Mile 287 - Bayocean Peninsula north of Bayocean site 2 - March 26, 2011

Report Details

SOLV beach clean up day - started out rainy, but the skies cleared by 11am, the sun came out, and conditions were ideal the remainder of the day. In contrast to previous SOLV clean ups, my husband and I were the only volunteers on the central section of Bayocean spit. We were able to complete a very thorough clean up of Mile 287, including hauling out a large amount of trash from the large, frequently occupied camp site behind the foredune at the north end of the mile. We filled 12 bags with the usual detritus (plastic bottles and bags, flip flops, fishing nets, crab pot buoys and line, glass containers, light bulbs, beer cans, etc., etc.). In the category of most perplexing were the 6 toothbrushes and 1 tube of toothpaste strewn over the course of the mile; the most miraculous find was the damp iPhone deposited on the foredune above the high tide line, and it still worked!! (We delivered it to the Tillamook Police Department to be reunited with its owner.) Two of the plastic containers we picked up were labeled in Japanese - it seeems unlikely they would have arrived as a result of the tsunami, but I did wonder about the possibility. In the early afternoon we were gratified to see the pickup and trailer from the Netarts Fire Department retrieving the garbage we'd collected - it's the first time we've been there to see the final stage of the clean up.

Conditions

Temperature: 45 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 2.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 11. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 11. The forecast of rain may have dampened spirits - there were only 2 cars in parking lot when we arrived and we only saw 2 people on the mile in the morning. The skies cleared late morning and more people arrived in the early afternoon to take advantage of a break in the rain.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 6. Cars/trucks on beach, prohibited: 1.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Enganglement: 1.

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 1. 1 dead, decomposing, largely sand covered sea lion or seal deposited at the high tide line and being scavenged by gulls.

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Shells, Styrofoam, Wood pieces. two rubber tires on rusted rims

Natural Changes

Evidence of wave overtopping.

C Nelson

CoastWatcher

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Mile 287

Bayocean Peninsula north of Bayocean site 2

March 17, 2024

The cloudy marine layer that was present when we first arrived eventually burned off, providing us with a pleasant but breezy sunny afternoon for our visit. 1) We encountered an intact hull of a fiberglass boat on the mid-section of the mile; photos and location information was provided to the State Park Ranger so it could be retrieved from the beach. 2) There had been a massive influx of velella velella (by-the-wind sailors) washed ashore several days before our visit. 3) Given the number of folks in the parking area when we arrived, we had expected to see more folks on mile 287 but encountered just a typical number of visitors. 4) There was more detritus on the beach than we've seen in recent previous visits.

C NELSON