Mile 315 Dispatch

September 24, 2017
by JDPphotography

Location:
Clatsop
Chapman Beach north, Chapman Point, Ecola SP
Conditions:
Sunday 11:00 AM
Sunny
75° F
Wind:
Calm/Light
Humans / Pets:
Activities:
Concerns:
Apparent Violations:
burned out fire in sand
Disturbances:
Vehicles:
Activity Comments:
Over a two-hour period small groups of people, some with dogs, came and went along North Chapman Beach. There were single people also walking along the shore. It was difficult to specifically quantify all humans and dogs as this was my inaugural visit and I was trying to record baseline photographs and video of water, sand, buildings, rocks and shoreline. At Ecola State Park there were many tourists, but also quite a few hikers. There was a big group of about 10 hikers that also had dogs.
Notable Wildlife:
Dead Birds:
Stranded:
Fish & Invertebrates:
Driftline:
New Development:
Modifications:
Natural Changes:
Comments:

I did not that there were flowers and peppers on the beach that were not naturally part of the landscape - obviously brought by humans and not carried out. (see photos)

There was a fire "pit" that I think shouldn't have been there because of the use of driftwood (see photo)

I was unable to find the trail down to Crescent Beach (between North Chapman Beach and Ecola State Park). There was confusing directions on which location to access a usable trail and, after asking the State Park agent at the park entry for specific directions, it still was not clear. I will explore further on my next visit.

I did capture photos of Crescent Beach from the bluff (near the parking lot) at Ecola State Park.

I did note a vehicle on the beach dropping off or picking up items for a group of people on the beach, quite a ways back from the shoreline. It was not an off-road vehicle, which I believe is allowed.

Summary:

As this was my first visit to my mile, I wanted to get baseline images so that on subsequent visits, I will be able to note any changes in the topography, and any other issues that a CoastWatcher looks for. The tide was starting to rise nearing the end of my visit, so the next time I will go even earlier in the day.

The ocean water at Chapman Point and Bird Rocks was incredibly clean, clear and turquoise.

Two hours were actually spent walking Ecola State Park/parking lot, searching for access to Crescent Beach, and then North Chapman Beach accessed at 7th and Ash Streets. An additional four hours have been spent preparing the photos for upload and writing the report.

  • Ecola State Park Monument
    Ecola State Park Monument
    Ecola State Park parking lot above Crescent Beach
    September 24, 2017
Other Mile 315 Reports (24)

2022

June 15, 2022 - tabeag
Lots of tide pooling activity because of the -1.9 tide. Three or four black oystercatcher pairs in this area and Ecola Point, one pair likely nesting, another pair appear to be considering a nesting...
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May 4, 2022 - tabeag
Quiet day on the beach, minimal visitors.
read more
March 26, 2022 - tabeag
A resident was walking from Chapman Point toward the river when two dogs, a husky and a black lab, ran up to her, barking and chasing her.  The dogs had leashes trailing on the ground, but no owner...
read more

2021

October 15, 2021 - tabeag
Beautiful day to hike in to Crescent Beach.  Saw gulls chasing an adult eagle by Chapman Point, a pair of hawks gliding overhead for over an hour and a half, and six black oystercatchers foraging on...
read more
July 11, 2021 - tabeag
Quite a few people enjoying a Sunday morning walk on the beach at low tide, able to walk to Crescent Beach via the sand bridge by the first Bird Rock.  Significant amount of mussel harvesting on the...
read more
June 16, 2021 - tabeag
A tourist attempted to climb the west end of the first Bird Rock at Chapman Point for a photo opportunity, flushing two black oystercatcher parents from their nest and away from their chicks.
read more
June 15, 2021 - tabeag
Hiked in and out to Crescent Beach.  Tide pools look healthy and abundant.  Live mussels were dropped at regular intervals along the trail from Crescent Beach to Ecola Road, left to die and decay.  ...
read more
  • Mussels Dropped Along the Trail at Crescent Beach
May 22, 2021 - tabeag
Most of the people on Crescent Beach hiked over before low tide.  The sand bridge by Chapman Point was knee deep at low tide, so a few people crossed to Crescent Beach during that interval.
read more
May 15, 2021 - tabeag
All dogs off leash.
read more
April 3, 2021 - tabeag
Hauled a couple wood pallets to the bottom of the northern set of stairs to combine with large trash others have hauled there previously.
read more
  • Crescent Beach
  • Crescent Beach Trash
March 4, 2021 - tabeag
A rare rainy, windy winter day with no activity on the beach.  Unsuccessfully attempted to clean up wet sand microplastics with a strainer, but the strainer grid was too small.  It is difficult to...
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  • North End Cannon Beach
February 18, 2021 - tabeag
Quiet on Crescent Beach today, no one else there but me.  Picked up trash - 34 bottle caps, 19 tube ends, 6 plastic ?, 1 plastic bottle, and 1 intact light bulb.
read more
  • Plastic Trash
  • Trash Plastic Micro
  • Crescent Beach
February 4, 2021 - tabeag
Quiet day, picked up lots of trash on Crescent Beach.  Lots of microplastic.
read more
  • Crescent Beach Trash Plastic
  • Crescent Beach Trash

2020

July 9, 2020 - jessejones
read more
  • Large hermit crab with barnacles attached, and a small snail

