Mile 48 - Beach southeast of Battle Rock, north of Hubbard Creek - November 6, 2021

Report Details

Couldn't get to the south end of the mile due to the King Tide waves running up too high. Risked getting cut off from being able to get back to the parking lot. Took pix down the beach from the middle. Didn't see any huge issues or concerns, other than the amount of debris that had been washed up and wondering about cleanup efforts after the series of King Tides is over. Looks like it would take a LOT of effort to clean up, and curious to know if anything is planned. We drove to Hubbard Creek access and went down on the south side of the creek (not Mile 48) but couldn't get across the creek to walk the southern section of the mile.

Conditions

Temperature: 53 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: W. Tide Level: 4.9 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 11. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 11. Photography: 1. Other Activities: A woman (and her husband) was cleaning up plastics around mid-beach. Said they take it to the place that makes art out of it. We gave them some things we found.. The OHV looked like an adapted e-bile or very small motorcycle. Wasn't doing much other than riding out and back - not much beach available.

Concerns

Apparent violations: none.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 5. ATVs/OHVs on beach, allowed: 1.

Notable Wildlife

Just the "usual" birds - seagulls - on the beach and some other water birds (don't know the species) out beyond the surf.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Don't know the species - see photo.

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Lots of trash, probably washed in on the first of the King Tides. Sea-based debris was green nylon ropes.

Natural Changes

Major cracks appearing in bluffs, Newly exposed roots/trees falling, Visible retreat of solid bluff. Saw some downed trees that I think are newly washed down the cliff, some signs it being new are the muddy rivulets of water at the base of the root wad of a tipped over tree. See pix.

Report Images

Muddy water from fresh fallen tree

Winter sand build-up washed away from rocks

View south from the center of the mile, where we turned around. Tide was already running high enough we worried we couldn't get back if we went all the way. 5.29' at 9:42 (High tide wasn't until 1pm)

Waves stacking up between the rocks at mid-mile - pic doesn't do it justice.

Don't remember seeing these two downed trees before

Dead bird - species unknown to me. Only one I saw on Battle Rock Beach.

View north from Hubbard Creek - we couldn't get across to see the southern half of the mile.

Report Images

Skip-Jane-Legacy

CoastWatcher

All Mile 48 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 26 reports