Sea Lions Love to Relax in Yachats too
Sea Lions Love to Relax in Yachats, Too!
You probably know that Yachats is one of the best places to relax and rejuvenate, but did you know that sea lions think so too? In fact, the Oregon Coast is home to three species of sea lions, and Steller (or northern) sea lions are the most common species that you’ll find in Yachats and the surrounding area. You can often spot them lounging on the rocky outcroppings around town, but we also have several nearby places where you’re guaranteed to find them most of the year!
Steller sea lions are sometimes confused with California sea lions (also found along the Oregon Coast), but Steller sea lions have lighter fur, live here all year, and roar instead of bark. Stellers are also much larger than their California cousins; the males can weigh over a ton and grow to be eleven feet long, while females only weigh 600 to 800 pounds! You can often see them rolling about and loafing on rocky shores or small islands, where they “haul out” of the water to rest and relax.
The Sea Lion Caves are less than fifteen miles south of Yachats and are a favorite spot for Steller sea lions. These caves are the largest sea caves in the United States and are home to hundreds of sea lions for much of the year. Winter is one of the best times to visit the caves, but in the spring, the sea lions move out of sight to the rookery areas for breeding and birthing, where they’ll stay for much of the summer.
Portia T. Doddle is Yachats’s resident sea lion, and you can visit her all year long. She’s always in town because she’s a work of art in front of the Yachats Commons on the corner of Highway 101 and 4th Street! Portia is one of twenty sea lion sculptures that were part of the Dancing with Sea Lions public art project, created in nearby Florence, Oregon in 2016. She was purchased by local arts and programming organization Polly Plumb Productions and donated to the city for everyone to enjoy. The beautiful art was done by local artist Ruth Bass. Another fourteen of the twenty sculptures are located in public places and can be found on a map on the Dancing with Sea Lions website. Come visit Portia and see if you can find the other sea lions in the area!
The Yachats Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome you to the coast! Visit our website at yachats.org for a detailed list of events and a variety of ideas that will enhance your stay.
Written by Phil Sollers
Photo by Harmony Elizabeth Photography
