February 15, 2006

Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW.

Parking area is parking lot for Bayocean Spit which is about two miles from my access to mile 288.

Along the beach I saw one large group of about 130 sandpipers, most probably Western Sandpiper.

Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Styrofoam, Wood pieces. Steel pipe, plastic barrels and bins

There was much more visible human debris than I'd ever seen before, but much of it may normally be covered by sand and was exposed after scouring by strong winter storms. In any case, there was the back of one wooden board, the SHRIMP ------, from Charleston, Oregon and the side or bottom of another boat. There were somewhere between 60 and 80 wood planks that appeared to be either from the sides or bottoms of boats. There were 3 long (10' or more) lengths of steel pipe about 3-4" in diameter. There were also many flat pieces of wood, like plywood. Also, I saw 3 or 4 large plastic trash barrels or bins plus a dozen or so smaller plastic bins. There was the usual assortment of plastic bottles and a large number (more than 50) of pieces of large, blocky styrofoam stuff (kind of yellow or orange in color).On the Bay side, Tillamook county trucks were bringing in rock fill all the time I walked (I walked along both the Bay and the ocean) and it appeared they were working on filling holes in the County road along the Bay.