Mile 23

Pistol River SP north, south of Myers Creek
Curry County

Latitude: 42.299720395911
Longitude: -124.409876164450
Google Map: Nearby Roads, Directions to/from, Google photos, Satellite image, Terrain overlay
Vehicles:
  • Motor vehicles are prohibited from Meyers Creek (42° 18.4422', Mile 23), southerly to the Oregon-California border (41° 59.9208', Mile 1).
  • Motor vehicle travel is allowed from a point approximately one-third mile south of Otter Point, (42° 27.5022', Mile 31), southerly to the mouth of Myers Creek (42° 18.4422', Mile 23).
Weather: Current weather conditions at nearby stations
Tides: NOAA Tide Predictions. Click on the station nearest to your location to see predicted tides in graphical and tabular formats.
Pistol River SP north, south of Myers Creek
Mile 23 Reports (48)

2022

August 3, 2022 - Bob Harvey

The cave in one of the monoliths was accessible. The modest exposed marine garden in front of the cave has repopulated with seastars, two of them being very large. The die-off of a few years ago had killed all in that area. This is is a non-scientific opinion as I have no...read more

  • Sand ramps building against steep winter-cut dune fronts
January 18, 2022 - Bob Harvey

1. Vegetated foredunes continue to erode...evident the entire mile.

2. The bits of plastic in wrack line show up this time of year, then disappear by my next visit.read more

2021

November 30, 2021 - Bob Harvey

The tallest dunes (~10ft) are being eroded as they are each year. Clumps of dune grass has slid down dune face. See pic.read more

  • Slumping dune and grass
  • Buried log protrudes from middle of dune face
  • Sunset
July 13, 2021 - Bob Harvey

1 dead murre.  Low tide reveals mussel and seastar beds. Small temporary dunes have formed. Dune grasses have greened since May. Very clear day....happy people

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  • Looking N from S end of mile 23
  • Flat topped rock and large mussels and plentiful seastars
  • Looking North from aforementioned flat top rock
  • Chilton on ceiling of sea cave accessible at low tide
  • Jelly on sand. Note hard brown spot inside jelly at pencil tip
  • Dead seabird , a murre.
May 10, 2021 - Bob Harvey

Illegal ATV tracks recently made running from south to north and back again. Sand has been deposited against the formerly steep foredunes.  The low tide was too high to allow access of the marine gardens. The dune grass has not turned greener yet.read more

  • This picture was taken in the Azalea Gardens in Brookings not on Mile 23
April 9, 2021 - Lavenne22

Parked here to walk Mile 22. There is an animal carcass in the parking lot. It has been there at least a week. (I was not on CW last week). When I first saw it, it appeared to have horns like a goat. It looked like all skin and bones,...read more
February 9, 2021 - Bob Harvey

Well used beach today..9 people and lots of footprints since the last high tide ~6hours ago. The loss of foredunes as evidenced by clumps of sand and dune grass lying along base of remaining dunes. The marine garden on the monoliths at north end of the mile are rich in...read more

2020

February 1, 2020 - Bob Harvey

Lots of plastic ocean deposited plastic this time of year.  Foredunes continue to lose sand and grass esp N end of mile.read more

2019

September 2, 2019 - Bob Harvey

Shocker sound deposition is normal. Unusual to see two people surfing. Very unusual to find a decomposing seal. Very unusual to find a few dozen small desiccated jellies and one big one. Unidentified Critter on ceiling normally inaccessible cave.read more
May 1, 2019 - Bob Harvey

The tide was low enough to allow access to the more distant monolith with a cave and marine garden nearby. Lots of anemones and 3 seastars.

 read more
January 25, 2019 - Bob Harvey

Since my October visit, large amounts of vegetated foredune has occurred along about 90% of Mile 23. The south end has escaped it. Up to as much as 30 feet of foredune has been lost especially in the region around the yellow location sign number 184. Much of  large pile of...read more

  • An unvegetated foredune has lost its front

2018

October 12, 2018 - Bob Harvey

People enjoying Beach, foredunes stacked with summer sand from the northwest. New signage along Highway 101 such as "no overnight parking", yellow safety location signs 183,184,185read more
June 28, 2018 - Bob Harvey

I walked and was blown from north to south on this very windy day, and was very nearly deposited on the Dune  myself. the wind was strong enough to pick up chunks of still wet sand and blow it! Virtually no trash present except one tire. A new informational sign...read more
March 7, 2018 - Bob Harvey

The vegetative foredune all along mile 23 continue to recede as evidenced by fallen clumps of dune grass in front of the dunes.   A few starfish are evident on the rocks. Driftwood is being cut and and perhaps removed. Trash is limited to one pickup bed liner partly buried in...read more

2017

December 7, 2017 - Bob Harvey

Pyrosomes... In the 10 years I have monitored this beach I have never seen these before.    

