Sea urchin art – Marine Gardens at low tide near Otter Rock, Oregon Coast

When I was a Floridian, beach days included sun and temps over 70. Today i am heading to surf, fish and explore wonderful tide pools at the marine gardens near Otter Rock on the Oregon coast.  We are wearing fleece, rain gear, wool hats (52 degrees and wet) over bathing suits which will only see the light of day when we quickly get into wetsuits!

Tide pools are wonderous glimpses into life below the surface. Here’s a short video of a garden of purple sea urchins waving graceful arms to the rhythm of surf. (Video here or embedded below)

Communing with local seals as they napped on algae covered rock was loads of fun – and maybe a forshadowing of afternoon drama (read on!!!) 

After a morning on shore, surf’s up at Pacific City, kinda glassy so off we go!!!!

It was a great surf day with fast, heavy waves that built and broke and re-built to fun rights. Then came the drama! So when I was taking my last wave I turned to look back at the overhead swell as it began to feather and a SEAL that was taller and way fatter than I was totally torpedoed itself out of the water between me and the wave.

So why would a seal do that? At the moment, I just had a moment of being totally startled then I thought, “Was a SHARK was chasing it?” OMG I paddled for the wave and rode it all the way to shore. The end! I was done surfing for the day – shore break hammered, happy and tired.