Up a creek, in a good way

NCLC staff went on an adventure in the coastal temperate rainforest this week, exploring Necarney Creek in Oswald State Park.  All we knew before setting out was that there was a waterfall somewhere up stream, and that uphill from the creek on one side there was a logging road that would take us back to the highway.

At the mouth of Necarney Creek on Short Sands beach

It was an overcast, misty day- perfect for experiencing a rainforest doing what it does best-capturing water and slowly dripping it back down to earth.

The lack of any trail meant a lot of (careful) walking in the creek, which was running pretty good, but not nearly at capacity- this creek must really roar after a good rainfall.

Our fearless Executive Director Katie Voelke demonstrated her skill at navigating rocky coastal creeks, reliving her early career doing fish surveys on the Oregon Coast.

Conservation Director Jon Wickersham tested the limits of his chest waders as he searched for the best way across the creek. (The rest of us did not follow him here!)

Having driven across it many times, it was strange seeing the Necarney Creek Bridge from underneath!

And at last, we found the waterfall!

The waterfall was amazing!  I’m not sure how high it was, but the force of the cascade had worn the rock at the base of the waterfall into a box shaped pool. If you told me that skilled stonecutters had carefully carved the rock into that shape, I might believe you for a moment, it was that precise.

I preferred to stand back and contemplate the waterfall from a relatively secure and somewhat non-slippery rock, unlike the others who scrambled up close to feel the spray and check out the pool at the base of the waterfall.

Stewardship Director Celeste Coulter found a rare (for Oregon) plant growing just next to the waterfall-Filipendula occidentalis, commonly known as Queen of the Forest.  Winter is not the best time to observe this lovely plant, but it was nice to know that such an abundant patch of it is growing happily here.

Queen of the Forest Filipendula occidentalis

Then we were off to find our way to the logging road that would take us back to the highway-a nearly vertical climb up the hillside.  We made our way up carefully, clambering across decaying cedar trees, through thick patches of sword fern, moving slowly up through the trees clinging to the hillside.

We came upon one enormous old cedar tree at the top of the hill, and stood in awe of such a beautiful, majestic tree.  Having seen a surprisingly large number of young cedar trees growing everywhere along the creek during our hike, it was inspiring to see this great great grandmother tree at the end.   I like knowing that someday many of those seedlings will grow to be even bigger than this tree.

Our great great grandchildren are in for quite a treat when they hike up Necarney Creek to find the waterfall, a few hundred years from now.