Summer sand deposits are mostly intact,  few steep dune faces

Myers Creek is flowing strongly and directly into the ocean read more
November 7, 2017 - Bob Harvey

Pyrosomes... In the 10 years I have monitored this beach I have never seen these before.    

Summer sand deposits are mostly intact,  few steep dune faces

Myers Creek is flowing strongly and directly into the ocean read more
May 4, 2017 - Bob Harvey

A muted day, thin fog drifting ashore. Summer sand piling against steep dune fronts. Scattered trees' debris esp on South end of mile. Marine gardens briefly accessed, but we feel are our reward.   East side of 101 has some large areas of rock placement by ODOT for bank stabilization....read more

2016

December 16, 2016 - Bob Harvey

Sunny cool, clear day with calm surf. Summer's sand deposits eg ramps and crescent dunes are gone ; no new winter erosion of dunes. Large amounts of woody debris in driftline.When high tide is reached, the northern one forth mi of beach will be impassable. 

 read more
December 16, 2016 - Bob Harvey
  • Oregon Manroot, Coastal Manroot, Wild Cucumber Marah oreganus
  • Oregon Manroot, Coastal Manroot, Wild Cucumber Marah oreganus
August 8, 2016 - Bob Harvey

Şummer sands have been stacked against (but not to the top of) last winters badly eroded dunes. The beach itself has interesting sand features such as crescent dunes. In the north part of the mile, the beach is protected by large offshore monoliths, so less sand is deposited. A large...read more
March 22, 2016 - Bob Harvey

At low tide, almost 40 people were using the beach most of them walking. Three dogs. It is spring break so this is heavy usage for this spot. The grassy foredunes have been further eroded since January. In the southern part of the mile the Dune is eroded to the...read more

  • Ocean deposited litter
  • Note grass on slumped pile of sand. Dune height about 10 ft
  • Driftwood at its point of greatest deposition, and my co-walker.
January 10, 2016 - Bob Harvey

Nothing but footprints on the beach--no trash, and nothing at all in the driftline.read more

  • For scale both men are about 6 ft tall
  • Midway on mile 23, your watcher 6 ft tall at base of dune with dramatic dune loss since my last visit on Oct 2, 2015
  • Mile 23 looking S from a point about 1/4 mile S of Myers Crk
  • Tide is high at +7.9 Surf in contact with dune bases.

2015

October 2, 2015 - Bob Harvey
A few people: one windsurfer on beach , 4 walkers and a photographer. Driftline has small (1/2 inch) crustacean shells about, some kelp, a few mussels.Summer sand deposits have covered winter cut banks, new shallow embayment at north end. One dead pinniped, probably a seal, rather fresh , near Myers Creek.read more
April 21, 2015 - Bob Harvey
I inspected my Mile 23 at low tide on Tuesday the 21st. I have never been there when the tide was so low , about negative 1.3. The first thing I learned is that the marine gardens there are far more extensive than I ever knew before. Most are rock...read more

