Our beloved Oregon Beaches see increasing numbers of visitors every year. With growing crowds, it is imperative to educate beachgoers and recreationalists to help keep our beaches clean and safe. Together with our friends at Moment Surf Company, Pelican Brewing Company, and The Tillamook Visitors Association, Surfrider Three Capes is proud to adorn the entry points of Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area with new artful informative signs to educate visitors.
Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area is a beach unlike any other as it hosts a variety of different beachgoers. The new signs are designed to inform, educate and help all beachgoers safely and respectfully enjoy the beach – from dorymen and surfers to tidepool and dune explorers, and family day-trippers. To create signs that would invite beachgoers to interact, it was decided that the signs needed to embrace color, art, and the culture of Cape Kiwanda. Todd Fischer, a local coastal artist was commissioned to do the artwork for the signs. Todd’s play with color and coastal scenes came together as the perfect backdrop for an informational piece. “When asked who could design such a sign, Todd immediately came to mind,” says Jeff Mollencop of Moment Surf Co. “We work with Todd every year around the artwork for the Cape Kiwanda Longboard classic, and each year he delivers a vibrant and amazing piece that perfectly showcases our event.”
The signs address surf etiquette, beach etiquette, beach safety, and dory boat safety. In addition to the aforementioned sponsors, Oregon Parks and Recreation, the Pacific City Dorymen’s Association and Tillamook County parks all collaborated to ensure that all safety elements were addressed. Four locations were carefully selected for their proximity to the beach and pattern of foot traffic. One sign sits at the main entrance to Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, just up from the boat ramp. A second sign sits on the back wall of Pelican Brewing Company, next to the surf showers that the brewery kindly installed for beachgoers’ use. A third sign sits at Moment surf shop, providing an opportunity for new surfers and surf shop customers to learn about surf etiquette and water safety before paddling out. The last sign is located at the PC skatepark, just a short walk from the beach.
Surfrider Three Capes is excited to take steps towards educating coastal visitors in joining all of us in keeping our beaches safe, clean, and enjoyable for all. The next time you find yourself heading to Cape Kiwanda, we invite you to stop and take a moment to check out our new beach etiquette signs.