Sarah Arnoff Yeoman

For The Statesider: exploring Depoe Bay's transition from commercial fishing hub to gray whale capital of the West Coast. The tiny Oregon town of just couple thousand residents proudly sports unique geography that allows whales to come within yards of its rocky shore to feed. Tourists from all over the Pacific Northwest and the US are able to experience frequent sightings from shore or close encounters via chartered boat. After a devastating fisheries collapse 20 years ago, many seasoned fishermen in Depoe Bay have found new business with whale watching ventures.