Mile 117
Cape Arago, Drake Point, North Cove
Coos County
Latitude: 43.306660343868
Longitude: -124.397925987810
Longitude: -124.397925987810
Vehicles:
- Motor vehicle travel is prohibited from south jetty at Coos Bay, (43° 21.1158', Mile 123) southerly to Fivemile Point (43° 13.2228', Mile 109), except as follows: (A) Motor vehicles are allowed at any time on the ocean shore at the south jetty of Coos Bay (43° 21.0990', Mile 123), southerly to (43° 21.0036', 124° 20.4822', Mile 123); (B) Motor vehicles are allowed at any time on the ocean shore at the north end of the Sunset Bay State Park (43° 20.0880', Mile 120) for the purpose of boat launching.
Motor vehicle travel is prohibited from south jetty at Coos Bay, (43° 21.1158', Mile 123) southerly to Fivemile Point (43° 13.2228', Mile 109), except as follows:
(A) Motor vehicles are allowed at any time on the ocean shore at the south jetty of Coos Bay (43° 21.0990', Mile 123), southerly to (43° 21.0036', 124° 20.4822', Mile 123);
(B) Motor vehicles are allowed at any time on the ocean shore at the north end of the Sunset Bay State Park (43° 20.0880', Mile 120) for the purpose of boat launching.
Tides: NOAA Tide Predictions. Click on the station nearest to your location to see predicted tides in graphical and tabular formats.

Mile 117 Reports (17)
2014
October 19, 2014 - Jhorse
North Cove of Cape Arago was fairly clean of debris other than boat hull on north end. Did remove laundry basket, crab bait basket, water bottle, beer can and piece of flat plastic. Not bad on the small stuff. Three dead seals, one very small, this year's baby.read more 2011
December 17, 2011 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Not much to report. In the North Cove: more sand on the inshore rocks than previously; thick accumulations of eel grass as well as shells, animal casings, small rocks, wood pieces in the wrackline. Did not see many birds. No Black Oystercatchers. Harbour Seals in the bay. Sea Lions on...read more August 7, 2011 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Here’s how things went: As we clamber down into the North Cove, a magnificent Osprey rises from the water right under our noses. Any closer and we’d have felt the draft from her wings. Once we recover from our surprise, we watch as she circles up with a fish in...read more
June 19, 2011 - Pat&RobertaSmit
The tide was very low indeed (photos 1&2). Lots of people on the cliffs, but only two on the beach in the North Cove. Checking for possible injured or dead birds and mammals in the North Cove, we saw, amongst other things, the usual Western Gulls and Pelagic Cormorants, some...read more
March 6, 2011 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Not much activity. Also could not access the beach in the North Cove because it is closed for the pupping season. Saw plenty of Harbour Seals floating in the North Cove with only their heads above water. We did not see any on the beach or the close in rocks...read more 2010
December 4, 2010 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Had to observe from the cliff tops owing to very muddy, slippery approaches to the North Cove. Sea lions and Black Oystercathers in the cove. Nine people walking the headlands. Nothing unusual to report.read more September 19, 2010 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Two dead sea lions in the North Cove (reported to Stranding Network), otherwise nothing unusual. Lots of noisy sea lions out on Simpson's Reef, and quite a few Harbor Seals swimming about in the North Cove. (A rather inquisitive one followed us as we walked along the beach. Every time...read more
June 20, 2010 - Pat&RobertaSmit
The North Cove is closed in the Spring during the Harbor Seal and Elephant Seal pupping season, so we were not able to walk the beach. Nothing much to see from the cliffs. Using binoculars, we saw no sea lions or seals on the beach, and there were none hauled...read more February 20, 2010 - Pat&RobertaSmit
NORTH COVE: Evidence of new erosion in the form of small slides with mud and stones covering some of the driftwood logs on the beach. Minimal driftline with almost no seaweed. More sand over the beach rocks than usual. A few Gulls, a single Heron out fishing on the rocks...read more
2009
December 20, 2009 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Winter storms have cleared away the seaweed driftline. There were, of course, the usual big logs. The sea lions that usually inhabit Simpson's Reef were all close in shore in large groups, both on the headland rocks and floating on their sides in the North Cove with one fin in...read more
September 20, 2009 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Unusual to find six dead sea lions in the North Cove. One had been reduced to a skeleton although the skin was still more or less intact, the others were still intact although they had clearly been there for a while. Four Turkey Vultures on the beach at the north...read more
June 14, 2009 - Pat&RobertaSmit
North Cove closed for pupping season so observations made from cliff top. There were the usual sea lions and seals on the reef; many gulls, a few pelicans; saw only two cormorants; one turkey vulture. Most interesting sighting was a bald eagle in the trees above the north cove (rather...read more
2008
November 2, 2008 - Pat&RobertaSmit
The north cove is always full of life. Harbor seals, sea lions, gulls, a variety of other birds as well from phalaropes, oyster catchers, and the odd kingfisher to a blue heron we see out on the reef quite often. I have no idea if it is the same one...read more
June 7, 2008 - Pat&RobertaSmit
During pupping season the North Cove is closed. In addition, the Center Cove is not easily accessible, so all observations were from the cliff tops.Seasonal bird changes include the return of Turkey Vultures and Pelicans, and the departure of the Harlequin Ducks. On almost every visit we see a single...read more
January 12, 2008 - Pat&RobertaSmit
Shells, animal casings, small rocks, wood pieces and Styrofoam in driftline. Most notably, the previously thick driftline composed mainly of seaweed has been washed away.We saw no dead sea birds and only one dead sea lion - an old and rather thin one.On several occasions we saw migrating whales far...read more 2007
December 9, 2007 - Pat&RobertaSmit
During this quarter, there are usually 1 or 2 people on the North Cover beach and the most we saw was 18. Usually driftline is deep (up to 2 foot in places) and runs along most of the North Cove beach but in December the driftline was much reduced and...read more
August 26, 2007 - Pat&RobertaSmit
The beach is only partially accessible along this mile. Most people stay on the cliffs. Heavy driftline of eel-/surfgrass and kelp in the North Cove. Animal casings, kelp/algae, small rocks, wood and some ocean-based debris in the driftline. Several different kinds of anemones on the rocks. Many Red-necked Phalaropes foraging...read more