Mile 204 Report
Driftwood Beach Wayside, Buckley Creek
March 23, 2011
This was a gorgeous walk on an early spring morning.
Report Details
This was a gorgeous walk on an early spring morning. The sun came in and out of the clouds and the wind was minimal. The beach was wide, flat, and extremely clean. Notably devoid of logs, kelp, etc.One of the reasons we wanted to walk our mile was to determine if the tsumani wave had done any damage. If anything, the high water cleaned the beach.It was a beautiful day!
Conditions
Temperature: 49 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: -0.8 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 19. Number of dogs: 9. Walking or running: 16. Fishing: 1. Lots of groups of families with their dogs just enjoying this pleasant, partly sunny morning on the wide wide clean beach.
Notable Wildlife
The beach was almost devoid of animals. A few seagulls in one area. no other wild animals noted.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. no id on this cormorant
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
None
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam, Wood pieces.
Man-made Modifications
a new gate on one private stairway
Natural Changes
none
Janets
CoastWatcher
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.
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