MILE 305 on 7/15/07

Saw several minor slides - had a good-sized rock fall between us - Allister had my hard hat on - I had nothing on my head - lucky me! This area REALLY is "HARDHAT-NEEDY"! Found and photographed tall thin columns of natural loose rock - no idea who built them or why - autumn winds will topple, I'm sure. On July 15, 2007, I arrived at my usual entry to Mile 305 and went down to sea level with Allister Jones, an 18-year-old neighbor from the Portland area. Weather was terribly sloppy, and it rained almost the entire time, making footing rather dangerous. We managed to see all eight coves but did not bother to do much else. Items of note: There continues to be an atypical amount of dead starfish, mussels, and kelp washed up on the rocks. We saw no seals except for one adult patrolling offshore in Cove 7; however, there have been large flocks of birds on sandy beaches to the south, with large schools of small fish in the shallows, and the seals may have been away feeding. By summer, they are not spotted in the cove as frequently as during the spring birthing season. We found a large double loop of logging cable and threw it up above the high tide line. There are only two more weekends of low tides in 2007. I hope to be able to return to Mile 305 once or twice more to bring out the remaining trash (I have a few sacks stashed above the tide lines), and also the white plastic half barrel I dug from the rocks in Cove 4, which is still waiting for transport. If I have time and the weather permits, I will take my diving gear and investigate the derelict crabbing equipment off the headlands north of Cove 1. If time permits, I may try to shovel out what appears to be a crab trap shallowly buried in the beach of Cove 7; however, its removal may need to wait till next spring or summer -- if I can find out it really IS a trap, I may re-bury it, photograph the site to be sure I can find it again, and leave things as they are for now. I am informed by the Coast Guard that they removed the rusted drum from Cove 1. No idea how they did it; I asked...they didn't say. From here through mid-August, when the low tides cease, my object is to just remove whatever else there is, and leave it at that. I have the white half drum, the logging cable, the trash I've picked up and bagged, and there might be another bag or so to gather as I walk the area. If I can get everything up and out of the coves, I will have accomplished as much as possible, and it will then just be interesting to return next spring and see what's washed up, and what natural changes have been wrought by winter tides and weather.

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skyhar8000 EMAIL • REPORT PUBLISHED 1/23/09 9:46 PM

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