September 8, 2007

Report Details

Business pretty much as usual along this stretch of Nye Beach, though people seem to be doing more sitting, sunning and swimming this year, perhaps due to the frequent failure of the customary strong north winds of summer.Sewage contamination continues to be a problem, particularly considering that this is summer, not winter. Beach advisories were issued for 6/12-6/13, 9/6-9/7, and 9/12-9/14. A raw sewage spill estimated to be between 80,000 and 100,000 gallons occurred on 9/3, but the contamination notice wasn't issued until 9/6, perhaps related to the schedule of water sampling. This is troubling.

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: 5.8 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 149. Number of dogs: 15. Walking or running: 49. Playing in surf: 11. Playing in sand: 38. Sitting: 25. Photography: 1. Tidepooling: 7. Other Activities: 25.

Concerns

Fire

Apparent violations: Unattended fire burning in driftwood.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 45.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 3. Common murre

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt).

Actions & Comments

2 July 2007: Numerous cellophane worm (Spiochaetopterus costarum) tubes washed up on beach, along with mole (Emerita analoga) and dungeness (Cancer magister) crab molts. Fife dead ochre stars (Pisaster ochraceus) on beach (this is very unusual).4 July 2007: Pelagic goose barnacles (Lepas anatifera)attached to seersucker kelp (Costaria costata)12 July 2007: Lots of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana)and surfgrass (Phyllospadix sp.) washed up, plus some sea palm (Postelsia palmaeformis) and feather boa kelp (Egregia menziesii).20 July 2007: One dead adult and 4 dead immature common murre (Uria aalge).Also bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana).22 July 2007: Numerous sea nettle jellies (Chrysaora fuscescens)--roughly one every 10 linear meters of swash line--washed up on beach.17 August 2007: A minor migratory flight of variegated meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum corruptum) occurred along the beach.19 August 2007: Another minor flight of S. corruptum along the beach. A fair amount of tubeweed (Enteromorpha sp.) washed up, plus 8 sea nettles (Chryaora fuscescens).2 September 2007: A boy pulled 3 ochre seastars (Pisaster ochraceus) off the rocks by the Nye Beach turnaround and carried them up the beach, no doubt to die.5 September 2007: 24 sea nettle jellies (Chrysaora fuscescens) stranded on beach.Sewage contamination continues to be a problem, particularly considering that this is summer, not winter. Beach advisories were issued for 6/12-6/13, 9/6-9/7, and 9/12-9/14. A raw sewage spill estimated to be between 80,000 and 100,000 gallons occurred on 9/3, but the contamination notice wasn't issued until 9/6, perhaps related to the schedule of water sampling. This is troubling.