LOST BOY BEACH - INTO THE CAVE

Patience is an important part of beach adventures. Monday we attempted to access Lost Boy Beach from the South (Oceanside, Maxwell Mountain end), but decided against it after watching the unexpected wave action at our access point. There aren't all that many super low tides (-1.5 or lower) during daylight hours throughout the year, so it's easy to feel a little pressure to "get through" even when your gut says stop. Our decision to wait and give it another try the next morning from the North (Short Beach) end proved to not only be wise, but successful. The tide was at -1.5 and our walk around the rocks to the cave was very easy. We both (Ryan and I) ended up with wet feet, but we could have easily stayed dry by walking up and over the rocks. We had no intention of staying dry once around the other side, so we just walked right through the little bit of water that was there.  

The first time I saw this cave in person about ten years ago I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped open. It is a site you won't soon forget, and my guess is you will find yourself wanting to return here year after year, just as I did and continue to do. I can assure you every time you come here it will look different and you will always see something you have never seen before. It looks small in this picture, but the cave ceiling is at least 30 feet high once inside (where I can see it), and there are dark areas that I have not yet been able to see that I am guessing are much higher. There are three entry points -- two on the North side and one on the South side. The high tide line once inside (marked by a natural light colored line) is several feet above your head. 

Sea anemones flourish in the areas protected from heavy surf action (mostly outside of the cave). Those that you see in the picture above are on the East side of the rocks, where the water would be calmer due to protection the rock itself provides. At high tide the water level would be over all of the rocks pictured here most of the time. Ryan standing off to the left gives you some perspective of how low the tide really is. An extremely high tide in Oregon would be 10 feet (during Winter months), with average high tides being between 5-7 feet during the Summer months. Sea anemones can live several hours without being submerged in salt water, but they need every single high tide to reach them to survive. As a self preservation instinct I am guessing none of them live above the lowest possible high tide mark.

Walking into the cave for the first time is a little eerie. My first thought was bats, though I have never seen one in there, or any droppings that would suggest they reside here (crossing my fingers they don't like ocean caves!) Water drips from the ceiling deeper into the cave. Keep your camera and/or phone covered, as some of the drops can be quite large. 

This is the one and only South entrance to the cave leading to Lost Boy Beach, which would be to Ryan's back in this photo. Water often pools here and has a gorgeous turquoise hue, sometimes thigh deep, but we got lucky today. We were able to exit and enter the cave on this side with ease.

This is Lost Boy Beach! There are a few homes nestled up high on the hill to the left (not pictured) that have deeded access to this beach year round for life. If you want to build a home overlooking this beach and have private deeded access for yourself there is one lot currently for sale -- 1 ocean front Acre for $479,000. (MLS # 16-522). Lost Boy is not a private beach, however the deeded access is. Anyone can come here if they can get here during a low tide, but that means you can't come very often because the tides aren't low enough. You could come by boat, but I don't recommend it unless you are an experienced paddler! If you owned one of the homes above it you could come here anytime you wanted and have the beach to pretty much to yourself!

 The is the inside of the middle (North entrance) to the cave.

 This was taken due West of the Cave standing in the incoming tide facing South.

 This is the East side of one of the taller free standing rocks at the Northern most entrance to the cave.

In between large, tall rocks (East/West facing) seems to be a good choice for "hanging around." 

 I really love the colors and textures living here.

 These slimy creatures have tons of texture (mainly shell bits) when you look at them close up.

 A near perfect artistic composition just waiting to be found.

 This is the largest tide pool we found during our Lost Boy adventure. It's located on the rocks between Short Beach and the Lost Boy cave.

Looking North (below) from the rocks between Short Beach and the cave.

 Looking South (above) from top of the rocks between Short Beach and the cave.

 One lost Vallella Vallella high up on the rocks.

 This agate was embedded in the hillside and was about the size of a fist.

Ryan and I getting ready to head out after some great tide pool adventures!

