Mile 194 - Yachats, Adobe Inn, Smelt Sands Wayside - August 3, 2022

Report Details

My Coastwatch began with a flyover by six brown pelicans just above the surf at the southern border of Mile 194! A warm, calm day. Enjoyed observing the usual tidepool animals as listed above. Also interesting to note was what I thought was a chiton and it's track in the sand in a shallow tidepool [see photo]. Some concave depressions in the rocks above the tide line showed crystallization [of perhaps salt] and a significant amount of vegetation on the rocks was bleach white. No abherrant human behavior with the highest poplulation of people on the 804 trail in front of the hotels on the north end of Mile 194. Two unattended small dogs [dachsunds ?], without tags, were observed at the midpoint of Mile 194, but I was unable to reach them before they ran off. They looked to be in good health. One dead seabird floating upside down in a tidepool at the Agency Creek drainage 44°19'07.4"N 124°06'30.6"W [see photo]. There is also a sign posted, "BIRDS ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT," at the boundary between the south end of Smelt Sands State Park and the north border of the Adobe.

Conditions

Temperature: 63 F. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 0.8 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 55. Number of dogs: 6. Walking or running: 31. Playing in sand: 6. Sitting: 6. Photography: 3. Tidepooling: 4. Other Activities: One person was operating a ham radio on the picnic table at Smelt Sands State park..

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 8.

Notable Wildlife

Brown pelicans [6], pelagic cormorants [15], oyster catchers [2], killdeer [1], ochre sea stars, giant green anenomes, chiton - Black Katy? [1], snails [Northern Striped Dogwinkle], limpets [Keyhole], striped shore crabs, gulls

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. No bands detected, floating upside down in tidepool at Agency Creek drainage [44°19'07.4"N 124°06'30.6"W] - see photo

Stranded Marine Mammals

n/a

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). One small bite of marine rope [about 10"long'