2014

December 20, 2014 - Bob Harvey
Sat morning Dec 20 about 11 am. A spectacular storm is in progress and it is high tide, about 9.3. Close enough to a King Tide I think. pictures from miles 24, 23, 22 from highway 101 pull outsread more
  • Looking South from southmost end of mile 24 (which is just S of Cape Sebastian). The tooth shaped rock is in mile 23. This photo is with a wave at furthest reach toward 101 riprap
  • Looking N at Myers Creek (note 101 bridge). The muddy creek water is evident. Wave has surged under the bridge then dropped back when photo was taken. Sorry lens is wet but it's raining!
  • Looking South with a wave at its highest reach toward shore. The following photo was taken from a spot directly opposite the onshore monolith
  • Photo looks seaward toward two monoliths, the onshore one masking the offshore one. Note logs in surf
  • It appears that waves have overtopped the spit west of the muddy lagoon with force (and wind) enough to splash foam (the whitish deposit)straight up the east face of Henrys Rock! I did not see it happen.
December 18, 2014 - Bob Harvey
The large storm of one week ago has cut steep dune fronts from S to N. I have not seen steep dune cuts in the rock sheltered N part of the mile before.Unusual amount of small fragments of hard plastic litter.I dead cormorant.Unable to visit marine garden, storm ruins low...read more
  • Looking N from south end of mile...note step foredune
  • Cormorant webbed feet, black, long bill
  • My friends near N end mile 23; note many wrack lines
  • Inaccessible marine garden at base of further rockbecause of high surf. No opportunity to see seastars
  • Some of litter from mile 23
November 15, 2014 - Bob Harvey
The marine gardens are inaccessible so no view of sea stars. 3 quite decomposed sea birds. Garbage bag full of trash, mostly rope and mostly from within driftwood and lowest dunes. Trash looks local. There is no Tsunami Waste drop-off S of Coos Bay. Fawn is looking into this issue.read more
July 2, 2014 - [email protected]
The beach is definitely getting more visitors but doesn't seem much the worse for it. A little more trash but still not much of a problem. Not a place for solitude. Sea star population seems to be unaffected by wasting disease. Usual number of dead birds. Sand Dollar population appears...read more
  • A Gull's Wing??
  • Perhaps from bird 1??
June 29, 2014 - Bob Harvey
Strong N. wind , beautiful day. Unusual :(1) dead rotting seal pup(2)1 large remnant of fiberglass boat , partly buried in dry dunes (3) sea stars possibly suffering from wasting. Only a total of 2 dozen visible about 1.5 hrs after a -1 tide.I will contact tsunami debris group.read more
  • wasting?
  • decomposing badly, no ear flap
  • white fiberglass boat bottom less than 20ft long. Partly buried in dry sand high on beach
  • this photo includes 101 parking lot sign in background ...use to locate the boat piece
  • living on cave roof , access at low tidea dozen or more living therein
February 2, 2014 - Bob Harvey
I have been remiss...last visit was July. Seasonal changes include loss of large summer sand ramp at southmost beach monolith; lengthy steep wavecut bank parallel to ocean with great quantities of large and small driftwood ,some of it (at least ) freed from interment in sand. At N end, Myers...read more
  • Pic taken looking north. During summer a long sand ramp climbed halfway up this rock; obviously gone now in winter. Your reporter stands in its place.
  • Driftwood strewn before a wave cut foredune; looking north
  • in bloom in February!
  • The creek has moved considerably northward to base of a rock.Visible behind Your Reporter
  • Kids wading in Myers Creek. In February.

2013

July 26, 2013 - Bob Harvey
Wonderful day, more people than I've seen before. Summer smoothing of sand, burying of driftwood. One dead murrelet.For videos of mile 23 click the following links: Low Tide VideoandKing High Tide Video...read more
  • murrelet perhaps?
  • Looking N toward Cape Sebastian
May 7, 2013 - Bob Harvey
Mild , cloudy day. More people than usual, but still only nine. Natural summer sand deposition is well under way. The tide is low enough to allow access to the small marine garden near the hollow (about 50 feet deep horizontally) in the monolith in the group of monoliths near...read more

2012

December 13, 2012 - Bob Harvey
My visits are usually timed for low tide; today is a very high tide (king). Everything is quite different, actual beach is scarce because it's underwater, walking is only safe at base of dunes or on dunes or thru high driftwood piles. The ungrassed foredunes are under seige by the...read more
  • King tide, little beach available
  • Tub present since April, at least
  • Myers Crk marks N end of mile 23: surf pushing under 101 bridge in creek channel. King tide
  • None seems to be Japanese tsunami debris. All gathered from Mile 23
September 6, 2012 - Bob Harvey
Foggy day, very little use. More dead birds than usual; remains vary from skeletal to full-bodied.A small pocket of crescent dunes was observed.Trash: 1 auto tire, which I removed to Harris Beach S.P. dumpster. In April I found a green tub which I reported to HBSP for removal. It is...read more
  • Looking N., large summer sand deposits, swales, humps
April 13, 2012 - Bob Harvey
The season's storms have changed things. Large amounts of driftwood lodged on the N. side of Henry's Rock (at the southmost point of mile 23)have disappeared. Huge quantities of wood now line the beach 3/4 way to Myers Creek. Minor amount of trash except for large tub.read more
  • S. end mile 23, a few yards N of Henrys Rock.
  • This fun structure has been a manmade (kidmade?) landmark since my first visit here in Sept 2007. Picture above shows it is gone.
  • Driftwood redistributed and much newly added.Looking N.from south end of mile 23
  • unidentified trash about 4x6 feet in size
  • Surf following storm of April 12th

