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Discover Newport, OR – Part II – Port of Newport Marina & RV Park

The Port of Newport Marina & RV Park is located at South Beach, a stone’s hurl across Yaquina Bay from the historic bayfront. After my early morning chat with Post, I roam the grounds, observing the individuals using the 600-slip marina, four-lane launch ramp. Sipping coffee, I watch the crew at Newport Marina Store & Charters gear up for another very, big day.
At that hour, the fish cleaning station adjacent to the marina office and launch ramp looked as sterile as an operating theater. But just wait until around 5 p.m. when the charter boats come in, said Mikki Lone, marina office supervisor.
Just as she predicted, all evening the fish cleaning stations were overflowing with fishermen and fish guts. In some cases, professional filleters cleaned salmon and halibut. During the filleting process, one pro needed help flipping a 60-pound halibut from one side to another.
According to South Beach Fuel Dock operators Dallas Roles and Cliff Turpen, our visit to Newport coincided with one of the week or so allotted for recreational halibut fishing. Otherwise, throughout the season the Chinook and coho fisheries had been excellent. In the winter, diehard boaters focus on bottom fishing or crabbing.
Roles, who makes D & W Tackle during the off season, explained that most anglers head out to the “Whistle” buoy to fish for salmon. From the marina it is 3.6 miles distant or from the end of the jetty it is only 1.5 miles out. Navigating back into the bay and marina is basically a matter of following the buoys, he added.
The Marina Store orchestrates full-day halibut charters for around $150 and tuna charters for $175. The store is also the marina and RV park’s epicenter for ice, coffee, beer, bait, fishing gear and the latest fishing updates. An electric crabcooker sits outside ready for the public to use at a rate of $6 per dozen crabs or 50 cents each with a $6 minimum.
Besides great fishing and crabbing, the he explained that for the past 10 years the Port of Newport Marina has offered transient moorage on “J” dock. With 270 lineal feet of space, the guest dock can accommodate more yachts longer than 40 feet.
“The word is getting out and we see about a half-dozen, 60-foot yachts each week,” said Lone. “We even hosted a 120-foot yacht on one of our side ties!”
Just as Strom planned to moor his Seaswirl at the Embarcadero Marina for the month of August, Lone sees increasing numbers of trailerboaters setting up shop for the duration of the summer at the marina and the 60-space, RV park. She explained that there is always plenty of moorage available for permanent, monthly and transient moorage.
Port of Newport Marina & RV Park: (541) 867-3321 Fax: (541) 867-3352; www.portofnewport.com/
Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce: (800) 262-7844 or (541) 265-8801; www.newportchamber.org