Mile 21 Report
Pistol River SP south
May 8, 2020
All was well on Mile 21 in the early morning of 8 May on a very low tide (-1.
Report Details
All was well on Mile 21 in the early morning of 8 May on a very low tide (-1.5). An apparently orphaned Harbor Seal pup was observed on the beach in the cove at the southernmost end of Mile 21. It crawled safely back to the ocean.
Conditions
Temperature: 52 F. Tide Level: -1.9 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 2. Other Activities: Two people bicycle riding on the beach (fat-tire bikes). No vehicles observed
Concerns
Apparent violations: None.
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 1. I saw a Harbor Seal Pup on the beach in the difficult-to-access cove (only at tides lower than -1.5) at the farthest south end of Mile 21, at the north edge of the Crook Point Wildlife Refuge. The pup looked emaciated, but upon seeing me it was able to drag itself across about 100 feet of beach back into the ocean. Photos are attached.
Driftline Content
Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Styrofoam. At the southern-most end of Mile 21, in the "secret cove" just north of the Crook Point Wildlife Refuge, I saw dozens of sea stars (purple and orange), anemones, mussels, and 2 species of barnacles clustered on the rocks exposed by a low, low (-1.5) tide, 4 black oystercatchers, numerous western gulls, several cormorants, and the Harbor Seal pup described above.
Man-made Modifications
No problems seen
Natural Changes
No problems seen
Report Images
PaulSherman
CoastWatcher
All Mile 21 Reports
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
Mile 21 looks about the same as it has for the past 10 years.
Paul Sherman
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
I saw 2 coyotes, 1 grey fox, and 5 brown pelicans, in addition to many western gulls.
PaulSherman
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
No violations or unusual environmental damage noted.
PaulSherman
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
All was well on Mile 21 in the early morning of 8 May on a very low tide (-1.
PaulSherman
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
It was a beautiful sunny, warm windy day.
PaulSherman
Mile 21
Pistol River SP south
The starfish we had seen dead and washed-up near pistol river / ocean coast line had disappeared --probably washed back into sea.
PaulSherman