Mile 188 - Neptune SP, Strawberry Hill Picnic Area - 07/24/2024

Report Details

It was a beautiful day at Strawberry Hill. Many people were there, enjoying the mild weather. The sea star population is thriving at both the north and south beaches. The tidepools seem to be doing well. Erosion of the bluffs overlooking the north and south beaches continues, especially in the area near the south end of the parking area. The path from the parking area to the south beach also continues to erode and has become quite dangerous. Some of the sand that washed off the north and south beaches in recent months has been replenished.

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Tide Level: 0.66 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 40. Number of dogs: 5. Walking or running: 30. Sitting: 5. Tidepooling: 5. Other Activities: A few people were hunting for agates -- a popular pastime here.. Some people were climbing on the rocks west of the parking area, possibly disturbing the seals dozing there.

Concerns

People/dogs/vehicles in closure areas

Apparent violations: A few dogs were off-leash..

Notable Wildlife

There were around 10 seals lounging on the rocks west of the parking area. Usually there are more like 30-40 seals here at low tide and calm seas.

Natural Changes

The bluffs overlooking the north and south beaches continue to erode. A large tree has fallen from the bluff about 100 yards north of the parking area (see photo), and more trees will fall soon from the bluffs here and elsewhere. The bluff at the south end of the parking area is badly eroded, threatening to undermine that part of the parking lot. The path from the parking area to the south beach is severely eroded (see photo), posing considerable danger to people trying to reach the south beach. Also, some of the sand that had washed off the north and south beaches (see previous reports) has been replenished, making it easier to walk on the north beach.