Long Beach, Washington will open for razor clam digging for FOUR days at noon March 19!  Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, advises prospective diggers to pay particular attention to the shift in digging times during this month’s razor-clam opening.   “It gets a little tricky scheduling digs at this time of year, but the goal is to arrange openings during the best clam tides,” Ayres said. “The split schedule also provides an opportunity for back-to-back digs the evening of Saturday, March 19, and the morning of Sunday, March 20.”

Digging days and low tides for March are:

• Saturday, March 19, 7:04 p.m. (-0.1 ft); Long Beach
• Sunday, March 20, 7:36 a.m. (-0.5 ft); Long Beach
• Monday, March 21, 8:23 a.m. (-0.9 ft); Long Beach

·         Tuesday March 22, 9:12 a.m. (-1.0 ft); Long Beach   So get your clam digging license, required if you are age 15 or older and come down and dig some razor clams.   Ayres reminds diggers that WDFW is tentatively planning another razor-clam opening April 7-9 until noon each day at Long Beach and Twin Harbors if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat. Licenses expire on March 31,  so you need to make sure, for the April digs coming up, that you get a new license.

It was a beautiful, calm day of razor clamming at Beard's Hollow

We ask for a maximum of 10 people and no children under 10.  Wander the beautiful beaches, sleep in fine linens under down and on top of  our feather beds.  Maybe you will be held captive by a big Pacific storm by one of the fireplaces or maybe the weather will be warm and sunny! Wander the Discover Trail and look for whales from the North Head Lighthouse or the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, dine out in our fabulous restaurants, take naps and soak in our brand new hot tub!  Before somebody else grabs the chance, make your reservation now! If you book online, just request all of the Inn’s guest rooms, put in the three nights you would like to request and mention the Ready-Made Christmas Special and we will adjust the cost! Or feel free to call us at 888-842-8069. www.boreasinn.com  This offer is not valid with gift certificates and there is a 30-day cancellation policy.  We will hold the first night (plus tax) as deposit. Make your request soon!!!

Have Boreas Inn to Yourselves on Christmas!

Seattle 110—
Originally uploaded by JohannaD

Wet Winter Plants in the Rain Forest
Event Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010

Start Time: 10 a.m. End Time: Noon Maximum: 15 people

Fee: Free to members of Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge $10 per person for non-members.

Location: Willapa NWR Headquarters, 3888 State Route 101 (Hwy 101 near Milepost 24) Ilwaco, WA 98624

Event description: This is a wet winter walk in coastal temperate rain forest along Headquarters Creek at Willapa NWR Headquarters.

After a brief orientation indoors, we will walk along and over the creek, and through rain forest to look at plants that grow during the wet season. The focus will be on lichens, mosses and liverworts. We may find a few salamanders and frogs, too. This walk is less than a mile long, on a naturally surfaced trail, with moderate slopes in some sections.

This walk will not be canceled due to rain, but it will be canceled due to high wind, if winds above 40 mph arrive along the coast. If you do not receive a message or phone call canceling the walk by 7-8 a.m. on the day of the walk, then it has not been canceled.

Gear & Equipment: Rain gear, including boots, is required. Bring a hand lens or digital camera to see small plants more easily. This will be a good site to take close-up shots of many small plants.
The Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge will be announcing details regarding their 3rd annual photo contest in April, 2010. The winning photos will be included in the 2011 Willapa National Wildlife Refuge calendar.

To sign up: contact Kathleen Sayce, ksayce@willapabay.org (preferred mode) or by phone, 360-665-5292. To register for this walk, you must leave an email address or phone number that you will be able to access the day of the hike, so that if the walk is canceled at the last minute, you can be contacted by 7 a.m. the morning of the walk.

"A breakfast like no other awaits" at Boreas Inn

or other entree of the morning. This always held us over until we went to dinner at the best restaurants in the area that had been reserved for us in advance by Susie.”

