Mile 93 - mouth of New River, Fourmile Creek - November 1, 2009

Report Details

Unexpected ATV tracks. A few shells, crab carapaces and an occasional kelp/algae in driftline. Only two plastic bottles, one piece of styrofoam, one small car tire half buried in wet sand and no other human debris. Flock of small shorebirds and flock of gulls on beach. Few pelicans (?) over swells. Cool, mild and sunny. Deer tracks on west bank New River. No people or dogs aside from the three of us. Three river otters in Lower Fourmile Creek.

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: 0.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 2. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 2. Sunday, November 1st, 2009 Beach Walk.We rowed down Lower Fourmile Creek, having left the house at 9:10 AM. It was sunny and still but cool enough to require wearing sweatshirts and my wife, Blaine wished she had worn a fleece.We found one set of deer tracks on the west Bank of the new River. They were headed west. We headed south so I think that is mile 93. The surf was fairly high, about four feet trough to crest and the spindrift was thick enough that we could not see the rocks in front of Bandon or down at Cape Blanco.There was a period shortly after our arrival when clouds obscured the sun and a breeze arose from the north but the sun re-emerged, and it warmed up a bit.The tide was pretty high and appeared to be going out. (I got to get a tide chart.) The sand was cool under foot. There was neither course sand nor pebbles, unlike on most visits. There were occasional pieces of kelp but not big clumps. There were few shells (mussel) or pieces of crab carapace. I noted only one jelly, between one and two inches across.We saw a flock of between fifty and one hundred small shore birds, about the size of sparrows, grey and white, running along the wet sand. They took flight in unison when LucieAnne, our dog approached. We also saw a similarly sized flock of gulls and out over the swells a few (half a dozen to a dozen) birds that I think were pelicans.Aside from the three of use there were no mammals, living or dead, on the beach or in the water.However there was one set of tire tracks. Looked like they were made by a vehicle with tires set five feet apart so a pretty big ATV. I can’t recall seeing tracks on the beach in the Winter previously. And that is why I am filing this report.We went as far south as the post erected by the BLM and went to leave a note at their kiosk but there was no notepaper or pencil in the little wood box.We returned to our dingy along the west bank of the New River rather than along the shore and found a solitary set of deer hoof prints alongside the river.On the beach we saw two plastic containers and one piece of very eroded Styrofoam, other than that, no human debris.We were charmed to see three river otters in the water near the myrtle trees where we tie up our boat as we returned to our home. One of them revealed his or her body during a slow somersault in the water, so we are certain they were otters.

Concerns

Apparent violations: ATV tracks.

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Vehicles

ATVs/OHVs on beach, prohibited: 1.

Notable Wildlife

1 jelly 1 to 2 inches across

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Very few mussel shells, very few crab shells

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Styrofoam. One small car tire

Actions & Comments

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John Hull

CoastWatcher

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