November 23, 2009

Temperature: 40 F. Cloud Cover: Rain. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 6.8 feet.

Number of people: 9. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 6. not enough beach to allow for much activity, as tides were pushing to the bulkheads; even low tides threatened beachcombers; at the foot of Wallace Street sat a collection of huge machinery. Sign saying “beach repair equipment” – a very large backhoe, a medium sized backhoe, and a road grader with wide bucket. A pile of large gravel at the access. Could not tell what they were doing. No humans.

Driftwood removal, Litter

Apparent violations: : A couple was loading a few logs into their pickup at the Laurel Street access; found a recently consumed can of spaghetti, with plastic fork and a pink plastic bowl discarded at foot of Laurel access signposts (think debris unrelated to driftwooders)s.

Cars/trucks parking: 2.

1 dead crow 1 dead egret (?) three pieces of a dark brown-feathered bird. The wing from elbow/wrist to tip was 12” – whole length nearly 2 feet. Pronounced yellow hooked beak on one of the pieces. I think these are pieces of two whole birds.

Total dead birds: 5.

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam, Wood pieces.

Landslides/major boulder falls.

Due to erosion of fill, boulders have been exposed at rescue access south of Laurel, making the access nearly unpassable. I will check on this in January and contact authorities if it has not been amended. This is the area where three houses were threatened by eroded cliffs during November storms 3 years ago.