Mile 200 - Big Stump Beach, south Patterson SP - 05/20/2025

Report Details

Crossing Patterson Creek was easy this morning. Turkey Vultures surrounded a carcass beside the creek. Many people were walking and running on the beach – over 15 people and 4 unleashed dogs. As I walked south, the wrack line contained many velella velella, some feathers, sticks, small branches, some trash and seaweed. I also saw a large moon jelly. I turned around at the Big Stump to walk north by the houses and dunes. There were 2 large fire pit areas – one near Cape Cod Cottages and one near the Inn at Sandcastle Beach. Trash consisted of mainly processed wood pieces, some rope and styrofoam. A wooden bench was placed in the dunes near the path to 101 at SW Breakers Drive. The burnt area from the wildfire in July 2023 has vegetation growing nicely – salal, ferns, big-head sedge, vetch and grasses. Sand is still being built up by the dunes. There is no new graffiti on the sandstone cliffs. In fact, the old graffiti is starting to fade. I was fortunate to see a variety of birds – crows, swallows, towhees, vultures and two juvenile eagles. And, no dead birds.

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 3.81 feet.

Activities

Number of people: 17. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 17.

Notable Wildlife

Crows (5) Swallows (3) Towhees (2) Vultures (10) Eagles (2)

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

velella velella

Wrackline Content

feathers

Natural Changes

Evidence of wave overtopping.

Report Images

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vultures with carcass by Patterson Creek

Wrack Line

Velella velella

Big Stump Looking North East

Fire pit areas

Sandstone Cliffs

Trash

Wildfire area (from July 2023) recovering vegetation

Spotted Towhee

Wooden Bench in Dunes - GPS 44.405922, -124.085511

Report Images

Karen Funk

CoastWatcher

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