Mile 247 Report
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
July 23, 2024
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (GraySea, Jake, Nancy, Laurie and Bill) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe. The survey team accessed the south side of the 'keyhole' area in the rocky intertidal habitat (southernmost portion of Mile 247) and conducted a 15 minute timed count of ochre sea stars to submit to the MARINe program.
Report Details
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (GraySea, Jake, Nancy, Laurie and Bill) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe. The group walked around the north point of the spit to the ocean side and walked down the beach mile, noting debris to pick up on the way back. The survey team accessed the south side of the 'keyhole' area in the rocky intertidal habitat (southernmost portion of Mile 247) and conducted a 15 minute timed count of ochre sea stars to submit to the MARINe program. All observed ochre stars appeared healthy with no evidence of sea star wasting disease. The team noted many invertebrates (listed below) in the rocky habitat and documented them with photos. On the walk back north the survey team removed debris from the beach (see photo) and returned to the estuary side of the sand spit through the dune grass area.
Conditions
Temperature: 62 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: -1.45 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 16. Walking or running: 16. Sitting: 16. Tidepooling: 5. Kayaking: 5. Other Activities: There was a group of Camp Westwind attendees with counselors enjoying the beach.. N/A
Concerns
Apparent violations: N/A.
Notable Wildlife
Noteable (live) mammals: (N/A) Notable (live) birds: N/A Notable invertebrates: One A combined total of 480 healthy ochre sea stars were observed (during a 15-minute timed count) in the two sea star monitoring areas in the rocky intertidal habitat at the south end of the sand spit. Two small crabs (possibly flat porcelain crabs or Oregon shore crabs: see photo) were also observed in the northernmost sea star monitoring area. Notable invertebrates in numbers to great to quantify: California mussels, mossy chitons, limpets, northern striped dogwinkle snails, purple encrusting sponge, yellow green sponge, thatched barnacles, sharp acorn barnacles, gooseneck barnacles, encrusting tunicates and giant green anemones. Survey participants also observed several small clusters of what appeared to be eggs (see photo) attached to rocks in the intertidal area.
Beached Birds
N/A
Stranded Marine Mammals
N/A
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
N/A
Driftline Content
A MDMAP survey was not conducted at the time of this CoastWatch survey due to a lack of debris in Mile 247's Marine Debris Site.
New Development
N/A
Man-made Modifications
N/A
Natural Changes
N/A
Debris removed from Mile 247
Composite photo of northern striped dogwinkle snail in the sand
Sea star monitoring site (south): 266 healthy ochre stars observed in 15 minute timed count
Sea star monitoring site (north): 214 healthy ochre stars observed in 15 minute timed count
composite photo of driftline content
survey participants entering rocky habitat
Report Images
Sitka Team and Community Members
CoastWatcher
All Mile 247 Reports
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and residency program participants (Jake, Nancy, Sharita and GraySea) accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit by crossing the Salmon River Estuary via kayak and paddleboard.
Sitka Center
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (GraySea, Jake, Nancy, Laurie and Bill) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe. The survey team accessed the south side of the 'keyhole' area in the rocky intertidal habitat (southernmost portion of Mile 247) and conducted a 15 minute timed count of ochre sea stars to submit to the MARINe program.
Sitka Team and Community Members
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (Chris, Nancy, Lilly and Melissa) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe.
Sitka Center Team and Community Members
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Trash and dead seal
Joan Mahler
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of two Sitka Center team members, Jake and Nancy, accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit by crossing the Salmon River Estuary via kayak and paddleboard. During this survey, the survey team was able to access the inner area of the rocky habitat and do a 15 minute timed sea star count in the two sea star monitoring sites. As the survey team walked back north noteable debris included a large tangle of ships rope, noteable wrack line content included a high concentration of giant mole crab casings/moults and small pieces of hard plastics.
Nancy Newman
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Survey participants accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River spit via kayaking/paddle boarding across the Salmon River Estuary.
Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Sitka Center team member Nancy and Sitka Center artists in residence Evan, Rose, Katrina, Tim, Maria and M accessed the site via kayak.
Nancy Newman
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Sitka Team members and Sitka Center artists in residence accessed Mile 247 via kayak, walked south taking observations of the beach mile and met Camp Westwind Team members near Mile 247's rocky habitat.
Nancy Newman