Clamming at Beard's Hollow

This weekend looks to be lovely with sunshine!  The Long Beach Peninsula has early morning clam tides Saturday and Sunday so you can limit and be back in time for a warm hot tub and our signature breakfast by the fireplace at 9:30.  All of our friends have reported limiting quickly during the last clam dig–so maybe you can too!  Of course,  you don’t have to dig clams –or else send the sweetheart out to dig clams while you sleep in could be a plan too! Simply languishing in Boreas Inn’s fluffy feather beds in our oceanside Long Beach, WA lodging will make your weekend divine. We will set up dinners out in our favorite haunts.  Whether you clam or not, you will dig it at Boreas!

When the arctic ice starts to form, the grays whales start a two- to three-month trip south to the Baja Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico.  Around 19,000 whales migrate by the Long Beach Peninsula on their way to warmer waters and then a couple of months later, they cruise by again heading back north.  So they really don’t have a lot of vacation time for all that traveling, they say it’s the longest migration of  any mammal up to .

The gray whale is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds every year passing by the Long Beach, Washington Peninsula during the southern and northern migrations.  Gray whales can reach a length of 52 ft and can weigh about 35 tons and live a very long time, 50–70 years!  They are called “Gray” because they have gray patches and white mottling on dark skin and descend from filter-feeding whales that developed over 30 million years ago.

When the arctic ice starts to form, the grays whales start a two- to three-month trip south to the Baja Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico.  Around 19,000 whales migrate by the Long Beach Peninsula on their way to warmer waters and then a couple of months later, they cruise by again heading back north.  So they really don’t have a lot of vacation time for all that traveling.

This extensive gray whale migration all the way to Baja for such a brief stay reminds me of our several family trips during spring vacation when we would drive from Lake Oswego, near Portland all the way to Ensenada, in Baja California.  It’s a long drive in a station wagon with parents and two domineering older brothers for a very brief stay in Baja.  Of course, stopping at Disneyland and in San Diego were nice distractions away from the back seat of a Plymouth station wagon.  We’d spend a few days in Baja and then turn around and drive back to Portland.  Our family migration from Portland to Baja does have a vague but humorous similarity to the gray whales’.  The gray whales tend to breed and nurse their youngsters while in the warmer waters which certainly was not our goal while in Baja.

Our favorite place to watch for the gray whales is in Cape Disappointment State Park at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the North Head Lighthouse.  From December until early February, we have seen the grays migrating south and then again in March, April and May when they return to the arctic.  That being said, we have seen gray whales in September just off the surf line from the stunning turnout on the Loop 100 in Cape D State Park.  There are some “permanent” gray whales living off the Washington Coast.  Just over a month ago a half dozen gigantic blue whales were spotted not far off the Long Beach Peninsula, perhaps 30 miles.  They were over 100 feet long!  Fishermen report in one day of summer fishing, seeing three or four varieties of whales including sperm whales and humpbacks or “humpies” off our coast.

Grays feed mostly on crustaceans which it eats by turning on its side (usually the right, resulting in loss of eyesight in the right eye for many older animals) and it scoops up sediments from the sea floor.  They eat by using their baleens which act like a sieve, to capture small sea animals, taken in along with sand, water and other materials they scoop up.  They feed in arctic waters during the summer and sometimes feed during its migration but mostly, when heading south, they rely on their fat reserves.  We have seen them seemingly rubbing themselves on the North Jetty near our favorite spot in the Cape D State Park.   They were feeding by scraping the rocks on the jetty.  So cool!

During migration, these giant cruisers average around 75 miles per day at an average speed of 5 mph.  The round trip of 9,900–14,000 miles is supposedly the longest annual migration of any mammal.  By late December to early January, they begin to arrive in the calving lagoons of Baja. Gestation for grays is 13.5 months so often mothers give birth in the safer waters of Baja and single females are seeking mates.  By mid-February to mid-March the whales have arrived in the lagoons and are nursing, calving and mating.

