NED HICKSON , SPORTS EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3523 ❘ SPORTS @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ DECEMBER 30, 2015 ❘ SECTION B Siuslaw News Sports & Recreation S PORTS W HALE Calendar Jan. 5 • SHS GIRLS BB AT E LMIRA 5:45 P . M . • SHS BOYS BB AT E LMIRA 7:15 P . M . NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS Whale watching outlooks are locat- ed in 24 spots along Highway 101. WATCHING CONTINUES Whale Watching Week along the Oregon coast began Sunday and con- tinues through Thursday, Dec. 31, with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) hosting 24 “Whale Watching Spoken Here” sta- tions at various points along scenic Highway 101 overlooks. Whale enthusiasts and visitors to the coast are invited to watch for migrating whales with trained volun- teers during this week’s annual winter migration period. Volunteers will be stationed at the designated sites from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day to help people spot gray whales heading south to Mexico. Visitors will also learn about whale migration and feeding habits. The winter migration typically lasts from now until mid-January. A map of the watch sites is available online at www.whalespoken.org. Camping, including yurts and cab- ins, is available at state parks along the coast by visiting www.oregonstate parks.org and checking availability and making a reservation. OPRD reminds visitors to check www.oregonstateparks.org and www. tripcheck.com for weather-related alerts and closures before heading to the coast. Be safe and aware of winter storms and high waves, and respect beach closures, stay off the sand and watch storms from an elevated location. • MHS GIRLS BB AT A LSEA 5:30 P . M . • MHS BOYS BB AT Viks approach end of preseason A LSEA B Y N ED H ICKSON 7 P . M . Siuslaw News • MHS GIRLS BB AT S ILETZ 5:30 P . M . • MHS BOYS BB AT S ILETZ 7 P . M . T IDE T ABLE Entrance Siuslaw River High Tide Low Tide Dec. 30 3:33am / 6.9 2:57pm / 6.5 9:24am / 2.9 9:36pm / 0.8 Dec. 31 4:15am / 6.9 3:49pm/ 6.0 10:21am / 2.9 10:17pm/ 1.4 Jan. 1 5:04am / 6.8 4:52pm / 5.4 11:26am / 2.9 11:07pm / 1.9 Jan. 2 5:50am / 6.8 6:04pm/ 5.1 12:32pm / 2.6 11:58pm/ 2.5 Jan. 3 6:37am / 6.9 7:22pm / 5.0 1:35pm / 2.1 NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS Jan. 4 7:24am / 7.1 8:35pm/ 5.2 12:54am / 2.9 2:31pm/ 1.6 Jan. 5 8:09am / 7.3 9:36pm / 5.5 1:52am / 3.2 3:19pm / 1.1 S IUSLAW N EWS 148 Maple St. Florence 541-997-3441 Siuslaw senior post Taylor Dotson re-enters the court after a timeout. The Viks will do the same after winter break next Tuesday at Elmira. WEEKLY FISHING REPORT FOR The Lady Vikings finished out the last of their holiday break preseason games late last week on the road in Philomath at the Warriors’ annual holiday basketball tournament. Taking on Hidden Valley, the Vikings were hot from the field thanks to senior guard Sierra Potter, who had four 3-point- ers in the game and claimed 16 points. Junior guard Destinie Tatum also had 16 points in the matchup, along with a team- high 11 rebounds against the Mustangs. The Viks only had three free throws in the game, all of them attempted — and sunk — by Tatum. The Viks also got scoring from senior post Taylor Dotson, with four points and five rebounds, as well as two points and a pair of boards from junior point guard Abby Watkins. Freshman guard Annabel Tupua had five rebounds, with two rebounds from freshman post Madison Reynolds and one rebound from sophomore guard Nikki Launius. Despite the effort, the Viks fell short, 55-38, to go 1-6 heading into next Tuesday’s nonleague road game at Elmira. Siuslaw will wrap up its preseason play Jan. 8 at Phoenix High School, during the Sky-West Crossover Tournament, which will include all the Far West League teams and a chance to preview the competition before the official start of league Jan. 15 at South Umpqua. The Vikings’ first home game of the FWL season will be Jan. 19, when they host Marshfield at 6 p.m. Next Tuesday’s game against the Falcons tips off at 5:45 p.m., followed by the boys’ game at 7:15 p.m. THE LOCAL REGION www.dfw.state.or.us/RR MID COAST LAKES The coho salmon fish- eries in S ILTCOOS and T AHKENITCH lakes are slow to fair. This time of year is typically the most productive. Recent rains and big tide should help to move new fish into the lakes. See FISHING 3B South Jetty crab dock closed to public The crabbing dock along South Jetty Road south of Florence has been closed because of unsafe conditions. Persistent rains have erod- ed and destabilized the access trail from the parking lot to the dock, prompting the clo- sure from Siuslaw National Forest and Lane County Parks officials. The public is urged to respect the closure for their own safety. Officials are reviewing the damage, but See CRABBING 3B Friday’s annual Peace Hike to take alternate route YACHATS — Last month, the Amanda Trail Bridge and Amanda statue, which were to be the destina- tion for the sixth annual Yachats New Year’s Day Peace Hike, were washed out following several weeks of heavy rain and storms. Due to the continuing instability and dangerous conditions of the area, this section of the Amanda Trail is now closed indefinitely to all hikers and visitors while the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department determines next steps for a recovery plan. As a result, previously announced plans for the Peace Hike have changed. If weather and trail condi- tions permit, there will be an alterna- tive hike of about 3.5 miles round trip from the Yachats Commons (441 N. Highway 101 in Yachats) to the 804 Trail, Ya’Xaik Trail, Gerdemann Botanical Preserve and back. All other related activities, includ- ing the traditional Peace Ceremony, will now take place at the Yachats Commons rather than the Amanda Grotto. Anyone wanting to participate should meet at the Commons at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Yachats Mayor Ron Brean will ng! i t s i L New introduce Doc Slyter, Elder, Tribal Flutist and Tribal Council member for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) who will tell the story of Amanda, a blind woman forced to leave her young daughter and march barefoot through rocky terrain to the Alsea Sub-agency internment camp in Yachats in 1864. It is through the Tribes’ and commu- nity's endeavors with the Amanda Trail that many people have become more aware of the great need to acknowl- edge the wrongs of the past; and to be more conscious of the need to treat Lynnette Wikstrom Broker lynnette@cbcoast.com people of all cultures throughout the world with honor, dignity and respect. Though the fate of the missing Amanda statue is uncertain at this time, her spirit and story remain resilient and will be celebrated this day. Participants will then gather at the covered shelter behind the Commons where a ceremonial fire will be it and the group will have the opportunity to contemplate and offer blessings for peace in the new year. During the ceremony, Native See HIKE 3B BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION Newly constructed one level home on .43 acres wooded lot. This 1440 sq ft home has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths and an oversized 24 X 28, 2 car garage. Laminate flooring throughout living space with carpet in bedrooms and laminate tile in baths. 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