And finally, the staircase leading back up to the main road. When I was a kid this path leading to Short Beach was a muddy mess, but my mom loved it here, so we came often rain, or shine. I heard a local built these stairs that now lead all the way to the beach -- and we are forever grateful!  

Ryan and I headed to the Blue Agate Cafe in Oceanside on our way home just a few minutes from Short Beach where we enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate, a fresh dungeness crab scramble, cottage potatoes and delicious homemade biscuits in the window seat overlooking the ocean -- not too shabby! Tide Pools, sea caves and a fantastic breakfast -- I can't think of a better way to start the day! 

If you don't have a tide book already, get one and plan ahead for the next negative tides so you can experience Lost Boy Beach for yourself! Take your time when you come. Look closely so you don't miss the amazing detail clinging to the rocks out there. 

I am starting to sound like a broken record, but if you change your pace it will change your life...and I can help!

Homes for sale in Oceanside, Netarts & Cape Meares: www.iwantabeachhome.com
Photo gallery of what this amazing area has to offer: www.ilovethenw.com

Hope to see you at the beach!

~Wendy

4TH OF JULY EARLY MORNING NEGATIVE TIDES IN OCEANSIDE, OREGON

You will need to get up early if you want to explore tide pools and caves in the Summer months on the North Oregon Coast. July has nine negative tides. They started on the 1^st -0.5 at 4:51am. Today, the 4^th was a -1.6 at 7:19am. Tomorrow is a -1.5 at 8am, then the last one is on the 8^th, a -0.5 around 10am. If you look in a tide book the negative tides are usually highlighted in red and it simply means the tides are going to be significantly lower than usual, which exposes beaches and areas you can’t typically get to along with sea life you don’t get to see very often. Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July always seem to be when the negative (super low) tides hit, which perfectly coincides with an influx of travelers and explorers. 

We met up with some friends in the parking lot in Oceanside at 6:30 this morning then walked North around Maxwell Point hoping to be able to access Lost Boy Beach all the way at the end of the beach. We were ahead of the lowest part of the tide, but the surf action was larger than expected, which made the tide not  as forgiving when it came to getting to hidden places. The surf forecast was a WNW swell 4 feet at 10 seconds. That is a pretty big ocean for Summer time! None-the-less, we weren't able to access Lost Boy Beach today with our crew of adults and kids (Safety first...too much water rushing around the slippery rocks we needed to climb up on), but there was plenty to see on the side we could reach, so changing plans was just fine. 

My husband Kurt (above) did get up on the slippery rocks, but his boots filled with water doing so. He laid his eyes on Lost Boy Beach, but it wasn't safe for all of us to climb up there today.

In my experience a -1.5 tide isn't quite low enough to access Lost Boy for the North (at Short Beach) or South (from Oceanside), rather a -2.0 or greater is needed (-2.2 is ideal, and is also the lowest tide I've ever witnessed.) Today confirmed my theory, though I don't know that I have given up on trying just yet! The beach and sand heights are constantly changing, which does affect where the water goes.

In our hour long adventure this morning, here are a few of the cool things we did see:

There were quite a few sea stars today, which is a good sign. I hope this means they are back in good health and growing in numbers. The sea anemones were plentiful, as well -- big and small, pink and green. We found a couple of waste deep tide pools high up on the rocks that were teaming with life. Ryan even found a live crab (a keeper by size if we would have had a bucket) and caught it with his bare hands! 

If you  didn't make it out there today, you still have time this week! Walk slow, take your time, look around, but don't turn your back on the surf. Get down at eye level with the sea life that clings below where the water level usually resides. You won't be disappointed! Grossed out maybe, but definitely not disappointed! One thing to avoid touching and pulling from the rocks is sea stars, as they are still recovering in numbers in our area. Otherwise, have a blast! And, take the time to appreciate God's amazing creations big and small!

Ready to change your pace? It will change your life! I can help.

See you at the beach!

~Wendy

www.iwantabeachhome.com 

www.ilovethenw.com