Throughout February and March, the first to leave the lagoons are males and females without new calves. Pregnant females and nursing mothers with their newborns are the last to depart, leaving only when their calves are ready for the journey, which is usually from late March to mid-April. Sometimes the mothers with new calves linger in warm waters into May.

A population of about 200 gray whales stay along the eastern Pacific coast from Canada to California throughout the summer which is why we occasionally see them in non-migration months.  They never leave to go to Alaskan waters. This summer resident group is known as the Pacific Coast Feeding Group.

Now that you know all about gray whales, drive to the Long Beach, Washington Peninsula to try to get a glimpse.  Right now you might see a few stragglers heading south and in a month or so you will see the gray whales returning from their brief stay in the warmer waters off the Baja Peninsula.  At Boreas Inn, we always have binoculars for you to borrow and helpful hints (Bill is great at spotting whales). During the busier times of migration, there are experts at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Cape D. State Park, just 10 minutes from Boreas Inn.

This is a perfect time of year to take your Valentine to the beach to watch for whales and sleep in the Boreas Inn’s lovely beds, dine by the fire on the best three-course B&B breakfast you’ve ever had, breathe the cool ocean breezes, be lulled by the gentle sound of the Pacific Ocean lapping on the beach and to relax.  Let your innkeepers, Susie Goldsmith and Bill Verner design your time away with great dinners at The Depot, Pelicano, the 42nd Street Cafe, The Lost Roo and Shelburne’s dining room and maybe an in-room massage!  Check our online specials or give us a call at 888-642-8069. We hope to see you soon!

Of course, one of the most scenic parts of the Park are the two lighthouses, The North Head Lighthouse and the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.  The North Head is easily explored by parking in the lot and walking down to the lighthouse on a road alongside the rock face overlooking the Pacific Ocean and just north of Benson Beach.  This is a place to linger.  All day.  The waves, huge in the winter but omnipresent, are hypnotic. The color of the water seems to change from blue to green to gray in a storm, but always a stunning contrast with the white tips of the peaks of the waves.  Whale watching from the North Head is often rewarding.  We look for the clumps of kelp offshore and occasionally see the spouts. The pelicans, eagles, many varieties of gulls, terns and a huge array of seabirds make this spot make for some of the best birdwatching in the West. Cape D lighthouse is a hike from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (in winter and anytime, the best view of the Mouth of the Columbia and the jetties), around Dead Man’s Cove.  Our guests come from around the world to see these two lighthouses, within miles of Boreas!

I mentioned Serious Pizza!  Well–seriously now, take the combination of a wood-fired pizza oven, burning cherry and apple, the “00 fino” flour imported from Italy, imported cheeses, meats from a great Seattle butcher chop and a location at Waikiki Beach at Cape D (as we call it), and you have not only the recipe for the best wood-fired pizza in Southwest Washington, but a spectacular setting near the amphitheater at Cape D State Park.  With eagles flying overhead (perhaps looking hungrily at your pizza-or maybe at your dog) and osprey circling around with crows and gulls harrassing them, you have an experience you will never forget.  Our favorite pizza is, you guessed it, “The Boreas”–the vegetarian pizza with garlic olive oil base, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives and pepperoni.  How special is it to have a pizza named after Boreas Inn?  State Parks built Jim and Chi, the purveyors of this fine pizza, a permanent structure so that visitors to the park, including campers staying in the 240 campsites, can have pizza!  We call ahead to avoid waiting perhaps an hour for the most memorable pizza. It’s truly Neopolitano–a thin delectable crust and just the right amount of cheese for a non-guilt producing light meal.  They also have wood-fired oysters and mouth-watering wood-fired wings.  Homemade ice cream and brownies….oh my!  Watch for Jim and Chi’s Serious Pizza to come soon to the town of Long Beach!

