May 6, 2008

Cloud Cover: Rain. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: W.

Number of people: 3. Walking or running: 3. Sitting: 3. Photography: 3. Tidepooling: 3. Same 3 people involved in all activities

Fire, Litter

Surprisingly, no -- almost none, compared to other years and visits, this was remarkable.

Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Styrofoam. 2 small crab pots, 3 small tires

Storms moved a lot of rock and wood -- Coves 1 and 4 have very different surfaces.

Evidence of wave overtopping, Landslides/major boulder falls. All natural, and probably results of severe storms.

Most of the refuse found was very light -- styrofoam, golf balls, Aerobies, and plastic bottles -- stuff pushed in by the winds. Nothing particularly heavy. As usual, no glass no paper, almost no metal -- 90% or more of all refuse was plastic and very light -- bags will be easy to haul up cliff, except there is some natural erosion, and haul-out project will have to proceed with extreme caution.This was my first visit since last November -- since then, the tides and weather have not cooperated. ('til now!)I was able to walk as far south as I have ever been. There were no seals, but plenty of body drag marks, so I assume that some of the far coves are regular hangouts for them.Cove by cove:#1 -- picked up 2 or 3 bags of garbage and a few larger items.#2 -- picked up 1 bag of garbage#3 -- no garbage, but oddly enough, 3 small tires, all with Styrofoam inside them. Not attached in any way, and found within 2 or 3 feet of each other. Amazing!#4 -- 2 or 3 bags of garbage.#5-#10: Almost no garbage, but seldom is there any -- the tide, current, and wind sweeps these areas very clean.Changes since last visit:Almost no dead sea life of any kind. Previously, lots of dead mussels and barnacles in clumps -- also, a few dead birds, and occasionally lots of finely chopped seaweed, almost salad-like. Water seemed clearer and possibly cleaner.My next visit is scheduled for the July 4th weekend. I hope to pull together all trash, crab pots, and tires, etc., in Cove 1, and then return before the rainy season to do a trash liftout.I met 3 men in Cove 1 who had hiked around the point to reach the area, and we all hiked south together. One of them has a website, www.seaturtlesforever.??? -- he lives in Seaside and has done some environmental work in Central America. Another was from Arch Cape. Nice guys, packed lightly and carried out all their own litter.Two items of concern:The winter storm has made the trash liftout area hazardous, and there was a lot of eroded rock at sea level. Care will be needed in lifting out the trash. I will e-mail my Mazama friends for advice and assistance.At the top of the north cliff, someone has built a fire ring, and it appears to be in regular use -- there is even spare firewood with a tarp over it. I think it is within Oswald West boundaries, and I will contact the ranger and see if he wants to look at it. I am sure there are illegal fire areas all over, but at least this one appears carefully tended -- no trash, firewood under cover -- but the ranger may want to remove it and post a NO FIRES sign -- if a coast wind caught a fire at that point, it could grow quite a bit out there on the cliffs and bluffs.