Report Details

There was much more plastic trash this time, than when we went in October.  There was a more defined bluff along part of the beach, indicating sand had been piled up.  There was a lot of driftwood and trash on the top of the bluffs, less on the wet sand beach.  The tide line had lots of small bits of plastic and styrofoam.  I would like to know if I should have taken the full plastic bottle of black oil I found to hazardous waste disposal.  I feel guilty that I didn't think of it, at the time.  I put it in the parking lot dumpster, with the rest of the plastic trash.  We only found about 6 glass bottles (3 were hard liquor bottles I found on the top of the bluff, near a campfire ring--from a local party, most likely).  Everything else was plastic.  The amount and variety of plastic trash is truly dismaying, but it feels very good to pick it all up.  We walked farther than 1 mile, maybe 2 or 3.

Conditions

Temperature: 55 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 7.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 4. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 4. Sitting: 1. Other Activities: we picked up 4 bags of trash. Very little human activity. There were a few dune buggies on the dunes, but they are not allowed on the beach. When we were leaving the parking lot, 2 people with 2 german shepherds on leash were headed for the beach.

Concerns

Litter

Apparent violations: none, no other people were on the beach, except at the very end of our walk.

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 4.

Notable Wildlife

Shore birds (sandpipers, no seagulls today)

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Much plastic trash (we filled 4 bags for the parking lot dumpster). Some bottles had japanese calligraphy on them. I found a full bottle of stinky, thick black oil. I thought it was a water bottle (same size as a plastic water bottle), so I opened it, but didn't spill any of the yucky oil. Should I have taken this bottle to hazardous waste at a recycling center? I didn't. I threw it in the parking lot dumpster, with all the other plastic bottles and trash we picked up.

New Development

none seen

Man-made Modifications

none seen

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune. I am not sure what wave overtopping is, but the short bluff we walked on (tide was coming in fast) had a few spots where one could tell the waves had come up over the top of the little bluff (wet sand on edges of bluff).

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All Mile 143 Reports

Showing 8 of 13 reports

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

December 9, 2021

The only time we saw other people was at the entrance to the beach, by the tsunami number sign.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

November 11, 2021

The day was uneventful, the garbage not as plentiful as other times.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

October 7, 2021

10 people on beach, including 5 birdwatchers, 2 dogs (one of which was off leash), people walking with off leash dog allowed dog to chase gulls and were pushing a flock of sandlerings down the beach in front of them.

mruggiero

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

July 30, 2021

We arrived at Wincheser Bay smack dab in the middle of Dune Fest.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

February 3, 2021

There was much more plastic trash this time, than when we went in October.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

October 23, 2020

The beach was mostly deserted and there were few birds.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

January 26, 2020

The biggest thing I found was the water heater tank.

kmwifish

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 143

South Umpqua Lighthouse SP

October 28, 2019

We saw 5 other humans (2 when we started walking south and 3 when we returned) and one dog, besides we two and our dog.

kmwifish