Washington Trails Association

Photo by indiesandy

Damon Point is a protected peninsula managed as a state park that lies at the southern end of Ocean Shores. It is home to threatened snowy plovers in the summer and snowy owls in the winter. Whales and seals can often be seen off its shores. Its beaches are a favorite for rock hounds seeking the perfect amber agate. Everything is windswept. The few stunted trees growing here rise twisted from the dunes. Old driftwood is regularly sandblasted leaving interesting shapes and patterns.

In the early days of Ocean Shores, the S.S. Catala was hauled down from Seattle following the World’s Fair to become the center of a marina on Damon Point. The ship was rolled in a storm and later scapped but the hull was left to disappear beneath the sands of the peninsula. The remains of the old ship remained hidden until a few years ago. Erosion from the bay broke through to the lake creating a new saltwater estuary in the center of Damon Point and the remains of the S.S. Catala were uncovered in the process. A must see!!