January 23, 2023

Report Details

Since my last Mile 202 walk in mid December, King Tides and storms have deposited a large amount of driftwood up and down the beach and have eroded portions of the foredune along the more narrow northern end of the mile. The King Tides themselves have been relatively mild, with the storms and accompanying rains, high winds, and heavy surf, the strongest on December 27th, contributing to most of the changes seen here. Although some of the new driftwood may be marine in origin, I think most of it flows down the Alsea River during high water and out to sea, from where it's soon washed back ashore, with the heaviest concentrations occurring on Mile 202 just north of Alsea Bay and to the south along the beach at Gov. Patterson State Park. As has happened before, the storms and rough beach conditions have temporarily scattered the 40 to 50 Snowy Plovers who winter here, but as before they'll probably return now with the better weather. Although commercial crabbing season started a week ago, I didn't find any crabbing or other marine debris, and only a couple of beachgoing items, a dog frisbee and a plastic toy. Beginning in February, I'll be doing monthly beached bird surveys for COASST (Coastal Observation And Seabird Survey Team) on this mile.

Conditions

Temperature: 45 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Tide Level: 3.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 5.

Notable Wildlife

None, just some Gulls at the mouth of Alsea Bay. None of the 40-50 Western Snowy Plovers who winter here were seen today, probably temporarily scattered to other locations because of the recent storms and rough beach conditions.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 3. One wing, one intact Cassins Auklet, one unidentifiable remains. I just completed COASST's beached bird online training, and in February I'll begin doing monthly beached bird surveys on Mile 202 for COASST, to be designated by COASST as ORMI202.

Driftline Content

Wood pieces. There was very little driftline or other beach content except the new driftwood washed ashore by the recent King Tides and storms.

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune. Some foredune erosion along the north portion of Mile 202 resulting from King Tides and storms, and new driftwood all along the beach.

Report Images

Jon French

CoastWatcher

All Mile 202 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 60 reports

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

March 7, 2024

Mile 202 beach accesses and exits are now restricted because of erosion and sheering off of the sand cliffs along its northern portion, so I now need to plan for a receding tide if I want to walk the entire mile safely.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

January 28, 2024

After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

October 30, 2023

A beautifully calm, sunny day, maybe the last for awhile, with a fifteen mile view from Seal Rock to Cape Perpetua and hardly anyone on the beach except for two surf fishers and a couple valiantly trying to launch a kite with no wind.

Jon French