Mile 171 Report
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
May 28, 2018
Lots of holiday visitors out on windy Heceta Beach today.
Report Details
Lots of holiday visitors out on windy Heceta Beach today. Parking lots at both ends of Mile 171 were nearly full to capacity. The early summertime bloom of phyto- and zooplanktons is very apparent today, especially from an elevation off the beach. The near-shore 1/4 mile of ocean has a tan green-ish tint with a sharp transition to the normal ocean blue outside a 1/4 mile off-shore. The wet beach has multiple high wave lines of that scummy olive-drab froth of beached plankton. The high water line along the entire mile is also covered with a gazillion beached 2-3" diameter clear Moon jellies (Aurelia labiate) with an occasional Pacific Sea Nettle jelly (Chrysaora fusecescens) mixed in. And just to make the beach walk interesting, the wind and wave patterns were generating multiple "sneaker" waves that sent me and other tourists quick-stepping towards higher ground on occasion.
Conditions
Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: NW.
Human Activities
Number of people: 46. Number of dogs: 9. Walking or running: 15. Playing in surf: 3. Playing in sand: 10. Sitting: 6. Fishing: 2.
Vehicles
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Gazillions of 2-3" diameter Moon jellies (Aurelia labiate) washed up along the entire mile today
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt).
All Mile 171 Reports
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Nice morning to exercise the dog on Heceta Beach.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Stunningly beautiful sunny morning for a beach stroll.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Huge stranding of brownish-red "Pacific Sea Nettle" (Chrysaora fuscescens) and Moon (Aurelia labiata) jellies all along Mile 171 and Mile 172 today.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Nice sunny afternoon for a stroll on Heceta Beach.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Whimbrels and sanderlings were feeding in the surf wash zone.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
A nice morning walk today in the sunshine to practice my social distancing skills.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Another nice Saturday afternoon for a stroll on Heceta Beach!
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
A nice quiet wind-free afternoon to stroll Heceta Beach after the summer crowds have dispersed.
oldMGguy