Since you will indeed be feeling well-fed until dinner time, let us set up your dinners!  The Depot Restaurant’s clam chowder, with each bowl beautifully hand-crafted, has been receiving the “best clam chowder I’ve ever had”  reviews from our guests for years.  It’s no surprise! Chef Michael and his team steam the Willapa clams for each bowl and add the razor clams and freshly sauteed veggies just for your bowl of chowder!  We love the philosophy of hand-crafted local foods, made with attention to detail with the love of the art of fine cuisine as demonstated by our local Chefs, particularly at The Depot, Pelicano, the 42nd Street Cafe and The Shelburne Restaurant and Pub.

“Dining At The Source” is what it’s all about here on the Long Beach Peninsula. Fresh, local ingredients and the passion for cooking are evident not only at Boreas Inn.  The variety of “the best” grilled steaks, seafood and fresh specials makes The Depot, especially when we reserve the Chef’s Table for our guests, a top pick of our guests along with Pelicano Restaurant on the Port of Ilwaco. Pelicano receives top reviews for their variations on their fried fresh Willapa Bay oysters and the deliciously crisp, perfectly balanced Caesar salad, one of my favorite combinations. Order them as appetizers and you get a full meal deal for $16. Then you have room for Chocolate Pot au Creme for dessert. The most decadent dark chocolate preparation available on the peninsula.  The 42nd Street Cafe has Jean Marc, the waiter extraordinaire, exotic daily changing seafood stews, pot roast like your mom used to make (well maybe….) and THE BEST sturgeon preparation when in season!  I could go on and on about our local restaurants, the wait staff, chefs and dear friends who are the proprietors. You have to eat it to believe it! Experience our wild winter weather, beautiful holiday decor (going up with help from guests on December 6th) and our annual New Years’ Day Crabcake and Champagne Brunch, offered at no extra charge to our guests! We will set up everything to make your stay simply perfect! We have a couple of openings left for Thanksgiving and lots of rooms available for Christmas and afterwards. Relax by the fire places and dine on the best cuisine the Pacific Northwest has to offer!  Boreas Inn was chosen as the Top Five Best B&B’s by KING 5 TV “Northwest Best Getaways” in 2009!

Music For All The Seasons:
Celebrating 25 Seasons of Water Music

We have invited back artists who have been particular favorites over the last number of years, either at the Festival, at Jazz and Oysters, or at other Peninsula events. Each concert will feature music in keeping with our theme of “Music for all the Seasons”. For example, Sans Souci will play Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, and all of the other artists will include some seasonal fare, all of which should be familiar and well loved.

Browse each individual day’s concerts to select events you wish to attend, or purchase a season pass, enabling you to attend Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Oysterville concert tickets are purchased separately and seating is limited – so be sure to get yours right away. Reception tickets are also sold separately.

Fort Columbia State Park—
Originally uploaded by Redbeard Math Pirate

When driving on Hwy 101 N. after crossing the Astoria Megler Bridge or from Highway 4, you find yourself driving up the most spectacular piece of highway bordering the Columbia River heading northwest towards Long Beach, Washington. You will encounter Fort Columbia State Park, 2 miles west of the bridge, right after you drive through the tunnel. Lots of people miss the grand entrance to this park. This beautiful photo that I found on Flickr is of the restored Officer’s Quarters at Fort Columbia.

Fort Columbia State Park is almost 600 acres of historical parkland with 6,400 feet of freshwater shoreline right on the Columbia River. As State Parks puts it, “The park celebrates a military site that constituted the harbor defense of the Columbia River from 1896 to 1947. The fort was fully manned and operational through three wars. The area was also home for the Chinook Indians and their famed Chief Comcomly.” It was chosen as a key military defense site because of the unobstructed views of the Columbia River. The town of Astoria, Oregon glimmers across the expanse of water. There is an interpretive center, five mile of hiking trails and picnic tables… This is a great spot for a wedding or family reunion or a quiet time for exploring and imagining the time when the mighty Chinook Indians lived on the land.

The State of Washington currently plans to close around 25% of their state parks. They plan to “mothball” Fort Columbia because it is one of the lowest income producing parks in the system. Mothballing means that the gates will be chained and the park closed. This is a tragedy for the State of Washington, for our visitors and for the residents who love this park. The historic significance of Fort Columbia is important–and the vista’s from the park are simply beautiful. Perhaps there will be a reprieve. When you come stay at Boreas Inn, you should visit Fort Columbia and revel in it’s beauty and hike on it’s trails. You will never forget it!