I have attached a very fine video about Cape Disappointment State Park to this blog!  It stars a few of our favorite State Park employees and some of the best scenery this area has to offer.  The Park is located 10 minutes from Boreas Inn.  We are soooo lucky to have Cape D State Park in our backyard.  So come to Boreas Inn and we will direct you to our favorite park, Cape Disappointment!  Enjoy the YouTube about Cape D.!

We want to cook you the perfect breakfast!

We promise you a beautiful, lazy weekend at Boreas if you decide to visit us.  We have room for you and would love to cook up a storm in the morning if it’s not stormy enough outside–and even if it is.  Don’ t listen to the weather guys–they are usually wrong, unless they tell you it’s going to be wonderful–because sunshine, rain, wind…it’s always wonderful here. The fireplaces beckon and we’re offering our Walk-in Special at our romantic getaway by the sea. $150 a night including our “perfectly plated” 3 course or more breakfast (plus tax of course).   We don’t want to be lonely–so come to Long Beach and we will fix you up with two fabulous dinners out at our fine dinner houses and promise you the most relaxing weekend with fireplaces blazing and our new hot tub beckoning.  We hope to see you soon!

We have the gift of unmatched sunsets at the Inn

Where else can you behold such open space on a beach anywhere in the country with  a glorious winter sunset as the highlight of your day?  Tonight the full moon will glisten off the water…with clear skies and a winter nip in the air… Come to a place where you will find beautiful surroundings, a beach that goes on forever, culminating in headlands with lighthouses, walking trails and bicycle paths along the ocean and through the wooded parklands. There is always something to entertain you whether visually, physically or spiritually–or all three at once.  When you tire of that, you can sleep like a baby in the most comfortable beds with down over you and under you, dine on a breakfast that will last all day long, and perhaps just do nothing…until dinner of course, when you again DINE at the finest restaurants on Oregon/Washington coast.  You work so that you can play!  So play in Long Beach, Washington….a seriously perfect place to escape from the rest of the world.  Boreas Inn is here for you!  Come enjoy the sunsets.  (Or when those aren’t available, enjoy the sound of the rain and the cozy fireplaces!)

Our Brand New Spa--Come Bubble Your Troubles Away!

The tub new spa is a bit smaller than our older one and very roomy for our “couples” only soaking.  There are three seats, including two side-by-side recliners, 36 jets (!) and beautiful revolving underwater colors, if you like a little light.  It’s hard to get a good picture of the new spa unless you dangled from the gazebo ceiling! The tub is made by Cal Spa’s division “OC Hot Tubs”.  I thought Orange County motorcycles were gorgeous, but this spa is pretty lush!  Bill and I tried it out on Thursday night and it was just perfect.  The operations and materials are quite “green” and so far, our guests say they love the new spa.  So in addition to fine regional cuisine, the most comfortable beds, and extra special whatever we can think of for our guests, we now have a new spa with a beautiful view.   The ex-spa works fine–and we’re looking for a home for it.  It sprung a leak around a seal (we think) but other than that, it works fine.  So if one of our former guests would like it, we can arrange for that to happen.  You will have to haul it away!  It was very sad to see it leave the gazebo (and quite a project to get it out of there!)

King Boletus (Porcini) and Chanterelle Mushrooms

This year’s Wild Mushroom Celebration is October 22th- October 24th. The cost includes a two-night weekend stay with our amazing breakfasts and A 3-course Wild Mushroom and Washington Wine Dinner at The Depot Restaurant.

Our Sunday morning breakfast will be our annual Wild Mushroom Breakfast featuring Veronica Williams, our professional forager, as guest hostess and discussion leader. We will add two extra courses onto the Sunday breakfast to make it even more decadent! As an add-on special, Veronica will take you foraging on Saturday for wild mushrooms for an additional $50 per person. The cost of the package is $550 per couple all inclusive. $595 for the Dunes Suite.  Without the wine courses, the cost is $510 per couple all inclusive and $555 for the Dunes Suite.

