Mile 109 - Whisky Run, Fivemile Pt, south end Merchants Beach - June 18, 2010

Report Details

Light human use on a warm June morning (10 people walking, doing photography, and collecting mussels, 4 dogs). Moderate legal vehicular use. Normal Summer sand returning -- would be easy to get around Fivemile Point at 0.0 low tide on a fat-tired bike. At least 10 seals on offshore rocks, many cormorants, turkey vultures, the regular gulls, Northwestern Garter snake under willow at base of cliff, lots of beach hoppers under seaweed piles, the regular Isopods on rocks. Seasonal blossoms by the expected plants: Beach pea Lathyrus japonicus, Pacific Silverweed Argentina egedii, Yellow sand verbena Abronia latifolia, Monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus, Sea Watch Angelica hendersonii, Brass buttons Cotula coronopifolia, Wild cucumber Marah oreganus, Cow parsnip Heracleum lanatum, and many more.

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: -0.2 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 10. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 8. Photography: 1. Other Activities: Mussel collection. Moderate [legal] vehicular use.

Concerns

Fire, Litter, Shellfish or invertebrate collection

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 2. Cars/trucks on beach, allowed: 6.

Notable Wildlife

At least 10 seals on offshore rocks, many cormorants, turkey vultures, the regular gulls, Northwestern Garter snake [see photo] under willow at base of cliff, lots of Pale beach hoppers in burrows under seaweed piles, the regular Isopods on rocks.

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.

New Development

Bluff development.