Mile 189 - Gwynn Cr, Neptune SP / North access, Cummins Cr - September 24, 2016

Report Details

The SOLVE Beach cleaner-uppers were new for me. Sept 24 is the big SOLVE beach clean up in Oregon. There were perhaps a few more people than I am used to. This could be owing to the spectacular weather this day. The humans, except the SOLVE workers, didn't stay long and kept pretty close to Cummins Creek. Human activity did manage to scare the gulls off their preferred loafing grounds at the mouth of Cummins Creek. The tide was falling but still fairly high, so my rocky intertidal observations were limited and even in the higher zone, I didn't spend much time looking. The Porphyra was more obvious than I remember, as was the high abundance of periwinkles on the reef south of Gwynn Creek. The drift line was clean north of Cummins Creek, almost solely consisting of juvenile Emerita molts. South of Cummins Creek the Drift line was dominated by a small filamentous green alga, Emerita molts, and conifer needles. Drift Postelsia, feather boa kelp, and bull kelp were also present. And, lots of sea foam on the reef just south of Gwynn Creek. The base of the stairs at Cummins Creek is eroding. Assuming some heavy surf and high tides this winter, that's going to need repair or replacement before long.

Conditions

Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light.

Human Activities

Number of people: 12. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 12. Other Activities: 5 SOLVE beach cleaners. I was on the mile from 10 am to noon. Approximately 15 people ventured onto the beach. Most stayed near the Cummins Creek stairs to the beach. Five of the 15 were SOLVE beach cleaner-uppers. They weren't getting too much; human litter and debris was sparse. By 11:30 the gulls typically loafing at the mouth of Cummins Creek had moved a few hundred yards north on the beach. I guess human activity near Cummins Creek spooked them. There was nobody on the reef south of Gwynn Creek while I was there. I peered north across Gwynn Creek along Cook's reef and saw no one, as usual. Most people didn't stay long, the 11+ cars I list in the parking areas includes a lot of turn over. There were 3 car's including mine when I arrived at Cummins Creek parking lot and 3 car's including mine when I departed at 1215 pm. At the north parking lot there was one car when I passed by in the morning at about 9:55 am and one car when I passed by at about 12:20 pm.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 11.

Notable Wildlife

I was on the mile from 10 am to noon. Approximately 15 people ventured onto the beach. Most stayed near the Cummins Creek stairs to the beach. Five of the 15 were SOLVE beach cleaner-uppers. They weren't getting too much; human litter and debris was sparse. By 11:30 the gulls typically loafing at the mouth of Cummins Creek had moved a few hundred yards north on the beach. I guess human activity near Cummins Creek spooked them. There was nobody on the reef south of Gwynn Creek while I was there. I peered north across Gwynn Creek along Cook's reef and saw no one, as usual. Most people didn't stay long, the 11+ cars I list in the parking areas includes a lot of turn over. There were 3 car's including mine when I arrived at Cummins Creek parking lot and 3 car's including mine when I departed at 1215 pm. At the north parking lot there was one car when I passed by in the morning at about 9:55 am and one car when I passed by at about 12:20 pm.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. I saw only one dead bird quite far gone. I believe it was a common murre. I forgot to look for a band.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Postelsia was scattered in the drift line south of Cummins Creek (sorry not a fish or invert). Lots of sea foam on the reef south of Gwynn Creek. Sea foam is a product of phytoplankton breakdown (sorry again, not a fish of invert.)

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt). Drift line dominated by a filamentous green alga, juvenile Emerita molts, Postelsia

Natural Changes

Pretty much no change in existing erosion south of Gwynn Creek and south of Cummins Creek. The base of the stairs at the Cummins Creek parking lot are seeing some erosion. That will probably get worse this winter.

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