For our anniversary in May, we decided to go visit our friend Sally up on San Juan Island, WA. Sally owns San Juan Souveniers, a great little souvenier shop near the boat dock. If you’re ever on the island, stop in and say hello to Sally and her wonderful chocolate lab Scooby!
On the island, there is a beautiful sculpture park. It looks like this artist was using us as models! Even Sandy our dog was there with us.
This is an article reprinted from Beach Connections
Haystack Rock is located just 8 minutes from our Oregon Coast Bed and Breakfast, Sandlake Country Inn!
Freaky Oregon Coast Facts: Geology of Pacific City's Haystack Rock
Published 06/01/2010
(Pacific City, Oregon) – It's been an Oregon landmark for - well, millions of years - scores more decades than Euro-descended tourists have been around to gawk at it or consider it a favorite.
There are two Haystack Rocks along the Oregon coast: one at Cannon Beach and a slightly less famous one at Pacific City. They both have their mysteries, but the one at Pacific City is finally seeing the light of day as Oregon Coast Beach Connection went digging for answers with Oregon geologists.
One local tourism entity has claimed the Pacific City seastack is one of the largest in the world. That, if you’ll excuse the pun, is still up in the air.
But just how tall is Pacific City's Haystack Rock?
“The rock has an estimated height of 340.6 feet (103.8 m) as determined from Lidar data collected by our agency last year,” said Jonathan Allan, Coastal Geomorphologist and Coastal Section Team Leader with Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, in their Newport office.
And what is the origin of this grand structure?
Geologists aren’t completely sure – but about 95 percent sure – that it’s part of a massive lava flow that came searing through the northwest millions of years ago. This was the Miocene era, about 23 million years to five million years ago.
They call this the “Columbia River basalts,” which means it’s essentially the same basalt flow that created the Gorge.
“The lithology of the rock is definitely basalt and is probably part of the Grande Ronde basalt formation that is characteristic of Cape Lookout,” Allan said. “However, since we are not aware of any chemical analysis having been done on the basalt, I am not completely sure."
Seaside-based geologist Tom Horning said it’s the “same as nearly all other sea stacks and mountains south of the Columbia River.”
Horning adds:
“I personally believe it is the remains of a canyon-filling lava that followed the ancient Nestucca River to the ocean.”
In other words, there was a canyon in this spot at one time, and the lava flow was so huge it filled it. Eventually, the area that formed that canyon was eroded away, leaving just structures like Cape Lookout and whatever basalt formation was once connected to what we now know as Haystack Rock. Eventually, all that was worn away to leave Haystack and Lookout in their current forms.
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach is actually known as an “instrusive,” meaning the lava flow that it’s a part of shot its way back into the ground, probably in softer ground like mud or such, and then re-erupted again a ways away. This left blob structures that were eventually worn down into shapes we know today like the ones around Cannon Beach.
There may be further investigations into Pacific City’s intriguing monolith, and some more answers.
“I have proposed getting a permit to boat out to the rock and scope it or climb it,” Horning said.
Does a train ride on the scenic water's edge sound like the perfect way to spend a summer evening? Make plans to board the train on Saturday, August 7 at 6 p.m. when the North Coast Land Conservancy and the Lower Nehalem Community Trust join together to offer their second annual popular educational and fun excursion for the whole family. Tickets go on sale June 1 for this open-air railway round-trip from Garibaldi to Wheeler to experience the sights and sounds of the sweeping coastal edge lands.
Stewart Schultz, author of "Northwest Coast, A Natural History" will be the guest interpreter on the trip as the train travels past such notable viewpoints as the Garibaldi Bar, Nedonna Beach, the Nehalem Spit, Fishers Point and the Nehalem Bay Estuary. Along with being the author of the quintessenial book on north coast natural history, Schultz is a professor of biology at the University of Zadar in Zadar, Crotia. For those fortunate enough to own a copy of his book, he will be available to sign prior to boarding the train.
"We are so pleased that Stewart will be joining us this year for our trip," said Katie Voelke, executive director of NCLC, "his in-depth knowledge of our coastal edge is unprecedented and his interpretation is not to be missed."
The $40 fare for adults and $20 fare for children 12 and under includes the train excursion, a box picnic dinner catered by Parkside Cafe in Garibaldi and an opportunity to experience this scenic corridor from a new perspective. Seating is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year's "Ride The Coastal Edge" sold out quickly so plan to reserve your ticket early by calling the NCLC office beginning June 1 at 503-738-9126, Monday-Friday, 8 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Directions: Take highway 101 to Garibaldi -- the train depot is off third street in the center of town [click here for map].
The North Coast Land Conservancy and the Lower Nehalem Community Trust are non-profit organizations that own and manage land for ecological and cultural values. These two organizations are offering this excursion as part of their ongoing education and outreach activities for the community.
Last year, the Best Places to Kiss Cookbook came out. Sandlake Country Inn for many years has been listed in the book Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest with the highest rating of 4 lips (Simply Sublime). We were very fortunate to be featured in this new cookbook!
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