Cook's Chasm

[AlanLichty]

Short of the Heceta Head Lighthouse Cook's Chasm might be one of the most popular turnouts along US101 between Yachats and Florence. The chasm itself is an underwater canyon that extends into the Yachats basalt shelf and under the highway where you can see the bridge in the image below. In this instance the tide is low and the wave action is quite minimal so the popular hole in the basalt called Thor's Well is simply a dark spot just below the chasm in this view. Taken in early March from a Mavic Air 2 drone. Click through for a more detailed view.

C&C always welcome.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Nice view of one of my favorite turnouts.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice view of one of my favorite turnouts.

Thanks Ben - one of my favorite turnouts as well. I haven't been parking there as a launch point for flying a drone however - there are small turnouts nearby that have a lot less traffic and are better suited for flying.

 

[JimFox]

That looks so cool! You need to go back when Thor's Well is blasting off! That would be so cool to see from that angle.

 

[AlanLichty]

That looks so cool! You need to go back when Thor's Well is blasting off! That would be so cool to see from that angle.

Thanks Jim - I will be headed down that way again in the fall and will try to time my visit for more interesting tides/wave action. The best displays at the well are unfortunately not the best flying weather.

 

[JimFox]

Thanks Jim - I will be headed down that way again in the fall and will try to time my visit for more interesting tides/wave action. The best displays at the well are unfortunately not the best flying weather.

The best displays at the Well depend on the tide more then anything. From a photography standpoint it was then getting the right tide level to coincide with a sunset or sunrise. So you should be fine.

If I recall it needed a +2 tide to then have the water blow through the hole for Thor's Well.

 

[AlanLichty]

The best displays at the Well depend on the tide more then anything. From a photography standpoint it was then getting the right tide level to coincide with a sunset or sunrise. So you should be fine.

If I recall it needed a +2 tide to then have the water blow through the hole for Thor's Well.

Both tide and swell height determine the shows at the well. Starting with the fall rains the swells get a lot higher so tide height isn’t quite as important. By late November the swells get high enough to completely swamp the well at low tide.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very nice view. I havent been able to time my visit there to catch the action yet. One of these days.

 

[AlanLichty]

Very nice view. I havent been able to time my visit there to catch the action yet. One of these days.

Thanks Jameel - for a summer visit definitely high tide for some good splashes but the crowds can be annoying. Things get a lot less crowded after Labor Day.