Mile 204 Report
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
May 10, 2022
The PacWave South wave energy project hosted a BBQ today at Driftwood Wayside for staff and neighbors to celebrate the completion of construction work here and the reopening of the Wayside later this month.
Report Details
The PacWave South wave energy project hosted a BBQ today at Driftwood Wayside for staff and neighbors to celebrate the completion of construction work here and the reopening of the Wayside later this month. Taking advantage of the sunny day, a crew also worked at striping the parking lot. The Wayside looks improved from before construction work began, with the freshly asphalted parking lot, new walkways, and an ADA accessible viewing platform that provides an expansive view of Driftwood Beach. All of the vegetation bordering the Wayside was protected during construction, including the Kinnikinnick plant on which the endangered Seaside Hoary Elfin butterfly depends. PacWave's land-based work now shifts east of Highway 101, where an energy collection and monitoring compound will be built. Actual collection of wave-generated electricity and transmission to Central Lincoln PUD's power grid is scheduled to begin sometime next year.
Conditions
Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Tide Level: 2.5 feet.
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Jon French
CoastWatcher
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Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
Today marked my latest sighting of the old growth driftwood log that I've admired and whose comings and goings from Driftwood Beach I've documented since June 2020, when I first photographed it high on the beach south of Buckley Creek.
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Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
I haven't walked Driftwood Beach regularly since the PacWave South wave energy project completed work underground in the Driftwood parking lot.
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Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
By the time I got to Driftwood Wayside, a lot of people had already arrived for their New Years Day beach walks, some 30 vehicles in the parking lot and 30 - 40 people down on the beach, accompanied by at least half as many dogs, almost all leashed.
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Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
This was probably the last dependably dry Mile 204 walk before the rains begin in earnest.
Jon French
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
After the morning fog lifted and before the marine layer moved in, I walked from Seal Rock on Mile 205 to Beach Access 66C on Mile 203.
Jon French
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
Driftwood Wayside is open again after PacWave's departure, but I was the only visitor on this breezy, drizzly day.
Jon French
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
The PacWave South wave energy project hosted a BBQ today at Driftwood Wayside for staff and neighbors to celebrate the completion of construction work here and the reopening of the Wayside later this month.
Jon French