The lyrics for the opening of Belinda Carlisle’s “Circle in the Sand” hit song from the late 1980’s are apropos for a public art event that takes part regularly between the summer tides on the beaches in Bandon, Oregon – “Circles in the Sand”.

“Sundown all around
Walking through the summer’s end
Waves crash, baby, don’t look back
I won’t walk away again”

GARDEN OF THE GODS

Google “Garden of the Gods”. You come up with the beautiful rock formations found on the west border of Colorado Springs, Colorado. But the Gods have more than one garden. They are Gods, after all. There is the area in southern Illinois’ Shawnee Forest. Nice for Illinois, but not up to Coloradan standards. One garden making the grade is found along the beaches of Bandon, Oregon – or Bandon-by-the-Sea for those more tourist board-oriented.

There are many areas of seastacks found along the Oregon Coast intensifying the drama of the ocean scene. Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, much further to the north is emblematic of the magic. There are so many other points along the 363 miles of coastline emphasizing the magnificence.

The seashore next to the small town along the southern Coast of Bandon is one such example. The cliffs here have slowly eroded away leaving resistant stacks rising above the crashing waves. Around the stacks, tidal pools surround the rocks. Inside the pools, a plethora of invertebrates and tiny fish wait for the next tide to come in.

OREGON BEACHES

The beach in Oregon has always existed as a private right-of-way. A 1913 law officially noted the wet sand beach as such. The beach was truly a highway for many communities along the coast before the federal highway US 101 was established in the 1930’s. In response to a local motel owner in Cannon Beach, the State Legislature in 1967 further expounded on the public right to beach access.

What that means in Bandon-by-the-Sea is the right of mortals to wander among Pacific-version of the Garden of the Gods. Million dollar homes may mark the clifftops along the sea, but mere mortals may walk the beaches beneath.

THE SETTING

A menagerie of rocks exists south of the mouth of the Coquille River. Many sport exotic names known only to mapmakers – Cat and Kitten Rocks, Wizard’s Hat, Five Foot Rock, Wash Rock and the better-known Table Rock and Face Rock. Low tide allows you to walk among the Gods.

Slowly, the Pacific cuts away at the coast of Oregon. Uninformed or those with their heads literally in the sand buying beach property, do so at the risk of eons of beach erosion. The erosion process leaves us, tourists, with magnificent sea stacks rising out of the tides. Sea stacks encrusted with thousands of sea birds above and invertebrates below.

CREATION

Starting in 2014, Southern California transplant Denny Dyke created his first labyrinths in the intertidal sands of the southern Oregon Coast. From May to September, focusing on beaches beneath Face Rock State Park Wayside in Bandon you can find the mystical labyrinths of the Circles in the Sand.

Inspired by labyrinths he came upon, Dyke decided to create his own among the intertidal sands of his new home. He calls them Dreamfield Labyrinths. They feature one main path involving usually several different spirals, no wrong turns and a return home at the end.

Over time, the labyrinths have became more elaborate. Volunteers attracted by Dyke’s meditative message came to help either rake the evanescent patterns into the sand. Or they help control the crowds who come to see the brief transitory creations. Whether it be to help regulate the people through the path or alleviate parking in the small parking lot above.

THE EXPERIENCE

Labyrinths take about two hours to groom out. The plan calls for about twenty minutes for visitors to walk the labyrinth. Each labyrinth has its own special focus centering on some aspect of love. Each creation lasts for about two hours when the next tide comes in to clean the slate.

360 photo taken on the south side of Gravel Point with the labyrinths getting their finishing touches. Click and hold with mouse for full 360 effect.

Dyke’s Circles in the Sand team calls the Face Rock beach, in Bandon, their home with most of their creations being done here. During the summer, they occasionally travel a bit to other nearby beaches. Keep an eye on their website blog for exact time and locations. We lucked out in our timing on a recent trip to the area to experience the circles.

Times for viewing the labyrinths are generally in the morning from 8 to 10 AM depending upon the tides. Dogs are allowed on a leash. The entire experience is unique to say the least.

View from furthest west part of Gravel Point towards Face Rock and other stacks within the Garden of the Gods. Click and hold with mouse for full 360 effect.

POSTSCRIPT

“Circle in the sand
Round and round
Never ending love is what we’ve found
And you complete the heart of me
Our love is all we need
Circle in the sand.”

Song performed by Belinda Carlise; written by Richard and Shipley Nowels.