September 25, 2016

Report Details

Whale Cove has recently acquired its Wildlife Refuge designation, so the intrusion of humans is now more difficult and development prohibited. The portion of state beach (not part of the Wildlife Refuge) is accessible by boat and via a ladder constructed by residents bordering Whale Cove.  The ladder was destroyed in a December, 2015 storm, but reconstructed with welded aluminum in 2016. Residents on the perimeter of Whale Cove have been granted an easement to access a dirt road leading to their homes and to the beach ladder. Thus access to the state beach is limited to small watercraft approaching from the Pacific or permission from one of the six or seven residents on the Whale Cove perimeter.There is a collection of driftwood on the west end of the state beach that has been fairly stable in size for at least the last three years (visible in photo). Otherwise the beach is free of debris.In the winter of 2016 a portion of the cliff supporting US 101 on the east side of Whale Cove collapsed. This was likely promoted by a December storm that did not involve particularly high winds, rain or tide, but which did involve the "pineapple express" causing a few extraordinarily high waves.  Traffic was restricted and repairs made to restore the support of the road.  See photo.An attached photo captures the colony of seals basking in the sun at the east end of Whale Cove.  There are over 100 in the picture, which may be close to the entire population described in the US Fish and Wildlife Service article about refuge designation: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Oregon_Islands/wildlife_and_habitat/whale_cov...