Mile 291 - Camp Magruder north, Watseco, Twin Rocks SW - August 28, 2016

Report Details

Upon my arrival at the beach the weather was quite dreary with slight rain and wind from the south. There were approximately 20 people and 1 dog walking, running, collecting agates, building sand castles, and playing in the surf. As my time there progressed, the rain let up and more people came out to enjoy the beach, with the number increasing to around 100 people and 5 dogs. There was a significant amount of trash on the beach, mostly concentrated around the fires and the driftwood forts people had constructed. One fire I came upon was still warm to the touch. I smothered it as best as I could and I removed 3 large garbage bags full of trash. I encountered a large number of gulls, but no other notable wild life. There was a significant amount of kelp or sea grass that had washed up on the beach during high tide as well as a significant amount of crab shells.

Conditions

Temperature: 61 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: S.

Human Activities

Number of people: 100. Number of dogs: 5. Walking or running: 60. Playing in surf: 10. Playing in sand: 40. Sitting: 30. I was on the beach from 1:30-4:30 this day. During my time there the weather improved (it stopped sprinkling) so the number of people increased significantly as time wore on and also as I moved southward on my walk. I encountered a local couple who live at the edge of the beach. They walked with me awhile and were collecting agates if they could find them. There was a significant amount of litter on the beach. The couple stated that they remove as much as they can following the 4th of July celebrations, but with the steady stream of visitors during the summer it becomes quite the task. I spent a significant amount of time picking up trash and removed 3 standard size garbage bags full of trash (recycling what I could). I came across a warm camp fire pit, most likely from the night before. I buried the warm remains in sand as I did not have a water receptacle with me.

Concerns

Fire, Litter

Apparent violations: Significant amount of litter was on the beach as well as remains of fires from recent bonfires. One fire pit was still warm to the touch..

Notable Wildlife

Significant seaweed had washed ashore and had been deposited during the higher tide. As this is my first visit, I am not sure if this is abnormal. There were approximately 70 gulls flying about and pecking for food in the stream and along the water line.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Again, as this is my first report, I'm not sure if this is abnormal, but there was a significant number of crab casings. I would estimate that I saw at least 50+ during my walk, with varying degree of completeness.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.).

Actions & Comments

As stated before, I removed as much trash as I could and attempted to remove the risk of an abandoned bonfire.