Agate Beach Webcam – Oregon Surf Views Below Yaquina Head

The Agate Beach Webcam looks out to sea from the clifftop lawn of the Agate Beach Motel in Newport, Oregon, over the sand and surf of Agate Beach to the open Pacific. Red Adirondack chairs ring a fire pit in the lower right corner, a tall, wind-bent tree stands at the edge of the bluff, and the wooded south side of Yaquina Head rises steeply on the right. Below the bluff the beach is wide and flat, and long lines of white water roll across it when a swell is running. Sea haze can hang against the headland and turn the whole view soft and gray, then a clear spell brings back blue water and the dark line of the trees.

About Agate Beach

Agate Beach takes its name from the agates found on the Pacific beaches between Newport and Yaquina Head, and the name is an old one: the community of Agate Beach had its own post office from 1912 until 1971. The motel stands on NW Gilbert Way, just off U.S. Route 101 on the north side of Newport, a city of 10,256 people at the 2020 census. The camera sits close to the northern end of the beach, where the sand runs up to the foot of the headland.

Yaquina Head is the dark, tree-covered ridge on the right of the frame. The Bureau of Land Management describes it as a narrow headland reaching one mile (1.6 kilometers) into the Pacific, and Congress made it the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in 1980. At its tip stands Yaquina Head Light, first lit in 1873. At 28 meters (93 feet), with 114 steps to the lantern, it is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon.

The motel itself is a retro motor lodge set directly above the sand, with three styles of suite named the Buoy, the Dory and the Yaquina, a lawn, a cliffside deck with a communal fire pit and private steps down to the beach. That fire pit, with its red chairs, is the one in the corner of the picture. Big Creek crosses the beach to the sea, and Oregon Shores volunteers have reported its channel running against the base of Yaquina Head, so walkers on the Lucky Gap Trail may have to wade it to reach the lower beach.

Weather and Climate in Agate Beach

Agate Beach has the mild, damp climate of the central Oregon coast, where the ocean keeps summers cool and winters soft. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for Newport put January highs around 10°C (50°F) and lows near 4°C (39°F), with April only a little warmer at 12°C (54°F) by day and 5°C (41°F) at night. July and August peak at about 18°C (64°F), with nights near 11°C (52°F), and October still averages 15°C (60°F) by day and 7°C (45°F) after dark. Precipitation adds up to about 1,709 millimeters (67.3 inches) a year, and snow rarely reaches the sand. The extremes are surprising: Newport’s record high of 34°C (94°F) was set in October, and its record low of -14°C (6°F) in December.

As the motel puts it, the coast gets plenty of both rain and shine, and winter storms can drive foam and driftwood high up the beach. Sunset also moves a long way along this horizon through the year. In December the sun goes down in the southwest, far to the left over open water, while around the June solstice it sets in the northwest, behind the long line of Yaquina Head.

Things to Do Near Agate Beach

Yaquina Head is the obvious first stop. The motel puts the lighthouse about 4 minutes away by car, 8 minutes by bike or 25 minutes on foot. The Interpretive Center, opened in 1997, covers the light station’s history and the marine life of the tide pools, and the pools themselves are at Quarry Cove and Cobble Beach, best explored at low tide. Agate Beach itself has long walks in both directions, a beach break for surfing and gravel to search for agates. The Agate Beach Golf Course is about 2 minutes away by car.

Central Newport is a short drive south. Nye Beach is about 6 minutes from the motel and the Historic Bayfront about 7, with the Newport Sea Lion Docks and Yaquina Bay Kayak Tours on the motel’s list of favorites. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is about 11 minutes away. For dinner, the motel recommends Local Ocean Seafoods and Clearwater Restaurant. Heading north instead, Otter Rock is about 6 minutes up the coast and the Devil’s Punch Bowl about 9.

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Häufig gestellte Fragen

Where is Agate Beach located?

Agate Beach is on the central Oregon coast in Lincoln County, at the north end of Newport, between the city center and Yaquina Head. The Agate Beach Motel, where the camera is mounted, stands at 175 NW Gilbert Way, just off U.S. Route 101.

What can you see on the Agate Beach Webcam?

The camera looks from the motel’s lawn over Agate Beach to the open Pacific, with a fire pit ringed by red Adirondack chairs in the lower right and the wooded flank of Yaquina Head on the right. Surf, passing weather and the changing light fill the rest of the frame.

What is the weather like in Agate Beach?

Mild and damp for most of the year. NOAA normals for Newport give January highs near 10°C (50°F) and August highs near 18°C (64°F), with about 1,709 millimeters (67.3 inches) of precipitation a year. The records run from -14°C (6°F) in December to 34°C (94°F) in October.

Can you still find agates on Agate Beach?

Yes, though they take some looking. The beach is named for the agates found between Newport and Yaquina Head, but some guides say the main stretch has been picked over for years. Beachcombers report better luck in gravel beds uncovered by winter rain and a wandering Big Creek, especially at the north end near the headland.

How far is Agate Beach from Yaquina Head Lighthouse?

Very close. The motel puts the lighthouse about 4 minutes away by car, 8 minutes by bike and 25 minutes on foot. The 1873 tower stands at the tip of Yaquina Head, inside the Bureau of Land Management’s Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.

Is Agate Beach good for surfing?

Agate Beach is a beach break, and the motel lists surfing among the things its guests do on the sand below. The water is cold, so plan for a wetsuit. The Agate Beach Webcam is a quick way to see whether lines of swell are reaching the beach before heading down.

Does it snow in Newport, Oregon?

Rarely. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals put Newport’s average snowfall at about 0.3 centimeters (0.1 inches) a year, so a white beach on the camera would be a rare sight. Winter on this coast brings rain and wind far more often than snow.

Source: Agate Beach Motel