January 4, 2014

Temperature: 63 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: 0.0 feet.

Number of people: 7. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 2. Playing in sand: 4. Other Activities: ATVS. Having wanted to walk this Crook's Point beach for sometime, weather, tide and more time than usual allow me a great beach/dune hike to a beautiful and rugged beach, with stunning set of haystacks, beach and sand dunes. There was little wind and temp in low 60's, a fortunate combination. Spend afternoon with several parties, two atvs with metal detectors and dog, young couple with two dogs, and myself. Beach was clean with a few plastic bottles, no dead birds or sea mammals. The bluff side approaching Crook's Pt was well signed as reserve, I believe. Was head back from beach, over the sand dunes and thur stands of beach grass, ok I wandered off the trail a bit. Found my self on bluff/sand dune bank cut by wind and water. I had previous walk into the point by starting at Pistol River State Park. This year, I walked in onshore of south extending estuary body of water fed both Pistol River and the Ocean. there were a large groups of Canada geese and shorebirds at the fairest south portion of this backwater. The tides were will me and so no trouble walking in and now I'm walking out up on the dune bluff. The birds have left the far end of this mini estuary and have headed north to the Pistol River. Across the estuary is sound and movement. What is it? It wanted to know what I was, so it swim across the waters to see me bette, along the way it would dive and disappear, resurfing a bit closer. It is probably a river otter, but so large. I guess the otter is 4 plus feet. This mammal swan most of the way across this little bay. It was growing dark, yet so warm still, this January, it is the banana belt. Anyway, headed on down the dune trail to my car back at Pistol River State Park. it was a great trip. want to come back with minus tides for walk about the point. That trip is coming.

Few gulls, one bird of prey flying over off shore island. No marine mammals but the otter on bay was great fun.

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Small rocks, Wood pieces.

Erosion of vegetated foredune, Major cracks appearing in bluffs, Visible retreat of solid bluff, Landslides/major boulder falls.