Coos Bay Boardwalk & Festival of Sail

May 10, 2015
2 min read

We often look past the beauty of our immediate surroundings as time fades their novelty and wonder. It's unavoidable for most, whether in an urban hot spot or the solitude of nature we all get used to our daily sights. For a travel/adventure buff this can happen all too often as we usually reside in or near touristy meccas. I am not innocent of this nor is my family. In fact, we are guilty as charged when it comes to exploring our own current surroundings.

Although we have lived in or near Coos Bay, Oregon for almost 5 years we have never taken in the Coos Bay Boardwalk as a family. We had all been down there individually for a quick walk but had never taken the time to explore or learn even though we drive by it almost daily. A new event co-produced by the Coos Bay Downtown Association and the Coos Bay Boat Building Center inviting tall ships to the bay turned our attention to the boardwalk. And boy, were we missing out.

The Coos Bay Festival of Sail is a 10 day event encompassing the bay, the boardwalk and the historic Egyptian Theatre hosting meet and greets with the captains and crew, educational sails, adventure sails and battle sails. The event featured two tall ships: The Lady Washington and The Hawaiian Chieftain. Both ships were also available for dock side tours when not on the water.

We took in a few of downtown's little shops and stores before crossing US Hwy 101 to the boardwalk. The sidewalks and docks were lined with people waiting for cruises while crew outfitted in time appropriate costumes readied their passengers for sail. There were locals mingling, bikers, joggers and even a couple ol' hacky sacks flying around as we strolled toward the covered decks and maritime displays.

Historic and modern tug boats were displayed and surrounded with education on both the logging and maritime history of the Coos Bay Region. The smell of seafood cooking at the restaurant on the lower docks eventually entices anyone to stroll down the ramp to the docks. The grandeur of the ships is awesome as you stand right next to them. Looking up to the top of the masts gives a real perspective how intricate these historic vessels are. Not just the tall ships, but all the boats down there are kind of fun to look at and if you really want to get a view of the bay sea plane rides are available right next to the restaurant.

There is truly something for everyone and we spent way more time there than any of us thought we would. What's even more surprising is that we all plan to return. Both the Rail Museum and the New Maritime Museum are right on the water, both are in our future plans. As for the sea plane... Glenn, Sierra and I are definitely not participating. But we may make Tristin go with a camera.