Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
March 7, 2024
Mile 202 beach accesses and exits are now restricted because of erosion and sheering off of the sand cliffs along its northern portion, so I now need to plan for a receding tide if I want to walk the entire mile safely.
Report Details
Mile 202 beach accesses and exits are now restricted because of erosion and sheering off of the sand cliffs along its northern portion, so I now need to plan for a receding tide if I want to walk the entire mile safely. I didn't find any beached birds today, but I was struck by how many dead Dungeness Crabs I encountered, not molts but partial and entire bodies. As YachatsNews recently reported, "Oregon now has a 'hypoxia season,' much like the wildfire season, that takes place in late summer. When oxygen levels get low enough, crabs and other marine organisms that cannot move away rapidly enough, die of oxygen starvation." Much like our wildfire season has expanded due to climate change, perhaps our "hypoxia season" is similarly expanding, resulting in these March deaths.
Conditions
Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 6.5 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 3. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 3.
Notable Wildlife
Western Snowy Plovers (a dozen seen, probably more here), a hundred gulls, the first Turkey Vulture of the year.
Stranded Marine Mammals
No marine mammals seen but a dead sheep observed on Mile 203's beach at access 66C the day before, see photo, which I reported to Jim Rice at the Stranded Marine Mammal Network. He said it was his first sheep.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Unusual concentration. An unusual number of dead Dungeness Crabs, not molts but entire and partial bodies. See summary and photos.
Driftline Content
Very little wrack line
Man-made Modifications
Dune modification/removal. As usual in the winter, a Bobcat was dumping sand over the dunes, sand which has accumulated around the houses west of Oceania Drive in the southern "sand district" of Mile 202.
Natural Changes
Erosion of vegetated foredune.
Report Images
Jon French
CoastWatcher
All Mile 202 Reports
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Today was the first windless day in awhile, shirtsleeve weather with a calm sea and a distinct marine layer offshore.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Bayshore's HOA recently spent $2,500 for permits and bulldozing a path down to the beach behind the Bayshore clubhouse, a designated public access, smoothing out the drop-off resulting from winter erosion and restoring access for beach goers and our State Parks ranger's ATV.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Mile 202 beach accesses and exits are now restricted because of erosion and sheering off of the sand cliffs along its northern portion, so I now need to plan for a receding tide if I want to walk the entire mile safely.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
A beautifully calm, sunny day, maybe the last for awhile, with a fifteen mile view from Seal Rock to Cape Perpetua and hardly anyone on the beach except for two surf fishers and a couple valiantly trying to launch a kite with no wind.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
As I began yesterday's mile walk and monthly COASST beached bird survey, a light rain began to fall, the first in months.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
As I have done before, I combined today's walk with my monthly COASST survey for dead seabirds.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
The beach was fairly cool today after 99 degrees two days ago.
Jon French