Ocean Shores Peninsula with Damon Point to the east Damon Point Beach at Ocean Shores is one of my favorite beaches to explore. Out toward the last half mile you will find many gravel beds. This has been my primary spot to locate agates for several years! I know, many of you will say that the Oregon coast has much better pickings and you'll be right. From my perspective, however, this beach is my best spot to find agates on the Washington coast!
My family has been regularly visiting Ocean Shores since about 2005 while we were enjoy the beach house owned by our friends in California. In the beginning I would walk the wide main beach on the west side of the Ocean Shores peninsula in search of colorful rocks and agates. This effort was usually not well rewarded since the western main beach is typically covered in fine sand year round. Then one Thanksgiving while visiting the Ocean Shores annual craft show in the convention center a vendor told me about Damon Point and my hunting ground was changed forever!
Damon Point is a long 2 1/4 mile spit of sand that flows southeasterly out into the mouth of Grays Harbor. This is precisely why Damon Point accumulates a good quantity of agates and other rocks on it's shores. It sits conveniently in the middle of the harbor catching the gems as they are washed out and back by the surf.
Directions: From Hoquiam, drive SR 109 west to SR 115, the turn-off to Ocean Shores. Go south on SR 115 until you reach Point Brown Avenue in Ocean Shores. Proceed south on Point Brown Avenue about 4.5 miles. The entrance is just past a big abandoned hotel and RV campground. Park off the road on the wide grassy area. Go left (east) past a port-a-potty to reach the spit to Damon Point.
I park along the roadway at the end of Marine View Dr. There is a short walk (280 ft.) along an asphalt road that leads down to the beach. From there, my focus is to walk two miles out toward the point before you get to the good gravel beds where the best pickings are located.
Directions: From Hoquiam, drive SR 109 west to SR 115, the turn-off to Ocean Shores. Go south on SR 115 until you reach Point Brown Avenue in Ocean Shores. Proceed south on Point Brown Avenue about 4.5 miles. The entrance is just past a big abandoned hotel and RV campground. Park off the road on the wide grassy area. Go left (east) past a port-a-potty to reach the spit to Damon Point.
I park along the roadway at the end of Marine View Dr. From here it is a short walk (280 ft.) along an asphalt road that leads south down to the beach. From here, my focus is to walk two miles out toward the point before you get to the good gravel beds where the best pickings are located. One marker I use to determine that I've gone far enough out on the point is the old upside down tree trunk with roots reaching out like branches. Over the years it has been buried in various levels of sand. The good gravel beds begin just after this beached tree trunk.
Sea Glass: On some visits to Damon Point sea glass fragments have been difficult to find. The area was not historically developed and had no history as a beach dumping ground. The point now serves as Damon Point State Park (day use only) and home to one of the few remaining nesting sites of the snowy plover. Many visitors are there for the bird watching. If you are looking for high quality "jewelry grade A" sea glass you might be disappointed. I have found a few pieces on some visits but the last hunt over Presidents Day weekend was much more productive. Many whites, browns and greens were found. Even a few cobalt blues were uncovered which are quite rare!
 a large white sea glass piece on Damon Point beach |  craft grade white sea glass found on Damon Point beach |
Sea glass found on Damon Point beach- 2.13.16 and 2.14.16
Damon Point Shells
Shells: In the late winter and early spring you will find a hoard of shells at the high tide line along the entire spit. They vary in type and shape but you will find all you want if you're interested.
Rocks: Damon Point is a treasure trove of smooth rocks with many quartz varieties, granite, beautifully surf smoothed basalt, jaspers and a good supply of agates. Each trip I make to the point brings a harvest of about 15 to 20 agates. Some agates measure 1 to 1 1/2 inches. One of my favorite rock types besides the agate is the "orbicular jasper" which is just about as difficult to find on Damon Point as agates. More details regarding the specific types of rocks found on Damon Point Beach is found on the "Rocks" page of this blog.
Polished Orbicular Jasper found on Damon Point Beach
 Polished Jasper and quartz from Damon Point |  Polished Quartz from Damon Point |
Petrified wood- One of the rarest of finds you can discover on most beaches is a beach tumbled piece of petrified wood. Petrified wood is the state gem of Washington State and is found in abundance in several locations in the eastern part of the state. Finding petrified wood on west coast beaches, however, is no small discovery. Below is an example of petrified wood found on Damon Point beach over the Presidents Day weekend.
Petrified wood found on Damon Point beach
Agates: In my estimation the most valuable gem stone found on Damon Point is the agate. Agates on Damon Point are characterized by variable colors. They are found along the shore after a high tide and embedded in the sand or gravel beds toward the end of the point. The inclusions on the gem's surface help identify it to a scanning beachcomber. They also are quite bright while lying in a grayish tan rock bed. Their glass like appearance causes them to stand out among the rest of the rocks. So, when a beachcomber comes upon a typical agate the moment of eye contact is quite thrilling. The gravel beds at the end of Damon Point are so extensive that recovery of agates is quite easy on a typical day. My pattern of combing, however, is to arrive on the beach just after sun up to capture newly beached or uncovered gems after a night of tumbling and tide cycles.
Damon Point agates
You will notice that all these picture were of agates that I found on the surface of the sand. I really haven't spent much time digging in the rock beds. It just seemed more productive to scan the surface of the beach and the rock beds knowing that the agates would just leap out once I made eye contact. Some of these agates were so visually pronounced on the beach it was amazing that previous beach hikers hadn't scooped them up. Most people, however, on Damon Point beach were hikers and focused on their brisk walk out the point and back. With a little extra focus on the gravel beds a diligent agate hunter will find many gems. The gallery of agates below were discovered on my last visit to Ocean Shores over the Presidents Day weekend.
One weekend of agates found on Damon Point beach
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Recommendation: As with all beaches it is always good to check the tide levels so you will know what to expect and plan your outing. Low tides will offer the best time to find gravel beds loaded with agates. This beach is not difficult to explore even at high tide with the wide expanse of the spit and the no bank environment. Always dress warmly anticipating the wind and cold. Take a water bottle and a snack if you plan on spending several hours scanning the gravel beds and waters edge. I always wear rubber boots to allow for the freedom of entering the surf if an agate is exposed. I also carry a backpack to load up any rocks that would be appropriate for my rock tumbler. Have a great time out on Damon Point. You will love the solitude and beauty out on the point.
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