December 13, 2016 Mile 262

We finally made it back to Mile 262 a few hours after the King Tide of 10 feet. Lots of junk either washed up on the beach or, more likely, left there by people. We hauled off lots but could not begin to get it all. I reported the mess on the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, Oregon State Parks & Recreation website.

The area was virtually deserted when we arrived. Quite a contrast to summer time. One car with people and a dog arrived before Johnny walked back. I went over the dune to look for Black Oystercatchers so did not even see that car. But there were lots of human and dog footprints and lots of car tracks.

Looking north from McPhillips Park

Looking south from McPhillips Park (notice car tracks)

lots of kelp on the beach

first time I've seen these signs

a fairly new eroded area and landslide

a refrigerator casing

the green stuff is a natural seaweed but so tangled together that it has all sorts of plastic debris trapped inside

One of two dead birds we saw. This one is a white-winged Scoter. The other was a Western Grebe

This is a dead and partly eaten marine mammal of some sort... seal or sea lion

The dune keeps moving, making signage difficult.

I had not noticed this cavity at the north end of the dune before

It is an eroded hole at the edge of the dune. Will be interesting to see what it looks like next time.

The sea stack is becoming more and more eroded by waves

looking southwest to the end of mile 262

The cliff is becoming steeper and steeper

This sign is at the base of the cliff pictured above

You can tell by the tracks leading past the sign that it is being ignored

Here is the sign and cliff from another angle

Looking north toward Cape Lookout from the dune

The resident Peregrine called and flew from his usual area and two Black Oystercatchers were visible. No rain or wind while we were there and mid 40s... a pleasant December day on the coast.