About 5 miles south of Charleston at blustery Cape Arago you can scan the horizon for whales, seals and watch ships passing into Coos Bay. The 0.2-mile South Cove Trail leads to a beach and tide pools while the 0.2-mile North Trail plops you on another beach (closed March 1 to June 30 to protect seal pups) from which you can see offshore Shell Island, a protected seal and sea lion colony.