Mile 220 - Yaquina Head north, Schooner Creek south - October 15, 2016

Report Details

Exhilarating time on the beach. There was enough beach to walk safely from the access near my house to NW 68th street, but storm surge made it not possible or too risk to try to get around the little "point" to the north of NW 68th street access (& Schooner Creek, I believe). I was surprised to see as many birds as I did, 7-8 black oystercatchers--the most I've seen since February, surf scoters (I think) and gulls. Erosion of exposed bluffs (unvegetated) continues. One photo is of drainage pipes in cliff- bluff has eroded to expose what must be 4-5' of pipe (looking towards the NW 68th St. access).

Conditions

Temperature: 54 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Strong. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 2.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 6. Walking or running: 6. Most people looking at surf or clambering around on rocks (this is rock exposed on the beach, not out in the water) given that there was supposed to be a huge storm today and there was a lot of surf and some storm surge.

Notable Wildlife

Saw gulls, black oystercatchers, surf scoters, despite the storm surge, etc.

Driftline Content

No driftline visible because of very high tide and storm surge

Natural Changes

Major cracks appearing in bluffs, Visible retreat of solid bluff. Steady erosion, small rock falls.

Actions & Comments

No action to take. A lot of damage was done by a failed development south of NW 68th Street, years ago (1990s), area was clearcut, etc.(the usual here in "green" Oregon), then when the land started to shift, etc., was abandoned. There's also considerable movement along faults, etc., between the RV "resort" on the west side of the highway & NW 60th, and erosion of bluffs in that area.