Mile 228 Report
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
October 23, 2018
All human activity was at the Rocky Creek wayside, not Whale Cove.
Report Details
All human activity was at the Rocky Creek wayside, not Whale Cove. The most notable change was on the Whale Cove beach where a dead sea lion was seen in June (not reported then, but see picture below). There was a noticeable height gain of sand on the beach since June and it has completely covered the remains of the dead sea lion. Residents report that over a period of a couple of months birds had picked at the carcass to the extent that bones could be seen.
Conditions
Temperature: 54 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 5.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 15. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 15.
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 8.
Stranded Marine Mammals
Note: see pictures. a dead sea lion was identified on the Whale Cove beach in June, but now the sand has covered the carcass.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.).
Natural Changes
Major cracks appearing in bluffs.
Actions & Comments
Minor amounts of debris were removed: styrofoam, plastic bottle, other plastic.
Report Images
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All Mile 228 Reports
Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Clear, warm, calm day with no adverse human behavior.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Excluding by sea, the entry to Whale Cove beach requires passage on private property and an easement provided by USFW, so it was unusual to find such a collection of beachgoers.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
All human activity was at the Rocky Creek wayside, not Whale Cove.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Both the Whale Cove beach and Rocky Creek wayside were in good condition as usual, however there were rubber surf boards and a downspout that were found both on the beach below the houses on the bluff and hung up among small vegetation on the cliff in between the houses and the beach.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Although not king tide level, high waves at high tide on Jan 18, 2018 reached all the way into the inner reaches of Whale Cove's sandy cliffs.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Coast Guard and Depoe Bay fire crews rescued a 19-year-old male hiker in the vicinity of Whale Cove, after he reportedly suffered seizures and became immobilized Tuesday evening.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
Both Whale Cove and Rocky Creek were in good shape and quite free of debris.
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Mile 228
Rocky Creek State Wayside, Whale Cove
There was a notable increase in driftwood and debris that had washed up onto the Whale Cove beach.
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