Mile 55 - South of Cape Blanco, north of CG beach access road - December 25, 2015

Report Details

A beautiful day for my first mile summary; a Christmas present, indeed. The beach was, as usual, sparsely populated around sunset/low tide. Not much wildlife to be seen, other than the usual tidepool creatures. Could observe the ocean side of needle rock and the usually offshore smaller rocks, and was able to climb around the lighthouse point to see the hidden beach on the other side (but I didn't go because it was getting late). The shoreline and beach saw the effects of the storms and king tides, with landslides, new sand drifts, debris, and driftwood pileup along the top of the beach near the cliffs, including a logjam of about 20 feet of large logs blocking the access road completely and making it difficult to get through without climbing. Someone found a large 5-ft buoy in the rocks at Lighthouse point that he decided to take home, rolling it down the beach. Other marine debris (perhaps from the Jamie K, which wrecked there in fall?) had washed ashore near the point.

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: -1.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 6. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 6.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 5.

Notable Wildlife

The minus tide allowed for more observation of a robust population of large green anemones (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) and several orange and purple sea stars. A few nesting coromants, not as many as I've seen.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). A 5-ft diameter buoy had washed into rocks and two people were rolling it down the beach

Natural Changes

Newly exposed roots/trees falling, Erosion of vegetated foredune. Landslides/major boulder falls; Minor landslides on sandstone cliffs, sand pileup next to cliffs, caves dug out of cliff with debris inside them, lots of big and small driftwood, including logjam of 20 feet or so in front of the road access to beach, blocking it from vehicles.

Report Images

Anonymous

CoastWatcher

All Mile 55 Reports

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Mile 55

South of Cape Blanco, north of CG beach access road

March 14, 2024

Beach could use a cleanup as Cape Blanco is a known "catcher beach". Erosion was very evident in multiple places including slides on rock bluffs and slumping of clay-based bluffs at the northern end of the beach.

Bruce Williams