Mile 247 Report
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
March 24, 2023
During this CoastWatch survey, Sitka Center Team Member Nancy and current Sitka Resident Zeyn also conducted a NOAA Marine Debris Survey as well as removal of debris from areas of the beach beyond the Marine Debris Survey Site.
Report Details
During this CoastWatch survey, Sitka Center Team Member Nancy and current Sitka Resident Zeyn also conducted a NOAA Marine Debris Survey as well as removal of debris from areas of the beach beyond the Marine Debris Survey Site. Weather during our time at Mile 247: Salmon River Spit fluctuated from sun with blue skies to dark clouds and hail.
Conditions
Temperature: 39 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 0.7 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 2. Walking or running: 2. Tidepooling: 2.
Concerns
Litter
Notable Wildlife
We observed 7 small, brown shorebirds at the south end of the sand spit. We also observed 2 playful harbor seals in the estuary when we paddled to/from Mile 247.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
There was a single, small, translucent, dead bait fish halfway between the back barrier and the water in the Marine Debris survey area.
Driftline Content
Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). There was a large concentration of small purple velella velella in the tideline.
Actions & Comments
We observed large debris including a roughly one meter piece of harvested wood, a ship's ladder, a ship's life ring and two ship's buoys. These items were to heavy to remove from the beach so we set them above the tide line and emailed the nearby property owners to coordinate removal.
Sitka Team Member Nancy paddles to Mile 247 while a curious harbor seal observes from a distance.
Rocks at the south end of the ocean side of Mile 247: Salmon River Spit. Image captured by Sitka resident Zeyn Joukhadar.
Sitka Team Member Nancy finds a broken ship's ladder at the south end of Mile 247
Sitka Team Member Nancy poses with her new boat buoy friend. Other survey participants said the buoy looks like it has "ears"
CoastWatchers discover a boat buoy near the south end of the sand spit
A life ring found at Mile 247
CoastWatchers were caught in a brief hail shower at Mile 247
CoastWatchers find some sealife holding on to a small plastic float
CoastWatchers found a small dead bait fish midway down Mile 247's Marine Debris Survey site.
CoastWaters Nancy and Zeyn find small purple velella in the tide line
CoastWatcher and Sitka Resident Zeyn Joukhadar finds a life ring at the south end of Mile 247, about 30 yards from the tide pools
Report Images
SitkaCenter21
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