A Stopover at Cannon Beach

Jul 20

On our way back to Seattle from our trip to backpack the South Sister we decided to take the long route and head west to Cannon Beach. We had made the same trip years ago during our first visit to this area so it seemed fitting to go again. We hoped to spot puffins nesting at Haystack Rock and spend a little time with our toes in the sand.

While my 400 mm lens wasn’t nearly enough to capture the Puffins up close, we were able to spot them flying around the rocks with their football shaped bodies.

The Friends of Haystack have volunteer staff monitoring the beach and protecting the rocks from trampling. In our first visit, we were able to wander all around the rocks, spotting sea stars and anemones. This time the tidepooling was a little more limited with many areas being roped off to protect them.

An unexpected treat was a nesting pair of black oystercatchers. Although not endangered, these birds are very limited in number and the nest has caused even more restrictions around the rocks. The birds were active and vocal during our visit, nesting on a lower part of the rock near the beach.

One of the best parts of a visit to Cannon Beach is admiring the incredible shoreline and the expanse of the beach at low tide. While not quite the 4th of July beach day we’d typically see on the east coast, it was a wonderful way to feel close to home for the summer holiday.