An
impressive natural feature of the
Oregon (USA)
coast. Devil's Churn is a long, narrow
inlet carved out of the
rocky coastline. To find it, grab a
guide to the
Oregon coast and head for
Yachats on Highway 101. Even when the seas are calm, the water flowing into Devil's Churn causes
large and
violent waves to crash up and along the rocks. The
fissure narrows as it travels inland, and becomes
deeper. At one point, the fissure is only three or four feet wide. If you straddled that point, however, and looked down, you'd see the frothy crashing waves and sharp, pointy rocks seventy feet below. At its
mouth it's well over a hundred feet wide.
Devil's churn is a spectacular sight and a highly recommended but little-advertised stop along the Oregon coast. It also has a number of unique and delicate tidepool habitats, due to its location and topology. The tidepools are home to a number of urchins and other colorful organisms. There is a humorous "Ha Ha Only Serious" sign which greets you when you hike down the trail to the opening of the inlet. It says something to the effect of:
"Caution: Large waves form without warning. Slippery rocks. One step can be fatal. We are not responsible for you any longer, once you've read this sign. Have a nice day."