Friday, August 23, 2019 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com • A5
Humpback whales on the horizon
SEASIDE
AQUARIUM
WENDI
AGALZOFF
K
eep an eye on the Colum-
bia River because late sum-
mer is ideal for humpback
whale sightings! Whale watching is
a year-round activity on the Oregon
Coast, but August through Sep-
tember lucky observers might see
active humpback whales off our
Clatsop County shores and in the
lower Columbia River.
Regional humpback whales
(Megaptera novaeangilae) can be
spotted breaching (jumping out of
the water) and slapping the water
with their tail and pectoral fi ns
during their 3,000-mile migration
between northern Alaskan waters
and breeding grounds of Hawaii.
These 60-foot-long mammals can
be identifi ed by an obvious hump,
a knobby head and long pectoral
fi ns which can reach up to 15 feet
across. Other identifi able features
include a white underbelly and
white markings under their fi ns and
tail fl uke.
Individuals live an average of
80 to 90 years reaching reproduc-
tive maturity at fi ve to 10 years
Tiff any Boothe/Seaside Aquarium
Humpback feeding in Columbia River.
and weigh an average of 40 tons.
Humpbacks live in every major
ocean across the globe, but individ-
ualized populations have specifi c
migration patterns and regions.
Typically, humpbacks in our
area are seen feeding during the
summer months fi ve to 15 miles
off the coast, but venture closer to
Tiff any Boothe/Seaside Aquarium
Humpback feeding on baitfi sh.
follow bait balls of small fi sh. A
small handful of individuals have
been known to brave the Colum-
bia River when smolt runs are pro-
lifi c and can spend a few days or
weeks within the lower reaches of
the river consuming up to 3,000
pounds of krill and small fi sh per
day. A few great locations to see
the river-exploring whales include
Hammond Marina and Cape Dis-
appointment State Park.
Over the last few weeks, there
has been notable humpback whale
activity just outside the breakers
off the northern Long Beach Pen-
insula. Within the last few days, at
least one whale has been spotted
in the river just west of the Astoria
Bridge. Other great local places to
view humpbacks are Neahkahnie
Mountain and Silver Point. Local-
ized Facebook groups, such as
“Clatsop and Pacifi c County Whale
Sightings,” are a simple way to get
immediate whale-sighting informa-
tion for our area.
Lorna Brandt
Jeremiah Schlink and Samantha Carlisle, at right, of Clatsop County at the 4-H Fair in Cowlitz County, Washington, Saturday, July 29.
Local kids win awards for dog training at 4-H dog show
Seaside Signal
S
amantha Carlisle with her dog Finn, a great
Dane poodle cross, and Jeremiah Schlink
with his dog Henry, a heeler mix, traveled
to Longview, Washington, and participated
in the Cowlitz County Fair 4-H dog show
on July 24.
Samantha and Finn were declared obedience
champion and reserve champion in showmanship
in the Intermediate age group. Jeremiah and Henry
won the Junior Division Showmanship Champion-
ship and also competing in the obedience class. The
two young members of the Paws n’ Action Dog Club
DINING
on the
A bevy of activities awaits you
‘THE BOB’
DARREN GOOCH
I
NORTH COAST
Dmitri Matheny performs at the Cannon
Beach History Center & Museum to
open the cottage tour.
Cottage Tour offers
weekend of events
Seaside Signal
The Cannon Beach Cottage Tour
is a weekend-long series of events,
including live music, wine tasting,
tea tasting, and a tour of homes that
takes place Sept. 13-15. The tour is
the annual fundraiser for the Cannon
Beach History Center and Museum.
Not many home tours take place
with the Pacifi c Ocean in view. Cannon
Beach has been a destination commu-
nity since the late 1800s. The August
1891 issue of the The Daily Astorian
declared the settlement a “sportsman’s
paradise.”
The weekend will kick off on Fri-
day, Sept. 13 with a jazz concert featur-
ing Dmitri Matheny. Tickets are $20.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, the day
begins with a luncheon and lecture at
Tolovana Hall. tickets are $30.
Purchase tickets at cbhistory.org/
events-exhibits/cottage-tour or by call-
ing 503-436-9301, email at info@
cbhistory.org.
Great Restaurants in:
GEARHART • SEASIDE
CANNON BEACH
WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE LOCALS GO?
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Junior Menu
RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
• Lighter appetite menu
R I LEY ’
S
started working with the Sunset
Empire Park and Recreation Dis-
trict 16 years ago. It was a pleasant
September day and like many of the
jobs around the district, it included a
little bit of everything.
I spend a typical day painting the
inside of the Seaside Youth Cen-
ter, preparing activities for the mid-
dle school after school program,
setting-up for special events and
developing a new pottery program. I
defi nitely bounced around from task to
task a lot in those days.
Of those duties, I spent a great
amount of time at the Bob Chisholm
Community Center working the eve-
ning and weekend rentals. Birthdays,
baptisms, quinceañeras and wed-
ding receptions. You name it, I have
worked it. The one thing I have come
to realize about the center is that it is
not just a senior center as some might
folks might think. The center certainly
does offer a lot of programming aimed
at the senior population, but there is so
much more.
Two years ago, the Community
Center and Senior Commission voted
to simplify its name to just the Com-
munity Center Commission in an
effort to defi ne its broader scope. As a
hub for exercise classes, various rent-
als and community art programs, the
center has grown over the years to
include a bevy of activities that really
make it a “whole community” facility
that caters to every age group.
I remember walking into the build-
ing one afternoon about 12 years ago
to see several tae kwon do students
standing at the door of the main hall.
All four of them were neatly dressed
on their white dobaks and stopped to
make a small bow before entering the
room. The kids ranged in age from
6 to 10, and I recall thinking about
how respectful they were on entering
their training space. I think it was that
moment when I began to realize just
how diverse of a population our mod-
est center serves and just how import-
ant it is to each of them.
Since the early days, my job duties
have changed greatly and I have set-
tled into a more predictable sched-
ule of duties. One thing that has not
changed however, is the amount of
time I spend at The Bob. I have the
good fortune of spending my days
with a great staff and a cadre of color-
ful characters who take part in the pro-
grams we offer. This is one aspect of
my job that I hope never changes!
I invite you to grab a copy of our
new Fall Program Guide, available
here at the center and online at sun-
setempire.com. Inside you will fi nd
information on all of our programs,
activities, and special events.
Every month, The BOB will bring
you information on current events and
items of interest here at the center. See
you next month!
later competed in their agility event. Samantha won
a champion ribbon in standard agility. Jeremiah won
champion ribbons in both agility courses in his age
group. The Cowlitz dog club were great hosts for
the day and very supportive of their Clatsop County
competitors.
BEST
BREAKFAST
IN TOWN!
Fish ‘n Chips • Burgers • Seafood & Steak
Friday & Saturday - Prime Rib
Lounge Open Daily 9-Midnight
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1104 S Holladay • 503-738-9701 • Open Daily at 8am
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