Mile 172 Report
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
January 5, 2024
Another glorious sunny winter day at Heceta Beach! The recent high tides have washed away most of the summer dunes that accumulate on the high beach in front of the vegetation zone. Just another day in paradise!
Report Details
Another glorious sunny winter day at Heceta Beach! Louie the Lab and I hiked from the Driftwood Shores Resort north to Sutton Creek and back right at low tide due to high surf and sneaker wave warnings. Even so, we still had to head for higher ground on occasion to avoid higher than usual wave run-up. Lots of sea foam, river-sourced small woody debris (pine needles, grass, etc), some micro-plastic residue in the wrack line. Otherwise, very little human litter observed on the beach. The Sutton Creek outflow has moved south several hundred yards to the rip-rap reinforced north end of the oceanside housing development. The recent high tides have washed away most of the summer dunes that accumulate on the high beach in front of the vegetation zone. Lots of Cat's Eye Comb Jellies (Pleurobrachia bachei) washed ashore along the mile, as well as white rice grain-sized egg clusters, often clumped like grapes. Just another day in paradise!
Conditions
Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light.
Human Activities
Number of people: 20. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 19.
Driftline Content
Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea).
Report Images
Dick Mason
CoastWatcher
All Mile 172 Reports
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Another glorious sunny winter day at Heceta Beach! The recent high tides have washed away most of the summer dunes that accumulate on the high beach in front of the vegetation zone. Just another day in paradise!
Dick Mason
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Lots of wood debris stacked up on the beach from past high tide and storms.
Lyndell Wilken
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Louie the Lab and I chased his Chuck-It ball from Driftwood Shores north to Sutton Creek and back today.
oldMGguy
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Nice sunny day for flinging the "Chuck-It" ball into the surf for the dog.
oldMGguy
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
There were two dead sea lions in a 1 mile stretch between Driftwood Shores and the north jetty.
Lyndell
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
A 60-degree weather report brought out lots of people on the beach.
MooreC
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Jelleyfish for a quarter mile.
Lyndell
Mile 172
Heceta Beach North, Driftwood Shores
Took the missus out for a trial walk with her new walking sticks, initially heading north into the wind from Driftwood Shores Resort up to Sutton Creek and return with a nice tailwind.
oldMGguy