Boiler Bay Beacon
LINCOLN CITY — Under clear skies and a light wind Monday, three Oregon Shores CoastWatch volunteers moved steadily along the sand at Canyon Drive Park, collecting trash and observing conditions while families and visitors filled the popular beach access.
360° view of Canyon Drive Park and Christianson Castle 8-24-26
Annette DePuy, Sally White and Bobbie Snead, the retired teachers from Salem known as The Squad, have adopted Mile 242, the stretch of Lincoln City shoreline that includes Canyon Drive Park. They make the drive from the valley several times a year to monitor the coast and remove trash, and beachgoers sometimes hand them litter as they work. Their fourth member, Maureen Foelkl, was not present on this visit, but she sent in their Mile 242 Report:
The group was featured in the CoastWatch & Listen podcast episode on Mile 242.
Many other individuals, families and groups have adopted miles all along the Oregon coast through the CoastWatch program. Anyone interested in joining can learn more and sign up at oregonshores.org.
Canyon Drive Park’s parking lot was full and the sand remained busy through the afternoon. Nearby, the Christianson family of Albany had built an elaborate sand castle complete with a bridge and a canal that nearly reached the ocean. With the mother’s permission, their eldest son took the controls of Beacon Force One and clearly enjoyed flying the drone, an interaction the mother said she appreciated. The father asked what channel the Beacon was on and was told the outlet remains digital for now, with possible future plans for a Beacon Channel 99.
Beach driving is not permitted at Canyon Drive Park. In Lincoln City, vehicles may access the sand only at the NW 15th Street ramp from October 1 through April 30, and only within a short distance of that access point. All other locations remain closed to vehicles year-round.
