Celebrating 20 Years of Sharing the Oregon Coast
By Gary Hayes
Published: 10/11/2018  Updated: 06/21/2019
Rock formations at Bandon Beach in southern Oregon
Rock formations at Bandon Beach in southern Oregon  Photo by Gary Hayes

Publisher Gary Hayes reflects upon starting Coast Explorer Magazine and sharing the beauty of Oregon's coast with others.

I've always had a thing for the Oregon Coast. Some of my earliest and fondest childhood memories are set on its beaches and dunes, in its forests and on its docks. Even after leaving Oregon for 20 years, the coast kept drawing me back, promising to reveal new places and new experiences. It was 20 years ago that I realized a life-long dream of buying a home on the Oregon Coast and in the loft of my ramshackle one-bedroom cabin, I decided to start a magazine that would share this amazing place with others. This fall, we celebrate 20 years of publishing that magazine. The Oregon Coast has taught me many lessons in that time. For example, summer is fine, but the rest of the year is sublime and more reflective of the true Oregon Coast I love. Sun is fine too, and we relish it, but it's the grab bag of weather, the dramatic skies and marine influenced atmospherics that make this place magic. Just when I think I know a place, I visit it in a different season, under different weather or at a different tide and I discover something new. I love to hike, and few places offer trails that lead to more rewarding views. For an authentic experience, hike the rainforest in the dampness and mist, through wetlands and meadows, past gurgling waterways and to the edge of the sea for the views only hikers get to appreciate. You might see whale spouts or a grazing herd of elk. You might see bald eagles, sea lions or watch frolicking river otters. What can really set apart the non-summer months is the ocean itself, the sound and unrelenting crashing wave action that summer visitors don't see. What's clear, even after 20 years, is there's more exploring to do. Thank you for joining us on this journey and I wish you experiences that touch you to your soul like only the Oregon Coast can do.
Celebrating 20 Years of Sharing the Oregon Coast