Mile 204 Report
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.
Report Details
I haven't walked Driftwood Beach regularly since the PacWave South wave energy project completed work underground in the Driftwood parking lot. Despite this being a beautiful Saturday, the huge parking lot was almost empty, as was the beach itself except for a few dog walkers, a family complete with a tent, and a pair of walkers with backpacks and staffs looking like they might be hiking the Oregon Coast Trail. My usual turnarounds, Fox Creek and Buckley Creek, are both running low with the dry weather, and the low, rolling summer dunes have begun to form. The most striking sight today was north of the beach access where a homeowner atop the hillside apparently has not only removed vegetation to improve his view but has cut away part of the hillside as well. I took a photo with GSP coordinates and sent it to our local State Parks beach ranger, however it's unclear whether the vegetation and hillside removal is west of the Statutory Vegetation Line at this location and therefore subject to State Parks' jurisdiction.
Conditions
Temperature: 58 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 4.5 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 12. Number of dogs: 6. Walking or running: 8. Playing in sand: 1. Sitting: 2. Photography: 1.
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 5.
Notable Wildlife
No birds seen except an Osprey flying north over the ocean. Two roped nest enclosures for Western Snowy Plovers were seen in the distance on Mile 205.
Driftline Content
Small rocks.
New Development
The PacWave South wave energy project has begun constructing its Utility Connecting And Monitoring Facility east of Highway 101.
Man-made Modifications
At a property just north of the Driftwood Wayside beach access, a homeowner has apparently removed vegetation to increase his view and appears to have cut away part of the hillside as well.
Actions & Comments
I photographed the above vegetation and hillside removal and sent the information to our local State Parks beach ranger.
Report Images
Jon French
CoastWatcher
All Mile 204 Reports
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.
Jon French
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.
Jon French
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
Mile 204
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
The PacWave South wave energy project hosted a BBQ today at Driftwood Wayside for staff and neighbors to celebrate the completion of construction work here and the reopening of the Wayside later this month.
Jon French