May 30, 2024

Report Details

I was anxious to visit Mile 200 this week to see if there were tar deposits or any struggling birds due to the reported tar substance washing up on Oregon beaches. I did not see any tar deposits. I did see vehicle tracks in the sand which I suspect were from the beach ranger. This past Monday, I saw the beach ranger (and two other vehicles) combing the beach on Mile 203 for tar deposits. As I walked south from Patterson Creek, the usual twigs, rocks, shells and crab pieces were along the wrack line and I stumbled across an Ochre sea star. I also saw and smelled a very decomposed animal that I suspect was a sea lion. A juvenile bald eagle flew along the beach close to the ocean a few times and eventually landed near the water. There were three abandoned beach fires near the cottages on Big Stump beach. The burnt area from last July's brush fire was harder to reach this time due to the steepness of the sand dune. The north end provided access and I could see the grasses growing nicely. Dried up Velella velella were deposited at the base of the sand dunes. Sand is continuing to build up near the dunes toward the north of the mile providing an easier access to the beach on the paths from 101. I did not see any dead birds and very little trash.