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Ship Finder App Lets You Follow Offshore Vessels

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Ship Finder App lets you track vessels

Ship Finder App lets you track vessels

Ever been curious about the ships and yachts off the Oregon Coast?

Port pilots, dockworkers, ship spotters, and maritime enthusiasts rely on Ship Finder, an app that identifies commercial vessels and pleasure craft.

View the information online or on your smartphone.  Track a friend on a ship or boat, or just learn more about the vessels at sea.

Check out the Ship Finder App

The Ship Finder App can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.  The App picks up ship feeds used by commercial and pleasure vessels, transmitting the vessels’ name, position, and status.   Radio transmissions are sent to internet servers and uploaded onto live data coverage maps.  You might be surprised to see all the traffic on the water.  on the water.

If you have ever been curious about the ships from around the world or the yachts from afar that travel off the Oregon coast, to the Port of Astoria and up the Columbia River, Ship Finder is how you can learn more.

Spot Vessels at Sea from an oceanfront room at Tolovana Inn

Tolovana Inn’s oceanfront rooms are great for spotting vessels at sea.

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Coastal Sunsets at Cannon Beach a Spectacular Display of Color

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Glorious Oregon coastal sunset, (George Vetter Photography)

Glorious Oregon coastal sunset, (George Vetter Photography)

As the days get longer, rooms with a view at Tolovana Inn are even more desirable.

That’s because Mother Nature’s gorgeous coastal sunsets are a beauty to behold and almost impossible to describe.

When the sun drops toward the Pacific Ocean horizon, the backdrops of color are breathtaking.  A maritime layer can turn the sun into a glowing ball of orange and the landscape a sky of golden light.   The evening sky can reveal a color palette from pink, purple and blues to orange, yellow and red.

Spring and early summer nights frequently offer a show-stopping display of nature’s glory that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime, and fortunately for most Oregonians, much more than that.

Tolovana Inn provides front-row viewing for magical nights on the coast, one of many highlights of any trip to Cannon Beach.

Call today to reserve your stay in one of the spacious rooms or suites at Tolovana Inn

 

 

Cannon Beach “Spring Art Unveiling” First Weekend in May

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Painting by David Jonathan Marshall at Modern Villa Gallery

Painting by David Jonathan Marshall at Modern Villa Gallery

The Spring Art Unveiling provides another great reason to stay at the Tolovana Inn in Cannon Beach.

At the weekend long Spring Art Unveiling, hosted by the Cannon Beach Gallery Group, its members spotlight new work by their chosen artists during special demos and receptions with live music.

For the fourth year in a row, the spring art weekend will include “Art from the Chef’s Table” as twenty-nine of the towns chef’s, candy makers and baristas prepare  unique food and drink creations, inspired by featured gallery works,  and available just for this special weekend.

A complete list of gallery events and inspired menu items can be downloaded from the CB Gallery group site.

For reservations at Tolovana Inn, call 1-800-333-8890.

Honoring the Oregon Beach Bill in Cannon Beach

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The lines were once drawn in the sand, where drift wood was once stacked to keep the public off public beaches.

The lines were once drawn in the sand, where drift wood was once stacked to limit access to the beach.

 

It was 1967, when Oregon Governor Tom McCall signed the Oregon Beach Bill, declaring “the public would have free and uninterrupted use of the beaches.”

On Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, at 4 p.m., Cannon Beach will unveil the first commemorate sign on the beach, recognizing this progressive legislation, now 48 years old.

At the 1967 bill signing, Governor McCall honored former Governor Oswald West, who authored 1913 legislation declaring all state beaches to be a public highway, thus maintaining public access.

As the bill became state law, McCall quoted West, saying of the Oregon coastline: “No local selfish interest should be permitted, through politics or otherwise, to destroy or even impair this great birthright of our people.”

What a blessing that has been to all Oregon citizens and guests!

Tolovana Inn is proud to honor this important legislation on Earth Day, and every day.

Specially, the Oregon Beach Bill declares that all wet sand lying within 16 vertical feet of the low tide line be the property of the state of Oregon, with public easements of all beach areas up to the line of vegetation. It also requires that all property owners seek state permits for building and other use on the ocean shore.

 

 

Governor Oswald West, who in 1913 called the shoreline the public's "birthright," was the first guest at Warren Hotel, built in 1911, on the site of today's Tolovana Inn.

Governor Oswald West, who in 1913 called access to the  shoreline the public’s “birthright,” was the first guest at Warren Hotel, built in 1911, on the site of today’s Tolovana Inn.

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Puffins Returning to Haystack Rock

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From NorthwestBirding.com

From NorthwestBirding.com

 

Puffins, charmingly stout sea birds,  return each year  to Haystack Rock to lay eggs and raise their chicks after having spent the last eight months floating and diving in the Pacific. Iconic Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, steps from the Tolovana Inn, provides one of the most accessible locations to observe the comical and versatile puffins nesting in their natural environment.

