ECOSYSTEMS > BAYS

Float around the perimeter of any Oregon bay and you’ll probably see similar things — wooden piers lined with boats, bustling fishing villages, or busy port towns. But compared to other parts of the world, these communities are both very small and relatively new. In order to truly appreciate how important bays have been to human civilization, you may have to travel overseas.

Take for example the Navarino Bay near the town of Pylos, Greece. This bay is located on the southwest corner of a larger peninsula called the Peloponnese. Archaeologists estimate people have been living here, building one settlement on top of the ruins of others, since at least the Bronze Age or about 2,400 years ago. (To put this in perspective, the oldest western settlement in Oregon is the town of Astoria which was established just over 200 years ago.)

If you visit the Navarino Bay today, you’ll find several small towns lining its edge with fishing being an important industry. Look a little more carefully and you’ll find evidence of the bay’s amazing past.

History Built Around A Bay:

In the northern hills overlooking the bay are the foundations of a great palace which once belonged to a legendary king named Nestor. The sheltered bay allowed Nestor to build a great navy and his kingdom to become a hub for ocean-going trade which spread across the Mediterranean Sea. Along the bay's edge, you can discover other features of historical interest. The smaller Voidokilia Bay is a popular recreational site but, according to legend, is also where the Greek goddess Athena came ashore in search of the hero Odysseus. On the hillside above this crescent-shaped inlet is a cave once used as a stable for King Nestor's cattle. Centuries after Nestor's time, a historic battle was fought among the islands located at the bay’s mouth when the Athenians defeated the Spartans and ended the Peloponnesian War. Centuries after that, invading Franks conquered this area and built a sprawling fortress on a ridge which separates the bay from the Ionian Sea to the west. A second fortress was later built on the opposite side of the bay. You can still climb up to both fortresses today and get a bird’s eye-view of the entire area.

​Places like the Navarino Bay can really help you appreciate how bays have benefited people throughout the ages by allowing us easy access to the ocean and all its riches. How does it compare to bays you can visit on the Oregon Coast?