March 23, 2013

Report Details

This dispatch is a follow up to my most recent mile report. I reported what I thought might be tsunami debris/invasive species attached to woody debris.I received a response from Chris Havel and from Ryan Parker (both of State Parks) on March 19. Ryan Parker is the beach ranger whose range includes CoastWatch mile 224. Here's Ranger Parker's response: "I patrolled the stretch of beach from Devils Punch Bowl Stairs to Moolack Motel this morning and was unable to find this item pictured in your photo. However the good news is the barnacles pictured are open-ocean pelagic barnacles called Goosenecks. They are found in all regions of the open Pacific and pose no threat to the local environment. They are commonly found on derelict boats, woody items like lumber and driftwood and Styrofoam/plastic marine debris. There has been an increase over the past four months or so in driftwood with such organisms attached, and usually in small quantities. The seagulls and ravens will eat them all off the log pictured in a number of days. These barnacles cannot survive above the water column and will soon die. My apologies for the slow reply, I did receive the message and until the overnight tide that stretch of beach north of Spencer Creek had been blocked by lack of sand accumulation. I was out there at the great 0.8 low tide this morning, Saturday March 16th at 10 a.m. From the stairs to Spencer Creek I found perhaps 11 logs and dimensional lumber with remnants of pelagic Goosenecks on them, 95% had been eaten or rubbed off from tidal forces. OPRD and ODFW field staff very much appreciate your report and advocacy and concern for the ocean shore." For more information on Goosenecks- click below:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepas_anatiferahttp://www.flickr.com/photos... It's a very complete response and I appreciate his taking the time to (1) check out my report; (2) write such a detailed response.For anyone who read my report, if you were like me and didn't know the status (invasive or local) of the photographed barnacles (I thought they were a kind of clam), now you and I know they're pelagic and from this area.