Puffins are comical because of their distinctive look.  They have black, football-shaped bodies with stubby wings and big orange feet, topped with white faces, bright orange beaks and yellow tuffs.

Puffins are versatile because of the many skills they rely on to survive.  They fly out to sea, live on the water, dive 200 feet deep for food, and return to nest in burrows under the ground.

The sea birds spend their time in loose groups out on the ocean while looking for their mates or meeting new ones before they descend on the top of Haystack Rock in April to clean out old burrows or dig new ones.   They will continue their spring time rituals of courtship and mating until each female puffin lays a single egg and incubation begins.    Few puffins are actually visible while the egg is incubating.  The ones who are not sitting at the bottom of their burrows spend most of their time out at sea.

You can still see them as they come and go, but it will take patience. There are usually only two kinds of birds flying around Haystack Rock: gulls and puffins.  Gulls soar gracefully, puffins do not.

In June, when the eggs begin to hatch, activity really picks up.  The parents are constantly  coming and going, heading out to sea to catch fish for the rapidly growing chicks.  After about 45-50 days, the chicks will reach full size, and their parents will leave them, heading back out to sea.  After a few hungry days, the newly fledged young puffins come up out of the burrow and  work up the nerve to jump off the cliff,  eventually  taking flight and heading out to sea. Their short stubby wings, which make them great divers, do not make them good fliers.

The best Puffin viewing is April and May, then again in late June and July.  Watch during low tides and bring binoculars or a spotting scope.  Without viewing aids,  Puffins  look like big bumblebees buzzing around the top of the rock.

Cannon Beach Yoga Festival, March 6-8

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Yoga: World Class Instructors; World Class Location

If you are a regular practitioner of yoga, or have thought you might like to learn more about it, there is no better way to immerse yourself into this stress-reducing and healthful activity that at the Cannon Beach Yoga Festival,  March 6-8.

The festival draws yogis and students from around the region and beyond for a weekend full of workshops, lectures, discussion and meditation.  Come with an open mind and you are sure to be inspired by the experience–and by the stunning beauty of Cannon Beach.

Events are held at various locations around town, including the Tolovana Inn.  A full festival pass includes opening and closing ceremonies, ten hours of workshops and shuttles between locations.  You can also purchase a one-day pass, or a partial festival pass, providing access into individual workshops, as space allows.

Learn more about this uniquely relaxing event and register online at Cannon Beach Yoga Festival.   When you book accommodations at the Tolovana Inn, be sure to ask about special festival rates.

 

 

Meet a Roosevelt Elk

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Roosevelt elk

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 (Photo: JoAnna Dotson, 1-2-2015) 

During the quieter, winter season at the Oregon Coast, keep your eyes peeled around dusk and dawn.  That’s when you are mostly likely to see a majestic Roosevelt elk emerge from the shadows of the forest to graze in open meadows or wander along the edge of Cannon Beach looking for a bite to eat.

Elk are nocturnal herbivores that munch on ferns, shrubs, lichen, various berries, and grasses.  They also feed on seedlings of Douglas firs and western cedar.  With the abundance of food and cover, along with mild winters, the elk rarely migrate, spending most of the lives in the same area.

Or, you might even be surprised like a young woman who recently spotted an entire heard of elk swimming near the Astoria Bridge.

According to a spokesman with  the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, it’s not unusual for elk or deer to swim in rivers if they are motivated to find another place to graze or if they are seeking protection from predators—primarily humans or cougars.

Roosevelt Elk are found between in the Cascades from British Columbia to Northern California, and especially in the Oregon Coast range.   Named by Theodore Roosevelt, the desire to protect North America’s large, coastal dwelling elk was one of the primary forces behind the establishment of Washington’s Olympic National Park in 1909.

Elk are matriarchal.  Herds are generally led by females, comprised of calves, and adolescent bulls and cows.  Males live separately, except during the late-August breeding resulting in calves born the following spring.   Males weigh between 700 and 1,100 and cows about 625.

 Astoria resident JoAnna Dotson spotted this herd of elk swimming near in the Columbia River on January 2, 2015. (Copied from OregonLive.com.  See more photos and read more at this link.  http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/post_39.html 

Holiday fare: Fresh, Oregon Dungeness Crab

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Dungeness-Crab-Salad

The peak harvest for fresh Oregon Dungeness crabs runs from December through April, and that means right now, is a great time to plan a special holiday meal around the flavorful crustacean.

Oregon Dungeness crab is versatile and easy to prepare at home, or when staying at the coast in a spacious, Tolovana Inn suite in Cannon Beach.

Dungeness crab can be purchased at specialty seafood markets and supermarkets throughout the region with retail prices typically lowest during the winter when the harvest is in full swing.

