Quiet Retreat

This collection of rocks at the lower tideline of Nelscott beach
is a great breaking point for waves, creating a calm and
beautiful ocean melody

There are a few basic questions I ask of all the COASSTers I’ve had the pleasure to meet over the past several weeks: why COASST and what does participation mean to you? As you can imagine, there are a number of reasons why COASSTers value their role in the organization. Some love learning and interacting with birds (see here, here, and here). For others, it is knowing they are contributing to valuable research and building a solid knowledge-base. For many, the program is a conduit for deeper connection or interaction with specific places, environments, or people.  And others still appreciate COASST because it prompts healthy habits or opportunities to explore. Oregon North Coast COASSTers Wade (Nelscott) and Janice (Tierra del Mar N) mentioned many of those reasons when I spoke with them today. But for these two volunteers, the monthly COASST surveys also bring an additional benefit; a chance to find solitude in some of the most beautiful places on earth. Particularly in the winter months, both Janice and Wade may be the only soul to set foot on their beach on any given day. And that is of great comfort to them both.  A chance to wind down, become distracted from your worries, and soak in natural wonders like the fresh crisp ocean air or the brilliant hue of a seashell as the sun hits it right. As the summer crowds dissipate, these beaches become places to find quiet and introspection. Both of these COASSTers are drawn towards that type of experience, having traveled near and far to search out remote and untamed places. And yet, they don’t have to travel far at all to find that same delight on the beaches they survey for COASST. As Wade reminded me, each trip to the beach to conduct a survey presents a priceless opportunity to find “beauty all around you.” Having walked many of these beaches myself over the past few weeks, I couldn’t agree more!