Southwest Washington - Washington State - page 251

for a game of golf, head to the Ocean Shores Golf Course, 500 Canal Dr. NE
( & 360/289-3357 ).
North of Ocean City, high bluffs, haystack rocks, secluded beaches, and dark
forests create a more dramatic coastline. Along this stretch of coast there is beach
access at Ocean City, Griffiths-Priday, and Pacific Beach state parks. Razor
clamming is one of the most popular activities on the secluded beaches of this
area. To try your hand at clamming, you'll need a license, a shovel, and a tide
table. With all three in hand, head out to the beach at low tide and start look-
ing for clam holes. When you spot one, dig fast. Good luck! Also, before head-
ing out to the beach, find out if clamming season is open by calling the
Westport-Grayland Chamber of Commerce ( & 800/345-6223 ).
The 18 miles of coastline between Westport and Tokeland is called South
Beach or the Cranberry Coast, and along this stretch of beach, there are plenty
of places to access the sand and surf. Four state parks provide the best facilities
and easiest access. Twin Harbors State Park is 2 miles south of Westport and is
the largest of the four, with more than 3 miles of beach. Grayland Beach State
Park is just south of the town of Grayland and has less than a mile of beach.
Both of these parks have nature trails, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Just out-
side the marina area of Westport is Westhaven State Park, and just south of
town is Westport Light State Park, where you'll find the popular Dune Trail, a
paved 1-mile-long path that parallels the beach. These latter two parks are day-
use areas only.
In the South Beach area, charter fishing, clamming, and whale-watching are
the big attractions, and most of the activity centers on the marina at Westport.
Boats head out daily in summer in search of salmon, tuna, and bottom fish.
If you'd like to try your luck at reeling in a big one, try Bran Lee Charters
( & 800/562-0163 or 360/268-9177; www.branleecharters.com) or Deep Sea
Charters ( & 800/562-0151 or 360/268-9300; www.oceansportfishing.com).
Rates range from about $60 to $110 for a day of fishing. In the fall, salmon fish-
ing is also popular right off the docks in the Westport Marina.
Each year between February and May, gray whales migrating to the calving
grounds off Baja California, Mexico, pass by the Washington coast. The whales
sometimes come so close to the mouth of Grays Harbor that they can be seen
from the observation tower at the marina in Westport. However, for a closer
look, you might want to head out on a whale-watching boat trip. Contact one
of the charter boat companies mentioned above if you're interested. Rates are
between $20 and $25 for adults and between $12 and $18 for children.
Crabbing is another favorite area activity. To give crabbing a try, you'll need
a crab ring (they can be bought for $20-$40 or rented for around $6 per day at
the Westport Marina) and some bacon or chicken necks for bait. Find a spot on
Westport's 1,000-foot-long pier, toss your trap over the side, and sit back and
wait for the crabs to come to you—it's that easy.
All along the South Beach area between Grayland and Tokeland, you'll see
cranberry bogs beside the highway. The cranberry harvest begins around Labor
Day and continues on through October. To harvest the tart berries, the bogs are
flooded, which causes the ripe berries to float on the surface of the water, where
they can be easily scooped up mechanically.
Each year in late April and early May, Bowerman Basin in Grays Harbor
National Wildlife Refuge ( & 360/753-9467; http://graysharbor.fws.gov)
becomes a staging ground for tens of thousands of Arctic-bound shorebirds.