Mile 288 Report
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
January 14, 2026
A sperm whale, approximately 15 feet in length, washed up on Bay Ocean Spit in early January and was first spotted by ORPD Ranger Simon Freeman.
Report Details
A sperm whale, approximately 15 feet in length, washed up on Bay Ocean Spit in early January and was first spotted by ORPD Ranger Simon Freeman. Based on size and teeth that were not fully developed this whale calf appears very young, less than a year old. A necropsy was performed on January 13, 2026. Results are pending.
Conditions
Temperature: 42 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 7.53 feet.
Man-made Modifications
Other. Work is still being done on the South Jetty and access to the Jetty and the north end of Bayocean Dike Road is restricted.
colonial bryozoan
Wrack Line North
View South
Sperm Whale
Report Images
Denise Harrington
CoastWatcher
All Mile 288 Reports
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
A sperm whale, approximately 15 feet in length, washed up on Bay Ocean Spit in early January and was first spotted by ORPD Ranger Simon Freeman.
Denise Harrington
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
There was no human activity observed along Mile 288 during my visit. Due to our March 9th cleanup efforts along Mile 288, there was very little debris visible (although I did not enter the nesting area to survey the wrack line. I found one unidentified dead bird during my visit.
Karen Schank
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
Mile 288 showed no signs of man-made disturbance, and no one was on-site during my monitoring. I was glad to see a flock of plovers flying in the foredune again!
KMS
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
It was an incredibly busy day for Mile 288 the day before the snowy plover nesting season began! I was glad to see DOGAMI and OPRD on-site, and appreciated OPRD's willingness to haul the debris I collected back to their dumpsters. It was also exciting to see so many plovers in the wet sand.
Karen Schank
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
The weather is definitely turning.
SchankK
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
It was a beautifully calm, warm, sunny day along mile 288.
SchankK
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
There were 6 or more plovers and large accumulations of driftwood (both along the base and on top of the foredune cutbank).
SchankK
Mile 288
Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point
It was a beautiful, warm, sunny Saturday with a moderate north wind.
SchankK