Mile 202 - North Spit Alsea River - January 19, 2021 | Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition

Report Details

A sunny but somber morning on Mile 202, the ocean fairly calm after last week's storms, King Tides, and beach hazard warnings. Last Friday afternoon, a local resident, Toni Goessman, age 60, didn't return home from walking her two boxer dogs on the beach, and when one of her dogs returned home soaking wet, her husband reported her missing. That night her body was found by Search and Rescue in the surf at the mouth of Alsea Bay. Her other dog wasn't found. I didn't know Ms. Goessman, but I had noticed her in the past on Mile 202, walking with her boxers along the waters edge like the people are doing in the attached photos. As one of the reports of Ms. Goessman's death stated, "Large 'sneaker waves' are common along Oregon beaches. The closer walkers get to the water, the greater the danger."

Conditions

Temperature: 45 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Tide Level: 3.5 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 10. Number of dogs: 5. Walking or running: 10.

Notable Wildlife

Approximately 18 wintering Western Snowy Plovers, mid portion of Mile 202

Driftline Content

Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Styrofoam. Animal casings were three Big Skate egg casings. Area near Alsea Bay was covered with driftwood and debris, more from Alsea River than ocean. On Waldport Facebook page, a man had reported that his dock floated away and that he was trying to locate it before the styrofoam on it broke up. Judging by the many small styrofoam bits among the debris near the bay, he didn't find his dock in time.

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune, Visible retreat of solid bluff. The recent storms have cut into portions of the dunes. Today, like last year at this time, a Bobcat was scooping up sand from around the houses on Oceania Drive and dumping it over the edge of the dunes.

Report Images

Man walking his dogs at waters edge--note the driftline

Couple walking at waters edge--note no attention to the surf

Driftwood debris, north shore of Alsea Bay

Driftwood debris and flip-flop sandal

Home at edge of Alsea Bay

Bobcat dumping sand onto dunes

Crabbing boat working close to shore

Report Images

Jon French

CoastWatcher

All Mile 202 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 62 reports

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

July 16, 2024

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

May 6, 2024

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

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.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

January 28, 2024

After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

October 30, 2023

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