Mile 337 - Clatsop Spit, Swash Lake, Fort Stevens SP - 03/16/2024

Report Details

Lots of people out on a Saturday with plenty of fast moving cars. Disturbing amounts of trash. Plenty of gulls in the air and at the ocean edge but I didn't see any shorebirds running along the surf line.

Conditions

Temperature: 55 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Tide Level: 3 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 15. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 22. Fishing: 3. Other Activities: 3 clamming.

Concerns

Litter

Apparent violations: Lots of litter which is becoming more usual on this mile. It appears to be off shore litter (not littering by people on the beach), I can't carry the amount of litter that I find. One day this spring I must have picked up over 100 plastic bottles. And that was what I could carry. There was plenty that I left..

Vehicles

Cars/trucks on beach, allowed: 7.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Shells, Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). It's hard to know what comes from where. But most probably the trash debris comes from the sea and the Columbia River which may be both land and vessel based.

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune, Visible retreat of solid bluff, Evidence of wave overtopping. We had some big king tides this year and it was clear from the dune impacts (and the trash!)