Mile 288 - Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point - December 14, 2007

Report Details

Mile 288 on Bayocean Spit appeared hauntingly beautiful on this mid-December day. Evenly and lightly strewn driftwood, a result of recent storms, lay splayed along the high tide line, adding color and form to the usually plain sandy beach. Several large logs lay scattered at the water's edge, more evidence of storms. Bird activity was quiet as hundreds of Least Sandpipers huddled to wait out the high tide before the receding waters would yield new supplies of food. The quiet, storm-altered beach looked lovely under calm gray December skies.

Conditions

Temperature: 48 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 6.1 feet.

Activities

Number of people: 1. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 1.

Other Activities: Noted 300+ Least Sandpiper, mostly huddled in groups, facing into wind. Unusual in that the birds were mostly not moving at all. Birds may have been huddled because it was right at high tide and opportunities to hunt for food may have been limited at that time..

Concerns

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 2.

Notable Wildlife

One Pacific Loon, several Western Gull, already noted 300+ Least Sandpiper, mixed flock of 30 or more Western Sandpiper and Sanderling, 9 Great Blue Heron standing in surf near water's edge on beach. Herons may have been at the ocean rather than bay because of very high tide.

Wrackline Content

Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Small rocks, Wood pieces.

Actions & Comments

Beach was cleaner than usual in terms of human debris, but there was much more driftwood. Strewn lightly and evenly all along the high tide line were small to medium size pieces of driftwood. Closer to water's edge were several very large logs or pieces of logs. Human debris was limited to some plastic items, rope pieces, and one oddly located baby bottle.

YaakovM

CoastWatcher

All Mile 288 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 60 reports

Mile 288

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.

Denise Harrington

Mile 288

Bayocean Peninsula, Kincheloe Point

April 23, 2025

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

November 10, 2024

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

March 14, 2024

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