Hunting in the Ocean

by: Tom Sorenson

Over the 4th of July, Shanna and I packed our dog and our gear and headed to the Oregon coast. It was to be a trip for relaxation with some of her family that we’d not seen in a while, and we were certainly looking forward to it. I was slightly bemoaning the fact that I don’t know anything about surf fishing – because I wouldn’t have minded getting some fishing in while we were there!

The weather had been very nice the week before we got there – in fact, the days before we got there. And then we got there. The weather was not so nice, anymore. It was the typical Oregon beach in my mind – cool, breezy, misty, and cloudy. But I was determined to have a good time. Of course, hanging out with family was fun, but I wanted to get some fun in on the beach – and that was proving difficult what with the sun deciding not to make any type of appearance. Finally, Shanna and I decided we’d “brave” the cool temperatures and hit the beach regardless of the weather. Cool temperatures means it was probably in the sixties – but this is the 4th of July – and that means 100 plus degrees and sunny where we’re from! I strolled the beach with my wife and our dog and now and again thought about how nice it would be to wade out into the surf and cast for sea bass or ling cod or whatever else might be lurking under the pounding waves.

Alas, I had to make my own type of fishing – or rather, hunting. I started to hunt the rare and beautiful sand dollar. Some people get out early – at low tide – and walk into sand dollars washed up on the beach.  That didn’t sound at all like hunting to me, well, except for the getting up early part – and I’m not so much into getting up early to hunt sand dollars, so I made up my own way to hunt for sand dollars. At first, we scoured the beaches for them like everyone else, but we found that once a sand dollar has reached the beach, it is tough to find them whole late in the day – either they’ve all been busted, or the whole ones have been scooped up by other sand dollar hunters. I decided to create my own version of sand dollar hunting - but I found out very soon that the conditions were not ideal for the type of sand dollar hunting I would discover because the ocean water on the Oregon beach is very cold!

I bumped into my version of sand dollar hunting while we were strolling along and I noticed what appeared to be a whole sand dollar waving in the shallow waters and I ran in to get it. I grabbed at it but came up empty. Just as I was bending down to make another stab, a big wave came and soaked my pants. Yes, pants – I’m telling you it was cold - and I was not about to be wearing shorts!

Me and my “spotter” after a good day hunting sand dollars.

So, that started it.  Now with my pants soaked up to mid shin, I kept at it. I waded in the shallow surf and kept my eyes peeled for the elusive and wary sand dollar. Shanna spotted from shore and occasionally would direct me – “To your left! There’s a big one, hurry!” I moved quickly to my left and made a grab for the tumbling sand dollar. I got it! Nope that’s an empty crab shell. And on it went. I would spot a sand dollar washed up with a new wave, and as it tumbled back to sea with the current pulling it back, I would make a mad dash to try and get it before the next wave came to cloud the water and potentially crush the sand dollar. It was becoming quite an adrenaline rush (go ahead and laugh – but try it first!)

Sand dollar hunters’ nemisis – big crashing waves.

We kept on and our dog would bark encouragement with every wave that washed in. Then it happened. I glanced up and saw the current pulling a whole sand dollar back to sea and with a mighty lunge I snagged it before it was buried beneath the oncoming wave. I got my first sand dollar, and the wave that nearly took it back to sea drenched me to mid thigh. People thought we were nuts, but I didn’t care – I was having some kind of fun, now! I took several sand dollars this trip, but really only one that was a completely whole trophy. We failed to take any pictures, but I tell you, I had satisfied my hunting nature in a peculiar, but enjoyable fashion!

The Oregon beach near sunset.

Some people fly kites on the Oregon beach….we hunt for the wily sand dollar.