Mile 189 Report

February 9, 2021
by gailrobbw

Location:

Lane

Gwynn Cr, Neptune SP / North access, Cummins Cr

Conditions:

Tuesday 4:00 PM

Cloudy

51° F

Wind:

Calm/Light

Tide Level:

-0.8 ft

Humans / Pets:

People:

Dogs:

Activities:

Walking / Running:

Surfing:

Tossing balls to dogs

Concerns:

Disturbances:

Vehicles:

Cars/Trucks parking:

Activity Comments:

Notable Wildlife:

Many seagulls, ravens. Healthy sea stars.

Dead Birds:

Stranded:

Fish & Invertebrates:

Driftline:

Plastic pellets

New Development:

Modifications:

Natural Changes:

Erosion of vegetated foredune·Visible retreat of solid bluff·Evidence of wave overtopping

Extreme movement of sand, beach was made up mostly of exposed rocks. Recent winter storms has eroded the bluffs considerably and heavily damaged the wooden stairs leading down to the beach. These stairs were roped off by Forest Service as a danger and to stay off. One large tree on the path from the north Neptune parking lot to the stairs to the beach was taped off also and signed "do not enter", possibly because it was heavily leaning over the pathway.

Comments:

Summary:

North Neptune Beach Forest Service sign for "trail closed," but that is pushed out of the way and tape pulled down.

North Neptune Beach parking lot
February 9, 2021

North Neptune Beach Trail with Forest Service "Keep Out" tape

North Neptune Beach Trail to beach access
February 9, 2021
North Neptune Beach tree leaning over trail to beach access

North Neptune Beach trail to beach access, midway point
February 9, 2021
North Neptune Beach stairs taped off due to damage from winter storms

North Neptune Beach trail to beach access
February 9, 2021
North Neptune Beach with little sand, much rocks due to extreme sand movement

North Neptune Beach
February 9, 2021
North Neptune Beach with crab pot stuck in sand

North Neptune Beach about 1/3 mile south of stairs access to beach
February 9, 2021
South Neptune Beach stair damaged by winter storms and taped off by Forest Service to "Stay Off"

South Neptune Beach parking lot
February 9, 2021
South Neptune Beach access stairs damaged by winter storms and signed to "Stay Off". Sign knocked over.

South Neptune Beach parking lot
February 9, 2021
Cummins Creek running wide and shallow and strong at South Neptune State Park. Lots of rocks, much sand moved.

South Neptune State Park
February 9, 2021

Other Mile 189 Reports (20)

2020

July 29, 2020 - gailrobbw

Very busy with people and dogs, but beach still clean and no major problems.

March 16, 2020 - gailrobbw

Someone/organization has painted over the grafitti that had been sprayed all over the retaining wall under the freeway at the Gwynn Creek culvert (just north of the north Neptune Beach parking lot...

2019

November 7, 2019 - gailrobbw

The beach looked very clean today, save for one loose buoy floating in the surf of North Neptune parking area, and one buoy with ropes tangled around log on shore in that same general area. Unable...

August 19, 2019 - gailrobbw

In general area free of significant litter, but much new graffiti spray painted at the outlet of Gwynn Creek just north of the North Neptune parking lot. Also a large graffiti painted inside the...

May 20, 2019 - Volunteer Trainer

Report submitted for new volunteers GailRobbw. no dead animals 12 people on the beach evidence of someone climbing on the cliffs- carvings overnight camper in the parking lot,

2018

July 14, 2018 - [email protected]

I covered the middle and southern portions of the of the mile, starting about 6:15 am. The morning tide was quite low, -2.0', but the surf was 7'-9' so beach access was out of the question along the...

July 13, 2018 - [email protected]

I covered the northern portion of the mile, departing the north parking lot at Gwynn Creek at 6 am. Except for a small bit of beach access just south of Gwynn Creek this portion is up on Captain Cook...

2017

September 10, 2017 - [email protected]

I was on the beach between 7:25 ad 9:45 am Low tide was about 1.1' at 9:30 am. As for humans, I saw 7 people overall, 2 groups of 2, and one group of 3. Two dogs. The only activity I observed were...

2016

September 24, 2016 - minustide

The SOLVE Beach cleaner-uppers were new for me. Sept 24 is the big SOLVE beach clean up in Oregon. There were perhaps a few more people than I am used to. This could be owing to the spectacular...

2015

November 23, 2015 - minustide

I hung around from about 11:15 am to 3:00 pm, hiking from the parking lot south as far as I could go, given the tide, which was nearly to the southern end of the mile, then back north onto the reef...

2014

October 10, 2014 - minustide

Between 6:30 and 11:30 am saw 4 people beside myself; two were solo birder at Cummins Cr. early and the other two, a couple on the north beach an rocks to the north about 11:30. The Driftline was...

August 17, 2014 - Soggybottom

It was a busy morning on the beach for Neptune State Park. Families were wading in a very low Cummins Creek and playing in the sand in spite of a very strong wind. The beach was very clean...

2013

March 17, 2013 - Soggybottom

The beach was very clean. Minimal amount of styrofoam and plastic. No SOLV bags on site for tsuanami debri.

2012

August 12, 2012 - Soggybottom

I was able to walk the entire beach from one end to the other because the tide was out. It was a beautiful day. There were about 15 people, mostly families including children, and 3 dogs enjoying...

April 8, 2012 - Soggybottom

Mile 189 has not had active reporting done since 2009. This was our first visit and it was high tide. The beach was mostly covered with river rock and driftwood with very little sand. There were no...

2009

May 25, 2009 - naturegates

The number of people at this site at one time is fairly small (I include both the north and south areas of Neptune State Park) and only occasionally have I observed dogs on the beaches and never a...

2008

May 20, 2008 - naturegates

Sand level on Neptune Beach (south and north) is going down. Three bald eagles spotted feeding on bird carcass.

2007

July 9, 2007 - naturegates

This is generally a well used beach with very little litter or man-made disturbance. The sand is high this year and Cummins Creek has drifted against the south shore.

March 21, 2007 - naturegates

Neptune has very little impact from humans or dogs other than dune climbing on South Neptune. Very nice beach to visit.

2006

December 13, 2006 - naturegates

Beach clean, some erosion of dune, south. People continue to slide down the dunes.