2011

October 11, 2011 - Bob Harvey
Note: Pistol River (mile 22) has breached its beachy prison and loses itself in the Pacific. The agitated surf has provided us with haze-softened vistas. Today only 5 people present. Walking and one taking pictures. (A reliable source visited "my" mile Aug 23, and found about 16 people enjoying kite...read more
  • surfers with kites; unusually large number of people (about 16). (Not all in photo)
August 6, 2011 - Muriah
Special Baby Dolphin reportread more
  • What appears to me to be a dolphin that must have been near time of birth is dead near higher tide line about a quarter mile south of Myers Creek. (Length: 3.5 sandles = 39")
July 13, 2011 - Bob Harvey
My apologies for shirking my March and June reports.I spent the low May and June tides on the Clatsop beaches in search of the wiley razor clam. Yes I got 'em. I do recall having success razor clamming on Myers Creek beach in 1983, but a year later got but...read more
  • taken from a few yards N of Henrys Rock July 13, 2011
  • perennial driftwood "fort" S. entrance to mile 23 at Henry's Rock.Mileman Bob in photo too
January 5, 2011 - Bob Harvey
About a dozen people enjoying mild winter day on beach. Playing, walking, photographing. Driftline has much more and much larger woody debris than usual. Steep winter cut on dune faces is beginning. Wet sand high on foredune indicates recent high tide, maybe storm. Oddest thing: man repeatedly throwing net across...read more

2010

September 8, 2010 - Bob Harvey
A fine drizzly day on mile 23. Always interesting to see winter-summer changes in dunescape. One treat was the finding of a cold (terrestrial) Pacific ringneck snake on the beach at base of monolith. Another was the quite low tide revealing more seastars etc than I'm used to seeing, as...read more
  • Large, long lasting driftwood "fort" on mild, very coastal day. Cape Sebastian in far distance.
  • Pacific ringneck snake, gray on top , orange ring behind head, bright orange underside trending red toward tail. About 10 inches long.
May 6, 2010 - Bob Harvey
Beautiful day; wind has created many pebble-caused "sand shadows". The marine gardens were inaccessible, tide too high. The driftline composition was interesting, details at the limit of my vision. Perhaps this is krill(?).I spooked the 2 rabbits in the brush as I examined the blooming wild irises and the blooming...read more
  • Dune-impounded estuary of Pistol River being used by kite surfer
  • Rabbit in brush on west bank of highway 101

2009

December 9, 2009 - Bob Harvey
Cool, sunny fine day, Inland has overnight temps in teens, so 40's are balmy here. A few walkers, offshore commercial boats. Little man-made litter. Grass-covered dunes continue to be chewed away by the sea.The summer's bridge refurbishing is all but finished.read more
  • long-lasting driftwood "fort"
  • long buried logs recently revealed by erosional loss of dunes
  • Meyers Creek Beach, Pistol River State Park sign
July 31, 2009 - Bob Harvey
My stop was brief; I walked just in the vicinity of Myers Crk where repaving and some reconstruction was underway. It's being conducted with care. Beach plants were flowering. Wrack line held clumps of large mussels. Saw my first GBH here. Foggy to the south and at sea.read more
March 18, 2009 - Bob Harvey
Seven people (ok 10 counting my group), walking the beach, some with dogs, at low tide. Seasonal creeks running. Very little debris of any kind on beach.Wildlife: a few gulls and 4 oystercatchers (first sighting in my 1 1/2 yr watch). and 1 osprey. No geese as there were 1...read more

2008

December 4, 2008 - Bob Harvey
A calm fall has produced few big storms so little new erosion is evident. The tide was a +3 ft so the tidepools were unavailable for inspecting. An interesting artifact comprised of logs and bolts is new (see first picture).read more
  • l2 short logs, rusty boltsand Jim
  • Winter storm has partially uncovered buried logMarch 2008(also your reporter)
  • Picture taken 9 months later reveals further dune erosion
March 12, 2008 - Bob Harvey
Low tide, overcast. Heavy dune erosion, exposed driftwood. People and dogs using beach even though it's midweek. Marine gardens exposed but not easy to get to because guarded by slippery rocks. Geese nesting atop rocks. Little litter. No dead birds or mammals.read more
  • Winter erosion has partially revealed sand buried log (the horizontal object). The vertical object is your coastwatch volunteer.
  • View from top of Henry Rock (at start of mile 23 S end) looking S into mile 22 toward the Pistol River, which is 1 mile away. The lagoon is brackish, not connected to P.R.
  • Meyers Creek with my colleagues Geographer John and the young Jimmy

2007

December 18, 2007 - Bob Harvey
Weather relented for the 2 hours neede to walk the beach; no dead birds, not much litter. High tide is almost upon us so some areas are inaccesible, esp. the cave in a monolith at N part of the mile. Meyers Creek is 35-40 feet wide at narrowest point as...read more
  • looking north about 1/4 mile from S end of mile.
September 9, 2007 - Bob Harvey
My first trip, so information is baseline for me. Very little litter , lots of driftwood, few people. No facilities except a portapotty at S end. Many rocks, monoliths seastacks in the sandy beach and in the ocean. Too foggy to see much of those just off shore. Some support...read more