach!

~Wendy

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY AT THE BEACH?

Swim across Netarts Bay, of course!  Every year birthdays come and go.  For me its in the Fall, which is my favorite time of year for many reasons!  A gift, or two, some cake, a celebratory cocktail, and there it lies before you.  A plus one to your age.  I'm not a huge fan of big celebrations for my own birthday.  The birthday of others?  The bigger the party the better!  But for me celebrating this yearly milestone is better suited for something that reminds me I am not only still alive, but able to do whatever I want [physically.]  Last year on my birthday I did a back flip off of the dock into the bay, which turned out to be the launching pad for this idea of reminding myself to live fully not only every year, but every day. 

I had been thinking about what it would be like to swim across Netarts Bay for several months.  I didn't initially plan to do it on my birthday, but as the day approached it seemed more and more appropriate.  The timing of the slack tide was going to be around 10am and the weather forecast was near perfect -- sun and light winds.  I met a client in Pacific City for lunch (thank you, Jeff!) a couple days prior which gave me the perfect opportunity to pick up a thicker wetsuit, gloves and hood from Moment Surf Co. [http://www.momentsurfco.com] before heading back to Netarts, which is what ultimately made my seemingly brilliant idea of swimming across the bay on my birthday possible.  My cold water arsenal already included a scuba mask, snorkel, boots and dive fins; with the addition of my new thicker, warmer (5ml) gear the plan solidified.   The last important piece to this adventure was having a spotter [in a kayak.]  Actually, make that a double kayak, with a great paddler, loaded with body boards, water and a snack for the other side! 

The bay was just as cold as you might imagine (water temperature between 47-49 deg F). But, only my lips and nose were aware of this harsh reality and fortunately within minutes they were both numb.  Thanks to my awesome new wetsuit and accessories the rest of my body was oblivious to what my lips and nose were experiencing making the swim possible and in the end successful. 

I was later getting into the water than I had planned (Real Estate happens when it feels like it and clients come first.)  We left Schooner beach around noon, which meant the tide was already on it's way in adding the element of current, and more water in the bay increasing its width.  I googled the distance when I returned and estimate it to be just shy of 3/4 of a mile, including drift. 

This is where the fins came in handy, though half way across I stood up on a sand bar, took them off and tossed them onto the spotter kayak [paddled by the Duke of this Bay, 'Dusty Trost'] because they were causing quite a bit of anguish to both of my Achilles tendons!  Swimming without them felt like I had lead weights on my feet, though I continued to make progress and was able to make it the rest of the way to the spit pain free.  We were shore to shore in just under 20 minutes.  After a photo opp I jumped on the kayak and we paddled North to the tip of the spit.  A quick walk to the open ocean side and we finished up the afternoon with some body boarding. Something worth mentioning: *I do not recommend swimming across the bay without being in good physical condition, being able to swim well or self rescue in an emergency, the appropriate gear for cold water, or a spotter in a kayak.* I am making all of this sound easy, but it should be taken seriously if you decide it might be something fun and exciting to do yourself one day.

For me this was definitely a birthday to remember.  Living and working right here in Netarts is where it's at!  I suppose it may be time to start thinking about what to do next year, though I am pretty certain sometime between now and then it will just come to me.  If you have any ideas be sure to send them my way.  I am always up for a new adventure! 

See you on the beach!

~Wendy

SHUCK & SWALLOW OYSTER CONTEST

48 raw oysters in 10 minutes. Think you can beat that? You might have missed this event last year, but you won't want to let that happen again! This coming Saturday, September 10, 2011 the Netartian Beach and Bay Alliance {NBBA} will be hosting the 2nd Annual Pearl Street Oyster Festival where teams of two (a shucker and a swallower) pay an entry fee of $25 and compete for a $1000 purse (courtesy of the Schooner Restaurant and Lounge.) While not for the squeamish, this event requires these brave duos to shuck and swallow as many raw oysters as humanly possible in the designated time period of 10 minutes. While this is a very exciting event, there is much more than Netart Bay Oyster eating to this successful community event -- You will also find local artists, a variety of food vendors, a beer garden, non-profits and live music throughout the day.

Additionally, Kayak Tillamook will be offering demonstrations and kayak tours of Netarts Bay from the public boat launch, just steps away. Tours are $30 for each 1.5-hour trip, and include some instruction. Tours will be available from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those 16 and older. EVENT LOCATION: Netarts Boat Basin Road -- In front of the Schooner. Pearl Street will be closed to through traffic during the event. TIME: 11am - Dark. The Oyster eating contest starts at Noon on the deck of the Schooner Restaurant and Lounge. LIVE MUSIC: Noon - 8pm. 12-2pm: H.A.L (from Tillamook) 2-4pm: The Nobodys (from Netarts) 4-6pm: The Exiles (from Rockaway Beach) 6-8pm: Volifonix (from Eugene...this is a GREAT band!)

The Oyster Festival is a family and dog-friendly event. Mapquest this address for driving directions: 2065 Boat Basin Road, Netarts, OR 97143 Come out and support the NBBA! This is going to be a great event...Fun to be had by all! I hope to see you there!