SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 | 9A
stones,
the
quartz,
and
best places to
other mineral
searching Facebook for rock- look are along
impurities.
hounding within “Groups.” the
mouths
You can tell
There, people will find of creeks en-
which type of
many opportunities to join tering to the
chalcedony
communities who do regu- ocean, or with-
it is based on
lar meetups.
in the creeks
the presence
So what do people do with t h e m s e l v e s
of various in-
their bounty? Rock tumblers as the rocks
clusions in the
can be inexpensive, and flow from the
rock; jasper is
with a bit of polishing, peo- m o u n t a i n s
often darker
ple can have the materials to to the ocean.
and opaque
make jewelry and various Here is a list
with spotted
crafts. Other people display of ideal spots
or striped pat-
their local rocks with other to check out
terns, where-
objects found at the beach.
from the north
as agates are
end of the
translucent
ZEAHNA YOUNG/SIUSLAW NEWS
Top places to go rock-
Cape Perpetua
or semitrans-
Scouring rocky beaches for unusual stones, shells and driftwood is a calming
hounding locally
Scenic
Area
parent
with
activity to undertake all year at places like Bob Creek State Wayside.
If people are ready to get down to Hece-
uneven bands.
(Gwynn Creek)
• Strawberry Hills Way- Agate is also harder and
out there and hunting for ta Head:
• Cummins Creek
side (just south of Nancy less porous than jasper, and
their own semi-precious
• Neptune State Park
Creek)
beach agates will be small-
• Bob Creek State Way- er in size than those found
side (Bob Creek)
further inland.
• Stonefield Beach State
Agates range in color, and
Park (Tenmile Creek)
can be white, gray, orange,
• Muriel O. Ponsler Me- brown, pink, green, purple,
morial State Park (Big black or yellow, while blue
Creek)
and green agates are rare to
• Carl G. Washburne Me- find.
morial State Park (China
Jaspers contain iron ox-
Creek)
ides, hydroxides and oth-
er impurities which cause
Rocks people may find
them to be found with
The most common rocks unique, multicolor combi-
people will find in the area nations and patterns, and
are various types of agates they are usually mottled,
Receive a free accessory with a new lease.
and jaspers, both of which spotted, ringed or striped.
Expires 3/16/21.
are originated from chal- Colors include brown, yel-
cedony, which is a cryp- low, red and green, again
tocrystalline quartz min- with blue jaspers rarer to
eral. Both types of rock are find.
formed in igneous (volca-
Specifically in the Cape
ASSOCIATES
nic) rock cavities.
Perpetua area, people can
Generally, most agates find moss, sagenitic and
and jaspers took shape carnelian agates, as well as
Florence
when gases were trapped in bloodstone jaspers.
1901 Hwy 101, Ste A
lava flows, and as the lava
subsequently cooled and Best tips for a rockhound-
Scott C. Anderson, Au.D. • Steven G. Anderson, Au.D.
hardened, the empty fis-
ing trip
sures
filled
up
with
ground-
Winter
is the ideal time
HearingAssociatesofFlorence.com
water heavy in silica, or to go rockhounding because
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the beaches are less crowded
so they will be less picked-
over. There are also more
storms in winter, and just
after a storm as tides are
moving from high to low is
the best time for beach rock-
hounding.
Exposed gravel beds and
areas where there are basalt
flows are close by, such as
the rocky beaches at Bob
Creek or the streams in Chi-
na Creek, are the best loca-
tions to search for rocks.
When searching for agates
specifically, people should
position themselves be-
tween the rocks and the sun,
with the sun behind them.
If the rocks are dry, spray
them with a water bottle, as
semi-precious stones will be
easier to distinguish when
they are wet and shiny.
Always remember to stay
safe on the beach, especial-
ly if people go out alone,
and watch the tides. People
should never turn their back
on the ocean and watch out
for sneaker waves.
To learn more about
rockhounding, pick up a
comprehensive book called
“Rockhounding
Oregon:
A Guide to the State’s Best
Rockhounding Sites” by
Lars W. Johnson. People
can also visit oregondiscov
ery.com/beachcombing or
rockseeker.com/category/
state/oregon/ for more in-
formation about local rock-
hounding.
Download the USDA’s
Rockhounding Guide at
www.fs.usda.gov/sites/de
fault/files/fs_media/fs_doc
ument/rhbrochureFS1091.
pdf for rules and regulations
regarding rockhounding et-
iquette.
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