Mile 204 Report

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

February 16, 2022

Report Details

Driftwood Beach Wayside remains closed for construction of OSU's PacWave South wave energy project, however the drilling rigs have now been removed from the parking area, as have the sound buffering shipping containers that lined the site. Remaining work includes the construction of an underground vault to join marine and terrestrial cables, general restoration of the area, and improvements to things like the restrooms and access paths. No date has yet been set for reopening.The federal Department of Energy has just awarded a 25 million dollar PacWave related grant to eight entities (4.5 million to Portland State University) to work on developing the offshore technology necessary to harness wave energy for transmission to PacWave's onshore infrastructure. See PSU's link for details:https://tinyurl.com/PSU-PacWaveIt's been two months since I last walked this mile, and although most of the beach was relatively free of debris today, winter storms and tides have washed up and deposited a large amount of micro plastics and small bits of styrofoam against the base of the dunes and sand cliffs, especially north of the wayside. Some of this may be expected during winter, but in the two years I've walked this mile, it's almost always been free of debris. And unfortunately, this isn't stuff you can just clean up with your grabber.

Conditions

Temperature: 52 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 7.5 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 7. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 4. Other Activities: 3 people on electric bicycles.

Notable Wildlife

None, just a few gulls at water's edge

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Multiple driftlines. A lot of micro plastics and bits of styrofoam washed up and deposited against the dunes and sand cliffs, more than I've seen before on this usually very clean beach.

Man-made Modifications

At Driftwood Wayside, work continues on OSU's PacWave South wave energy project, although much of the PacWave drilling and other equipment has been removed, and the parking area looks almost normal by comparison with the past many months. Some work in the parking area remains to be done, and work has begun improving the wayside's restrooms and adjacent paths, with a surveyor working today apparently planning out pathways.

Report Images

Driftwood Wayside parking area

Driftwood Wayside, path to beach

Work on Driftwood Wayside restrooms and pathway

Surveyor at work, planning pathways?

Styrofoam and micro plastic debris

Ecuador squid label, crab bait?

Sand bank cut by Buckley Creek

Sand bank cut by Buckley Creek showing sand layers

Buckley Creek entering beach

Report Images

Jon French

CoastWatcher

All Mile 204 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 56 reports

Mile 204

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

August 9, 2024

Mile 204 isn't my usual mile, so I've waited to walk it again until work resumed on PacWave South's wave energy testing project at Driftwood Beach Wayside. https://pacwaveenergy.

Jon French

Mile 204

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

November 19, 2023

Today marked my latest sighting of the old growth driftwood log that I've admired and whose comings and goings from Driftwood Beach I've documented since June 2020, when I first photographed it high on the beach south of Buckley Creek.

Jon French

Mile 204

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

August 11, 2023

I had read that the 265-foot vessel Seacor Lee would be anchoring a mile off Driftwood Beach in support of OSU's PacWave South wave energy testing project, positioned so that divers from the ship could perform work on previously installed seafloor conduits.

Jon French

Mile 204

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

June 17, 2023

I haven't walked Driftwood Beach regularly since the PacWave South wave energy project completed work underground in the Driftwood parking lot.

Jon French

Mile 204

Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek

January 1, 2023

By the time I got to Driftwood Wayside, a lot of people had already arrived for their New Years Day beach walks, some 30 vehicles in the parking lot and 30 - 40 people down on the beach, accompanied by at least half as many dogs, almost all leashed.

Jon French