Mile 24 - Cave Rock, Hunters Island, Hunters Cove - December 12, 2011

Report Details

The main event of this season so far is the first major storm of the season that ended just before Thanksgiving. It swept the beach clean and smooth, removing the windblown sandhills of summer and the debris from brush clearing that had been dumped over the cliff parking lot and most of the uprooted trees that were at the base of the eroding cliffs. The high seas delivered very little debris, mainly a few quite large logs which were shoved tidily up against the bank. The sand is lower near the parking lot, as evidenced by "Brain Rock" the sand-o-meter, and higher at the cusp of the cape, as evidenced by the burial of most of the small rocky ridges that usually protrude several inches above the sand there.Despite the strong wind, high tide and huge breakers, there was very little sign of marine life damage evidenced on the beach.

Human Activities

Number of people: 1. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 1. Photography: 1. Others viewed sunset from parking lot

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 2.

Notable Wildlife

Big wader bird that I had never seen on this beach before. It seemed hesitant to move, as if tired or injured, but eventually flew off.

Driftline Content

Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea). very sparse, mainly tiny beads of plastic

Natural Changes

Visible retreat of solid bluff. The signs of erosion oozing out onto the beach with uprooted trees has been swept away by the high tides of storm just before Thanksgiving, but fresh tearing away of the hillsides is evident.

Actions & Comments

No. I wish that I had communicated with the road department about curbing the parking lot drainage before they did the curbing on the highway up the Cape.