This past month, one of our Port staff members took the iconic trip up the Oregon Coast from Coos Bay. Check out her perspective as a port employee and explore the diversity of some of Oregon's coastal ports north of Coos Bay. She also provides some travel tips along the way! 

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) recently celebrated their 227th year of existence this past summer. As a coastal community, we feel the presence of USCG through the USCG Cutter (USCGC) Orcas and the USCG stations in North Bend and Coos Bay. The Port interacts with the USCG in a variety of ways. We rent out the dock where the USCGC Orcas is currently stationed as well as work with the USCG in various committees like the Coos Bay Harbor Safety Committee. Recently, we went to tour the USCGC Orcas to gain a better understanding of their operations.

After 8 years of being a commercial fisherman, Tyler expanded Long Fisheries operations through the lease of dock 15 along the Charleston working waterfront. With the addition of the dock, Long Fisheries provides a place for out of town buyers from LA to British Columbia, Canada to conduct business in Charleston.

A couple weeks ago, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay (OIPCB) and Coos Bay Rail Link (CBR) hosted the National American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA) group on the Coos Bay rail line. NARCOA is a national non-profit organization that is “dedicated to the preservation and safe, legal operation of railroad equipment historically used for maintenance of way.”

Tarheel Aluminum was started in 1989 by Tim Bohem in his garage on Tarheel Lane along Cape Arago Highway. Shortly after, the business grew and relocated to the Charleston Shipyard. In 2000, Ray Cox bought the business when his son, Kyle Cox, was in high school. It was during this time that Kyle learned a lot about the business and slowly over the years has taken the reigns to run Tarheel Aluminum. He became the official owner in July, 2016.

Last year, the Port wrote a feature on Fishermen’s Wharf in our “From the Source” series. This year, we revisit this Charleston Marina icon again with its new owners, Will and Shanda Smith. The Smith’s look forward to carrying on the legacy of Fishermen’s Wharf by continuing to value the food, quality, fishermen, customers and the Charleston community.