Mile 204 Report
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
January 7, 2013
The wind was strong.
Report Details
The wind was strong.... perhaps 30 mph. We walked south to begin our mile, walking from Drift Creek to Bayshore. There were many waterways to ford. The sand was wet from high tide all the way to the bluff. The strong winds were blowing the wet sand at beach level and visibly to the north. On the way back north, I kicked a broken styrofoam boat bumper and it travel north so fast I am sure it was in Newport for dinner time.The new bluff erosion was right where Drift Creek enters the beach. Unfortunately we do not yet have our 2013 tide book. But I know the high tides that evening and the next day were extremely high.All in all, another interesting and enjoyable walk on a very very blustery day.
Conditions
Temperature: 52 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Strong. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 0.0 feet.
Concerns
Notable Wildlife
Only 1 flock of gulls. They were huddled together with their backs to the wind. They were right at the mouth of Drift Creek.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Wood pieces. Many many logs.... some so violently pushed to the shore that they stood straight up and down like a telephone pole.
Man-made Modifications
One absolutely well engineered driftwood lean to shelter. Nestled into a grassy dune, it completely gave respite to the very strong winds.
Natural Changes
Major cracks appearing in bluffs, Visible retreat of solid bluff. These were small landslides.. perhaps from high wave action
All Mile 204 Reports
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
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
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.
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Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
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.
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Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
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
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
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
This was probably the last dependably dry Mile 204 walk before the rains begin in earnest.
Jon French
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
After the morning fog lifted and before the marine layer moved in, I walked from Seal Rock on Mile 205 to Beach Access 66C on Mile 203.
Jon French
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
Driftwood Wayside is open again after PacWave's departure, but I was the only visitor on this breezy, drizzly day.
Jon French