The simplest method of preparing  Dungeness crab is placing live crab in boiling salted water and cooking  for 18-20 minutes–after the water returns to a boil—and the shell turns bright orange.  Immerse the crabs in cold water to cool before cleaning.  Fresh cooked crab can be served chilled or heated in a steamer, broiler or oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Crab can be simply served with melted  butter. Add a crisp Oregon Riesling and warm garlic bread, and a wonderful, local dinner is ready to enjoy.  For more elegant fare, crab meat can be served cocktail style as a tasty appetizer or featured as a hot entrée in crab cakes, pastas, seafood soups and  casseroles.

Besides enjoying the tender, sweet flavor of fresh Dungeness crab, you can feel good about the selection since Seafood Watch has given the crab a sustainable seafood rating of ‘Best Choice’  Selection.

For more information about Oregon’s state crustacean (as proclaimed by the Oregon legislature in 2009)  visit the Oregon Dungeness Crab commission web site.

Cheers for the Oregon coast and the winter Dungeness crab season!

 

Storm Watching: When Mother Nature Puts on the Show

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Winter is the perfect time of year to enjoy the natural and powerful drama of the Pacific Coast, when stormy, wet days can be followed up with soothing cool, breaks of blue sky and sunshine.

There are a couple of ways to enjoy winter storm watching in Cannon Beach.

The most comfortable is cuddled up inside an ocean front suite at the Tolovana Inn, snug near a fireplace with your favorite beverage, watching the stormy skies and thundering waves crash against the shore and nearby Haystack Rock.

Or if you prefer, bundle up and get outdoors for some real action.  Rain gear and boots are recommended.    Sure, your hair may get whipped around, and it may be hard to know which way the rain is falling, but that’s part of the excitement.

Walking along the shore to experience an upfront view of the ocean’s magnificent power is invigorating.   But, be sure to stay alert.  Just five inches of water can move a five ton log.  And sneaker waves that join up up can quickly double their height.

Depending upon where you are, avoid climbing on cliffs and jetties. Large rocks are slippery.  And, they can shift.

But drying off and warming up after a brisk  storm walk is part of the experience.  And, a bowl of clam chowder from Mo’s Restaurant, next door to Tolovana Inn, is both welcome and restorative.

The day after a storm is the best time for beach combing.  That’s when the ocean’s flotsam and jetsam are washed ashore and treasure hunting is at its best.   You can find anything from amazing shells to some random cargo that might have fallen off an ocean barge.

You can enjoy the calm—again–before the next storm.

 

Cannon Beach Stormy Weather Arts Festival

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Shore Patrol, “Shore Patrol” original oil, by Sharon Abbott-Furze

Shore Patrol, “Shore Patrol” original oil, by Sharon Abbott-Furze

Some of the Northwest’s most notable artists will converge on Cannon Beach as the community hosts its annual fall celebration of the arts at the Stormy Weather Arts Festival, the first weekend in November.  Art galleries and local businesses will present special exhibits, artist demonstrations and host receptions for guest artists over the three-day festival.

It’s another great reason to stay at Tolovana Inn. 

The festival’s signature Friday night event is “Art in Action,” where artists represented by Cannon Beach galleries will demonstrate their techniques in painting, carving or sculpture.  Participating artists are:  Josh Henrie, Jeffrey Hull, Hazel Schlesinger, Sharon Abbott-Furze, Marianne Post, and Pamela Wachtler-Fermanis.  Collector-quality finished works will be for sale at the event during a silent auction that will also feature vacation packages from the Columbia Gorge/Hood River, Mt. Hood, The Dalles, Skamania Lodge and Cannon Beach resorts. The night includes a wonderful appetizer buffet, wine, and live music by Bucky Pottschmidt.

Throughout the weekend, visitors will be able to attend gallery receptions and meet guest artists.  More than  twenty musical performers will be featured throughout town.

On Saturday night, the festival showcase event will be a concert by Cooper & The Jam, recently named one of Nashville’s Top 5 Artists on the Rise, in concert at the intimate 200-seat Coaster Theatre in what will surely be a memorable night.  She performs with   power and tenacity.  Cooper and her extraordinary band have been killing it in Music City and stealing hearts across the country.

Born and raised in the rural Oregon coastal mountain range, she moved to Portland OR and put herself through college while performing in local night clubs   Upon graduation, she moved to Nashville, TN where she recently recorded her second album.  She has performed at  Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival  for the 2nd  straight year.     Doors open for festival seating at 7:00 pm and the concert will start at 7:30 pm.

A limited number of tickets are available for Art in Action and Cooper & the Jam concert are still available.

Tickets for Art in Action are $55 per ticket or $99 for two;  and concert tickets are $35 each.  To purchase and find out more about tickets purchases, click here.

Gallery visitations will last through Sunday until 5:00 PM.

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