2018

September 28, 2018 - JDPphotography
On this visit to Crescent Beach, I concentrated on the north section of beach directly beneath Ecola State Park parking lot.There were seven (7) people on the beach when I and my party of three...
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  • Crescent Beach driftwood lodged
  • Broken sea shell Crescent Beach
  • Barnacles on sea stacks
  • Close up of dead jellyfish
  • Dead jellyfish in relation to location on beach
  • Broken fence on side of bluff
  • Feather with insect
  • Sunbathing on Crescent Beach
  • Feather stuck in the sand
  • Dragon in the sand
  • Nathan (heart) Jasmine
  • Cairns and waterfall on Crescent Beach
  • Cairns and rocks on Crescent Beach
  • Crab shell and sea stacks
  • Seashell and bird rocks Crescent Beach
May 30, 2018 - JDPphotography
Crescent Beach, below Ecola State Park and just north of Chapman Point/North Chapman Beach, is pristine, secluded and difficult to access. There were a total of five people on the beach - two...
read more
  • driftwood and crab trap
  • Crescent Beach and sea stacks
  • Driftwood shrine
  • Driftwood campfire remains
  • Washed up in the tide line
  • Two people recreating on Crescent Beach
  • Two people walking barefoot on Crescent Beach
  • Free street parking inland from Crescent Beach
  • Direction signs above Crescent Beach
  • Tree trunk as driftwood

2017

September 24, 2017 - JDPphotography
Original report was saved and published before I added all the images (I'm new to this system, so please forgive). This Dispatch is simply to add all the images I have for this report.
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  • Crescent Beach from Ecola State Park.
  • Tillamook Rock Light.
  • Ecola State Park near parking lot.
  • Giant driftwood on North Chapman Beach.
  • Fire pit on North Chapman Beach.
  • Wide angle view of Chapman Point and Bird Rocks.
  • Rising tide on North Chapman Beach.
  • Wind blown trees capping basalt rock North Chapman Beach.
  • Basalt rock at surf line low tide.
  • Chapman Point from North Chapman Beach.
  • Driftwood at surf line below Chapman Point.
  • Chapman Point water line.
  • Vertical panorama of Chapman Point.
  • Haystack Rock from North Chapman Beach.
  • Dog and Master on the beach at rising tide.
  • Sand eddies from rising tide on North Chapman Beach.
  • Vehicle on the beach with seagull - North Chapman Beach.
  • Sunbather waiting for surfer - North Chapman Beach.
  • Games at the beach - North Chapman Beach.
  • Path to 7th and Ash from Chapman Beach.
  • Path from 7th Street to Chapman Beach, Chapman Point and Bird Rocks
August 27, 2017 - BJOsakoda
It was a nice, clear sunny day. Numerous amount of people walking along the beach with families and pets. Tide was very low today, not many sea stars can be seen in the tidepools. Driftline had quite...
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  • Chapman Point view south to Haystack Rock
  • Chapman Point view north- tree line debris field
  • Chapman Point view NW with shorebirds and juvenile gull
  • unidentified dead bird
  • Unidentified dead bird
  • Chapman Point Healthy sea star 1
  • Chapman Point Healthy sea star 2
  • Chapman Point wrack line mole crab molts
  • Chapman Point wrack line sand dollar remnants
  • Chapman Point Reflections
July 4, 2017 - newton
Crisp morning.  3 people, 1 loose dog.  4 dead birds. The pool between Chapman Point and Crescent Beach is almost filled in with sand and easily passable. 
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2014

October 23, 2014 - Volunteer Trainer
Perfect day for a Marine Debris Surveysummer-like weather between storms, beginning of transect line looking south 
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  • OMDT survey beginning of transect line looking south
  • Chapman Point looking south- Beach Structure
  • wrack line looking to the north of the site
  • cloudy at the beginning of the survey

2010

September 18, 2010 - Beachie47
Weather was drizzly but calm. Few people on beach, two sitters were under a temporary pavillion set up on beach at Chapman Pt., with chairs, as for a wedding. Most notable find was body of dead...
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  • Body badly decomposed, with a number of holes in carcass (gunshot wounds?). I observed it from the south side of the creek on the day before, with gulls feeding on it.
  • Found an area with a number of bones (ribs with cartilage and backbone bits attached. Also some skin. Very old.
March 21, 2010 - Beachie47
Beach was pretty well swept clean of debris by high tides. Most notable was the settlement of baby barnacles on rocks and mussel beds making them appear gray. The erosion of the bank mentioned in the...
read more
  • Erosion at end of Larch Street and Breakers Point Condominiums

2009

November 29, 2009 - Beachie47
Weather was spectacular, so lots of people were taking advantage to walk on beach. Then there were the two idiots who were swimming in deep water on an outgoing tide! The beach itself was swept...
read more
  • Shows clean beach, a few walkers and logs thrown up high on beach.
  • Small rockfall in cove at Chapman Point.
  • Young male found on banks of Ecola Creek, 11/1/09, NOT on our mile, but adjacent to (just south) of mile 315. Was ill with leptospirosis, but drinking fresh water and looking like it had a good chance to survive.
September 18, 2009 - Beachie47
Lots of sea palms washed up because of big surf. Also sea grass.
read more