Mile 188 - Neptune SP, Strawberry Hill Picnic Area - November 30, 2021

Report Details

A few people and dogs were walking on the beach, enjoying the beautiful day. Some may have been fishing. There is graffiti at some places on the bluffs and a driftwood shelter on the south beach. Approximately 50 seals were lounging on rocks offshore. There were some gulls, cormorants, a few ducks, anemones, hermit crabs, and many mussels as well. The bluffs overlooking the north and south beaches are badly eroded in many places and may undermine the parking area and highway 101 in the coming years. The lower bluff below the parking area is badly eroded as well.

Conditions

Temperature: 54 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 1.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 10. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 10. Tidepooling: 5. Fishing: 3. A man and two young boys on north Strawberry Beach seemed to have fishing poles and may have been fishing. Strawberry Hill parking area accommodates only 5-6 vehicles at a time and access to the north and south beaches is difficult, limiting the number of visitors. Parking area is just north of highway 101 mile marker 170. It has two picnic tables but no restrooms and no AT&T mobile phone reception.

Concerns

Climbing bluffs/seastacks

Apparent violations: Graffiti on bluffs may or may not be recent. A driftwood shelter has been built on the beach south of Strawberry Hill wayside. A bag of garbage was scattered in the parking lot..

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 5.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Unknown type of gull, badly decomposed, on north Strawberry Beach.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.). There were about 50 seals resting on the rock island just offshore, and many gulls, cormorants, and a few ducks. Tidepools were clear and had many large mussels, green and scarlet anemones, many hermit crabs, small fish, and a possible abalone. There were no sea stars, possibly due to problems noted in previous reports. There were many acorn and goose barnacles and a few snails and scallops on rocks near the water, but no crabs on the rocks or sand. There was a large green algae bloom on the north beach. There was a very small amount of plastic debris on beaches. At least one visitor was collecting plastic debris for removal. Very large numbers of mussel shells and a few crab casings on south Strawberry Beach. None on north beach.

New Development

There is a great deal of erosion on the bluff below the stairs at Strawberry Hill Wayside, due mainly to visitor traffic. See photo showing deep rut leading to south beach.

Natural Changes

Landslides/major boulder falls, Newly exposed roots/trees falling, Visible retreat of solid bluff. There has been considerable erosion of bluffs on the north and south parts of Strawberry Beach. Many trees are falling or have fallen from bluffs. Most of this is probably due to waves at high tide and streams/springs in bluffs, but graffiti in several places suggests some is from human activity. Several small landslides and rockfalls are evident on both beaches.

Actions & Comments

Bluff erosion seems to be a serious problem at Mile 188. It is within 5-10 yards of undermining the Strawberry Hill parking area (on the south side) and within 10-15 yards of undermining highway 101 in a few places. The northern part of Mile 188 (above Nancy Creek) is inaccessible due to steep, slippery rocks and cliffs directly above the ocean. The north Strawberry Beach area is very rocky but has few tidepools, making it a bit dangerous and less interesting to visitors, who mainly go to the south beach.