Mile 116 Report
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
June 1, 2025
The day before, there was a much lower tide and I thought everyone must have come that day, because I was the only one at the start, but more people kept coming as the day wore on.
Report Details
The day before, there was a much lower tide and I thought everyone must have come that day, because I was the only one at the start, but more people kept coming as the day wore on. Most were looking at/in the tidepools, but there were 2 surfers. I don't understand why the surfers prefer to use an alternate, unsanctioned trail to access the beach...maybe because it IS unsanctioned??? There was more wind than usual during my visit. There were gale force warnings and it was extremely windy in town, but the brisk breeze was only felt at the margins of Mile 116. As always, a beautiful place to visit...even if there weren't tidepools. (A young redheaded visitor calls them Tidepuddles and he also calls the chitons Gumbots:)
Conditions
Temperature: 51 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Tide Level: -0.13 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 30. Number of dogs: 1. Tidepooling: 28. Surfing: 11. Other Activities: Some people sat AFTER looking at the tide pools. One fellow I talked to made his way further South than I did, in order to see the birds (eagle and turkey vultures) demolishing a long dead seal.
Notable Wildlife
I found my first six rayed star. I had seen them before, but this was my first find on my own. I did submit a sea star survey. I also found another sea cucumber in it's contracted form. I identified it by looking at one of my old reports! I also saw more red sea urchins. I'm wondering if they are moving into more shallow water. It continues to be gratifying to see the recovery of pisaster ochraseus. The pits or barrows that the urchins make seem less occupied than in past years, which I take to be a very hopeful sign. And the Blood Stars were in evidence. One of them was dead and the sea weed around it had turned the same color as the sar, which makes the picture hard to grok. I asked of the MARINe folks if that is evidence of a defense mechanism, or foul play.
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 1. I did not see the mammal myself. apparently it was long dead being cleaned up by Eagles and Vultures. I did not submit a report to the Network, as I did not observe this myself. It's only hearsay.
Driftline Content
Wood pieces. Over a year ago, I noticed an area deep with woodchips, approximately 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. I believe this is the source of the light wrack line low on the beach. In the upper areas, there are always large drift logs. Trash does accumulate there, but I only pick up what I see when I pass nearby, I do not search for it.
New Development
There are more ropes to aid visitors wanting to descend to the beach. There is a new sign advising of hazardous trail conditions.
Natural Changes
Landslides/major boulder falls.
More ropes are up to aid visitor's access, though I wonder if it's wise to anchhor to a trail support....
I know there is less sand in the summer, but I still believe there is less sand overall in South Cove.
Most people were tidepooling to various degrees of intensity. These folks brought a small cooler and shovels. Note the bleached eel grass in abundance.
It seems every surfer chooses to take this unsanctioned trail. maybe because they don't wish to bonk anyone else with their boards? Or maybe they just can't manage the ropes. IDK
On the North side of the cove, the urchins that moved in during the SSWD are still there, but because some barrows are empty, I believe a re-balancing is occurring.
My first Leptasterias find. I was so tickled to have found it myself. I did submit a sea star report.
This one is hard to interpret visually, but there is a dead, partially upside-down blood star lying on a patch of sea weed that has taken the color of the blood star.
I identified this fellow by perusing my old reports.
It seems to me like I am seeing more red sea urchins and wonder if they are preferring more shallow depths, if so, why? Is it the season or some other reason?
I could not identify this enormous sea weed. My hiking stick is pictured for scale.
There was a slide above that has dried up the cute little waterfall that is ordinarily year round to some extent. For camparison, please see the mile report from 8/6/23.
Report Images
Elaine Cramer
CoastWatcher
All Mile 116 Reports
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
A lone California Sea Lion was surprised by me as I made my way to the Northern most tip of the cove.
Elaine Cramer
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
I visited the cove on my own time, and I was struck by the wrack content. I also investigated what I consider an "unsanctioned" trail, or a "surfer trail".
Elaine
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
I'm sorry, but life events prevented me from completing this report in a timely manner.
Elaine Cramer
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
The day before, there was a much lower tide and I thought everyone must have come that day, because I was the only one at the start, but more people kept coming as the day wore on.
Elaine Cramer
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
Was a beautiful Saturday at the Cove.
Elaine C
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
A minus tide brought many visitors to South Cove, one group being led by Larry, a Oregon Shores board member.
Elaine Cramer
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
Two separate study groups were present, one measuring Gumboot Chitons and the surrounding algae and one studying sea urchins, ones living in pits versus ones not. I saw a couple families bringing their small children to South Cove, and a flock of pelicans.
alaingamerica
Mile 116
Seven Devils cliffs, Cape Arago South Cove
There was a beach hazard statement issued and I wanted to see what impact that would have as we were experiencing the first fine weather after so many weeks of cold rain. I was charmed by a family of six playing on the beach, the children even playing in the water.
Elaine Cramer