Mile 55 - South of Cape Blanco, north of CG beach access road - September 24, 2009

Report Details

I arrived just after 9 AM. No cars in the parking lot. I walked the mile and saw no dead bird or litter or evidence of erosion. The beach goes along a steep cliffside and I was surprised that there were not more rocks and boulders having fallen. There was a lot of driftwood along the base of the cliff but nothing unusual. No cars on the beach (legal here) no dogs and only one other person. The campsite was full and it was a beautiful day but the beach was deserted except for the two of us. As I approached the end of mile 55 I saw one dead seal. There was nothing remarkable about it. It did not look to have been dead very long. As I returned I looked at the erosion on needle rock. The side facing the ocean is undercut and a couple of holes about a foot in diameter are bored through the rock. I could not tell if this is due to wind or water. The holes may be above the high tide level so I am guessing wind. I have not walked this mile in 5 to 10 years. The holes are new since then. This is my first walk as a coastwatch walker. I am taking over for my mother who use to do it. The erosion is natural and nothing is threatened except the rock apppears to be a nesting place for a flock of coramants. I will take a photo on my next walk.

Human Activities

Number of people: 1. Walking or running: 1.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Dead for awhile could not identify it except that it had webbed feet.

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 1. As I approached the end of mile 55 I saw one dead seal. There was nothing remarkable about it. It did not look to have been dead very long.

Driftline Content

Wood pieces.

Natural Changes

Needle Rock is developing an undercut with a hole going through it.

dot108@frontier.com

CoastWatcher

All Mile 55 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 12 reports

Mile 55

South of Cape Blanco, north of CG beach access road

August 20, 2024

No major changes noted. There also seemed to be a larger colony of Brandt's Cormorants breeding on Needle Rock than we have seen in past years. Also, we found less plastic marine debris than normal and we carried out a small bag of rope and plastics back to our vehicle. A few Western Gulls and Turkey Vultures, and what may have been River Otter tracks on the beach.

Bruce Williams

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