The menu for The Depot Dinner is, as usual, wonderful.   We haven’t selected the wine pairings yet…

Melange of Roasted Wild Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce on Crostini with Fresh Goat Cheese and Shave Pec0rino Romano Cheese

Sherried Chanterelle Mushroom Demi Glace on Wild Mushroom Risotto with Fresh Catch of the Day or 6 oz Filet Mignon

Triple Truffle Chocolate Brownie and Hazlenut Gelato Ice Cream Pie

» Check Availability

The Goonies All Grown Up

The Goonies 25th Anniversary Celebration will take place across the River in Astoria from June 4-7, 2010.   The Goonies was filmed locally in Astoria, OR and was originally released on June 7, 1985.  But did you know that the Goonie’s director,  Richard Donner, also directed Superman and The Lethal Weapon series and that it was a Steven Spielberg (E.T., Jaws, Schindler’s List) presentation? The Goonies screenplay was by Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Harry Potter series, Mrs. Doubtfire)  from a story by Spielberg.  Richard Donner produced the movie with Harvey Bernhard (The Lost Boys) and Spielberg executive produced with Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy (Indiana Jones series, Back to the Future, Curious Case of Benjamin Button).   Clearly, The Goonies had a group of young geniuses masterminding a movie that has stood the test of time and is much beloved by fans around the world.

“In 1985 when The Goonies was filmed, we knew the movie would create a lasting impact in Astoria, and its legacy continues 25 years later,” stated Willis Van Dusen, Mayor of Astoria, Oregon.  “This celebration is dedicated to the amazing Goonies fans and to the film itself, both of which have become an integral part of the cultural fabric of Astoria.”   Well–that can’t be a bad thing, after all, The Goonies has given us pleasure, excitement and giggles for 25 years!

The Goonies is an adventure-comedy film set in Astoria about a group of kids from the “Goon Docks” neighborhood of Astoria (hence the nickname “Goonies) who band together hoping to save their homes from foreclosure and demolition due to the expansion of  the Astoria Country Club.  The group embarks on an adventure to find the buried treasure of a legendary 17th century pirate, One-Eyed Willy.  The kids have an exciting time on their coastal antics featuring spooky caves,  old lighthouses, treacherous traps, pirate maps and skeletons, clever script and much beloved characters– Mikey, Chunk, Data, Mouth (Corey Feldman), Brandon (Josh Brolin!) Rosalita and the rest of the nasty Fratelli’s.  The ending of The Goonies is classic, perfect and predictable with  the jewels from the pirate ship providing more than enough to save everyone’s homes from foreclosure and demolition.  The story and its ending could also ring true for homeowners battling their individual crises during our nation’s current “Great Recession”!  If only we could plunder a pirate ship and bail out everyone losing their homes–or better yet, bail out those of us running small businesses!  Let’s all go search for treasure!

The Goonies 25th Anniversary Celebration has a schedule of events in Astoria and a very cool website.  The Astoria-Warrenton Chamber, of which we are proud members, is partnering with Warner Brothers on the event who are assisting in marketing and licensing Goonies souvenirs, which will be sold at the “Goon Docks”, the center of all the Goonies Celebration events.  Boreas has rooms available for the celebration weekend so you can be at the beach but be within a half- hour of all the events.  Watch a video clip of The Goonies and come to Boreas for the Goonie’s celebration!

Blaine took this video last week and it’s so beautiful!  It is whale-watching season and we’ve had some great days to look for the migrating gray whales, heading north to Alaska!   When you come stay at Boreas Inn, we will set you up to eat dinner at Blaine and Cheri Walker’s 42nd Street Cafe.  Unique dining, and the coziest, most romantic  Bed and Breakfast in Washington State are yours for the asking!  Come visit soon–the whales will be running up the coast for the next couple of months and the weather in the Columbia Pacific region is alternating between being warm and glorious and… not!