Report Details

What a difference a day makes, but then that's the beach. Yesterday it was warm and sunny with at least twice as many people and three times as many dogs taking advantage of the great day. After a stormy, windy, and rainy night, the people and dogs on the beach were taking advantage of the period between rain showers. The ocean has made it all the way up to the riprap on the high tides.Edited on 9/26/11 to report the installation of riprap today.Edited on 9/28/11 to report the destruction of the lower portion of the steps at the Rockaway Beach Resort NW 6th by the high surf and most likely a log.Yesterday and today were as good as it gets at the beach from sun up to sun down . . . absolutely spectacular!!!Edited on 9/29/11 to report something I have never seen in 50 years on Rockaway Beach. At low tide tonight, there was a block long area that looked just like the clam flats in Garibaldi (minus the rock). There was a huge area of kelp, seaweed, wood, trash (bottles, cans, shoes), starfish, clam shells (dead quahogs and live cockles), and a whole lot of stuff I could not identify. It was not there at low tide this morning.

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 7.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 25. Number of dogs: 7. Walking or running: 14. Playing in surf: 4. Playing in sand: 4. Other Activities: 3 standing on bluff. Just the usual . . . areas where there had been a bonfire or kids building forts.

Concerns

Kelp/algae collection

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 2. RVs/Buses parking: 1.

Notable Wildlife

Seagulls and two curlew-like birds near the riprap. Seaweed (and lots of it) EVERYWHERE.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. murre

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Unusual concentration. Between NW 10th and 9th at low tide (9/29/11) around 7:00 pm, there was a huge area of kelp, seaweed, clam shells, crab, wood and trash. I've never seen anything like this on our beach.

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Wood pieces. Beer and pop cans, plastic cups and bottles, food wrappers

Man-made Modifications

New riprap or shoreline protection structures. Near Rock Creek in front of middle complex of condos. It appears that it is being installed in front of the units that did not have riprap installed previously. Just started Monday 9/26.

Natural Changes

Lots of sand on portions of the riprap

Actions & Comments

Just picked up cans, wrappers and plastic and put it in the garbage.

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All Mile 293 Reports

Showing 8 of 71 reports

Mile 293

May 3, 2023

Extremely clean beach.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

April 2, 2023

Large bale of styrofoam found.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

January 1, 2023

Overall the beach looked pretty good for post king tides and fireworks.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

October 22, 2022

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

September 7, 2022

For the day after a holiday weekend the beach was exceptionally clean.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

February 6, 2022

A warm February day.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

December 31, 2021

A relatively calm day before the first King tide of 2022.

Mary and Zio

Mile 293

September 14, 2021

Observed approx.

stu and barb