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This "hotspot" for international windsurfing competition in the summertime,the Pistol River Wave Bash is nearly abandoned now and there was no one else to see the sunset from there tonight ... except Snazzy dog. There were plenty of footprints, showing and interest in the decade old two-story driftwood condo that is half gone from Pistol River mouth moving northward, cutting away all of the beach from the west side of Henry Rock and traveling as far north as Windsurfer Rock where the judges and spectators gather to watch the competition, further north than it has been in the lifetime of local residents, it is said. I have seen a photo in an old photobook showing Pistol River mouth coming around the north end of Henry Rock from the east side, but it didn't go as far north as it has lately.It is prevented from returning to that course by a buildup of dunes, secured by sandgrass, against the north end of "The Rock."Right now the appearance is of major change, but by the next windsurfing competition, it may look fairly normalized. Right now there is a sheer cliff of sand where the river cut away and invited in the ocean.A great amount of driftwood has been deposited to the north of Windsurfer Rock, probably mostly from the first batch brought in by the storm just after Thanksgiving, and by the second one just before New Years and the last one that climaxed on Wednesday, January 18, with more than 8", and by the time it stopped had dumped more than 18" here.The driftline today had only woody matter.The motivation for filing this report is something that I had never seen or heard of before, a bird apparently died because it could neither swallow nor eject the spiny rockfish that it had caught.See the posted photo and remark on it, please.Thanks.Mureen

Human Activities

Number of dogs: 1. Photography: 1. Lots of footprints of day use, showed interest in the two-story driftwood condos that have been there for ten years and now are half washed away since the river mouth moved along side of Henry Rock and north of it to Windsurfers rock where people gather to watch the annual "Pistol River Wave Bash."

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 1.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Bird apparently died because of fish that it was unable to either swallow or eject. Fish appears to me to be a rockrish of about ten inches with spiny fins that might have caught in inside the bill.

Driftline Content

Wood pieces.

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune. Decade-old 2-story Driftwood Condo half gone, due to mouth of Pistol River moving all the way past Henry Rock, north to Windsurfer Rock, the furthest north that anybody can recall.

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All Mile 22 Reports

Showing 6 of 6 reports

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

March 4, 2024

I observed an unusual piece of large iron debris on the beach next to "wind surfers" rock. Update March 8: Jake responded that he and another ranger are working with NOAA to try to figure out who is belongs to and then a plan for removal.

Shari Botermans

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

April 12, 2021

Flock of Buffleheads on the river.

Lavenne22

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

April 9, 2021

Overall clean, windswept beach with lots of massive driftwood and notable dune erosion.

Lavenne22

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

April 15, 2016

The information and photo are from John Chapman at HMSC.

Volunteer Trainer

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

January 28, 2012

This "hotspot" for international windsurfing competition in the summertime,the Pistol River Wave Bash is nearly abandoned now and there was no one else to see the sunset from there tonight .

Muriah

decorative elemnt for a coastwatch report.

Mile 22

Pistol River SP central

August 12, 2008

The Pistol River remains closed from the ocean.

KenBax