Mile 197 - San Marine, Tillicum Beach, Tillicum Beach CG - 11/22/2025

Report Details

Great day to escape the Valley fog! It was my first visit to this stretch of beach. Started the survey about an hour before high tide. Good beach access from the N steps at Tillicum CG. Boulders have been placed along the bluffs on either side of the steps to help control erosion. This boulder stabilization is used along the CG boundary as well as along some private property as you walk south. I found 5 dead birds, 2 appeared to be gulls, not sure of the other 3. Further south a dead juvenile Steller sea lion had been washed up with the tide. It was in good condition with just the skull exposed (submitted to OSU marine mammal stranding network and received positive species ID). Bluff collapse has brought down shrubs and trees. All along this stretch much of the bluff has been cut away and vegetation is hanging over the edge. I saw a few gulls and crows and 2 people were walking their dogs.

Conditions

Temperature: 43 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 7.5 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 2. Number of dogs: 3.

Notable Wildlife

5 gulls, 4 crows

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 5. 2- gulls (maybe 1st winter California Gulls? photo attached) 3 - too far gone to identify

Stranded Marine Mammals

Juvenile Steller sea lion. Good condition other than skull is visible.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

portion of a dead jellyfish

Driftline Content

2 plastic iced tea bottles, 2 shotgun wads, concrete, fishing rope

Man-made Modifications

Numerous areas where boulders have been placed to stabilize eroding cliffs. Not sure if any are new. Appears that a new set of steps are leading down to beach from Deane's Oceanfront Lodge. New heavy equipment work appears to be building access down to beach from NW Colorado St, using large gravel/rock. Photos attached.

Natural Changes

Cliffs are eroding causing man-made objects to fall onto beach. Photos include a fence that is hanging off a cliff and will eventually completely fall onto beach. Most of the cliffs along this mile of coast where boulders haven't been placed are eroding, causing vegetation (trees, shrubs, ground cover) to dislodge and fall onto the beach.