WALK TO TOWN

2791 Colony Circle is a luxury home in the Colony at Bandon Cove.

This home is fully furnished with stainless appliances, bamboo floors, 100% wool carpets, and boasts a floor to exposed beam ceiling fireplace. Inland heat draws cool moist air in at night. It lingers near the shore as fog until the heat from the morning sun burns it off.

Stepping out the front door at 2791 Colony Circle in the early morning fog feels like stepping onto a cloud.

It’s a three-mile hike

on the beach from the front door to the center of town, or more importantly- the bakery. Several yards away to the south on Beach Loop drive, is the beach access. At the end of a short dirt road there is a collection pool and a large log that serves as a bridge. Across the bridge is the beach and one of the best walks around. Low tide is the best time to walk to town, but even at high tide there is plenty of beach to walk along. Heading south from the access point, the first major wayside attraction is Face Rock.

THE LEGEND OF FACE ROCK

Here is an excerpt of Ewauna’s story, the legend of Face Rock taken from a written account by Ottile Parker Kronenberg the daughter of Captain Judah Parker, for whom Parkersburg was named. As a young girl Ottile was friends with “Mary” one of the last Nasomah (Coquille) tribe who told her this story.

Chief Siskiyou and Ewauna

lived in the mountains. Ewauna had never seen the ocean, but longed to find the place where clouds were made. They were traveling under the Chinook moon to the coast for a great Potlatch, (ceremonial feast) in his honor.

Chief Necomah, the strongest of the coastal tribes, was put in charge. There were great quantities of clams and mussels cooked in mounds of sea moss and myrtle leaves. Eight bears were prepared along with 100 salmon, a dozen elk and 20 deer. Cedar logs spit down the middle served as table and bowls were filled with huckleberries and honey.

Ewauna brought with her a cat and kittens she carried with her in a basket. Her father Chief Siskiyou had traded a French trapper for the cat, the trapper had apparently carried all the way from Montreal. None of the other tribes had ever seen a domesticated cat before and it was a great curiosity. Ewauna also had a dog named Komax. Early on the second day, the four chiefs came together with their tribes. They gave thanks and settled into the feast. All day they feasted until they were drunk with food and fell asleep where they sat.

Under the Chinook moon

Ewauna snuck away from camp with her pets and headed to the beach to dance and sing in the waves under the silver light. She placed her basket on the beach as put Komax in charge, then she danced out into the waves. Rejoicing, she swam further out singing to the moon.

Farther out she swam, unaware of Komax’s warning. Suddenly the moon went black behind a dark hand and Ewauna was grabbed by a creature in the water. It was Seatka, holding her tightly and demanding she look at him. She refused, determined to keep her face to the friendly moon. Komax swam out to save her, but Seatka was too great and flung the dog and the kittens out into the surf.

The following morning

her father awoke and raised the alarm. Through the mist they saw her lying on the sea smiling up at the white clouds. Farther out they could see the kittens and Komax howling for his master. On the shore sits Seatka still gazing at Ewauna trying to catch her eye.

From the bluff

overlooking the beach, her profile is visible in the large rock sentinel several hundred yards off shore. Below the overlook are numerous caves and tunnels. It’s easy to imagine Ewauna and Komax exploring the beach or hiding in the dark corners playing hide and seek and laughing.

Explore these geographical

formations when they are accessible at low tide. On a sunny day, the water in the tide pools can be surprisingly warm. A contrast to the often fifty degree waters of the Northern Pacific. Extreme tides or King tides usually happen around full moons and can yield some of the best tide-pool viewing. The sentinel rock formations are covered with all manner of critters and marine life usually hidden by the churning waves.

At low tide the sand around the sentinels is firm and the areas below the tide line are covered with sea stars, drift wood, goose neck barnacles, muscles and the creatures that eat those critters like shore crabs, seals (affectionately referred to as dog mermaids) Oyster Catchers, Turns, Snowy Plover, Sea Gulls, Cormorants, Pelicans, Loons, Great Blue Heron, Egrets, Kites… It’s crowded if you see another person half a mile in either direction.

At the end of the beach

is the South Jetty and a convenient, clean bathroom. The Jetty is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. It’s a great spot to watch boats attempting to cross the bar. It’s also a great spot for whale watching in the Spring and Fall. A favorite local secret is walking to town along the Coquille river. However, this is really only possible at low tide, so plan ahead. Most stores in town near the boardwalk have tide books on hand and for sale. The Chamber visitor center is also a good place to get tidal information.