Mile 34 Report
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
July 20, 2020
We spent a good number of hours watching birds (cormorants, pigeon guillemots, adult and juvenile bald eagles, great blue heron, osprey carrying fish, pelicans moving north, oystercatchers).
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We spent a good number of hours watching birds (cormorants, pigeon guillemots, adult and juvenile bald eagles, great blue heron, osprey carrying fish, pelicans moving north, oystercatchers).There is a large colony of river otters along these rocky little beaches, especially numerous coming out of a small creek which flows out of the Nature Conservancy property. We see many of their tracks of all sizes but this visit did not see the animals as we have in other visits. I am glad the beaches are seldom used so that these otters are left alone.Very impressive numbers of new mussel beds, tegula snails by the million, small starfish, dog periwinkles. The snails in particular had been waning poulations for some years in my own experience, as one who has looked them for my entire life. The olive shells are not back, nor the gooseneck barnacles.Powdery Dudleya is having a great comeback as well. I saw it in big clumps and in many places.There has been a great deal of large rockfall as well as soft bluff slumping. What was once 3 separate little beaches is quickly becoming one.
Conditions
Temperature: 65 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: -1.4 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 3. Walking or running: 3. Other Activities: Just me, my wife and daughter. Very, very few people visit this bit of beach. One has to go through private property from all sides to be here..
Concerns
Climbing bluffs/seastacks, People/dogs/vehicles in closure areas
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. Cormorant or pigeon guillemot
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Wood pieces.
New Development
We don’t see any development here. The adjacent land is largely under a Nature Conservancy conservation easement as is soon to be the north end of the Beach. There is one 300’ wide strip of privately held land where the home is seldom occupied. That home was pulled to safety from the bluff’s edge a few years ago to save it from bluff erosion.
Natural Changes
Landslides/major boulder falls, Major cracks appearing in bluffs, Newly exposed roots/trees falling, Visible retreat of solid bluff. Tremendous sand accumulation this year. Allowed us to access areas we’ve rarely been able to see, while covering up much of our usual rock foraging area At the rock walls which are the north side of Wakeman Beach (the south end of this Coast Watch effort). The usual tidepooling was also curtailed somewhat by sand coverage, but the drama of being so far from the bluff on solid sand was interesting.
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alcyonlord@gmail.com
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All Mile 34 Reports
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
This small beach area is fairly well protected as mentioned except for a privately owned section between conservation easement properties.
alcyonlord@gmail.com
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
Foggy morning hike of mile 34.
tayloreandc
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
We spent a good number of hours watching birds (cormorants, pigeon guillemots, adult and juvenile bald eagles, great blue heron, osprey carrying fish, pelicans moving north, oystercatchers).
alcyonlord@gmail.com
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
Was too rocky for me to walk very far south starting at roughly the halfway point, sand moves out in October and November.
tayloreandc
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
Beautiful sunny morning on Wakeman Beach, with just a slight breeze.
tayloreandc
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
The most notable change has been the movement of sand from the northern half of the beach which occurs each winter.
tayloreandc
Mile 34
Wakeman Beach, Geisel Monument Wayside
Path through old forest south of Winston property is being maintained; recent bramble clipping evident.
lordfamily
