Wandering Lizard
Oregon

Curry County

Port Orford Lifeboat Station Museum

The Point Orford Lifeboat Station was constructed in 1934 and provided life saving services along the Oregon coast until it was closed in 1970. The museum is located in the office and crew quarters building. (The Officer-in-Charge quarters are not open to the public.) Remains of the boat house are located in nearby Nellies Cove. One of their 36-foot motor lifeboats has been restored and is on display. Trails lead out onto the Port Orford Heads from the museum.

The personnel of the Lifeboat Service were referred to as "surfmen."
Their motto was:

"You have to go out,
but you don't have to come back."

If you want to fully understand the bravery of the surfmen visit the site on a stormy day when the huge, powerful waves are larger than the boats that they used on their life saving missions.

Continue out onto the Port Orford Heads...