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! 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