May 6, 2012

Report Details

Conditions:Sunny, 60 degree F, winds to 15 MPH from the N. Swell 4 ft. with some large waves against the N side of the cape. Many waterfalls spilling into the ocean from recent rains, many wispy strands of gentle white spray.Observations:dingModerate use of Cape Lookout State Park, but nobody else on the water. General impression of healthy ecosystem. The N side of the cape looked good as usual. No problems noted. The tip of the cape was dominated by pelicans and cormarants and unusually I saw no sea mammals. Rounding to the S side, my mile, I was shocked to see waves of murre's, both from the cliffs and from large floating colonies. They looked fat and energetic. I have seen good years and disasterous years, but never a year such as this! The rest of the S side seemed normal with some bull kelp towards shore, no garbage spotted, no significant slides and no dead birds. I stayed away from the cliffs due to nesting birds, so I had no close look of the tidal area or the many sea caves that I like to explore. Note: Two park rangers seperately told me that the reason so many murres are now here is that eagles are disrupting larger nesting areas at Cape Meares.