June 21, 2010

Report Details

Human Activities: Happy First Day of Summer! Many people out with dogs and children flying kites, walking, or sitting in the sun that was just beginning to peak through the clouds. Several children were braving the water for wading, and many more were playing in the sand or swinging on the swings. A good number of people also riding bikes on the sand. Have witnessed many fires over the past few weeks, and there is numerous evidence of fire pits higher up on the beach and in the dunes.Shoreline Wildlife: Most notable today were the numerous terns (believed to be Common) flying about, making lots of noise, and diving frequently into the water. I stayed to watch them for quite awhile as it was mesmerizing. Several Moon Jellies were found washed up just at the waterline, and one freshly dead Double-Crested Cormorant was found dead and still being pushed ashore by the waves. Physical Changes: This stretch of beach appears to remain fairly stable, and the most notable difference as we head into summer is the great increase in the amount of people using the beach. For this, added bathrooms and the lifeguard stations have been added. Other than these obvious signs, there does not appear to be any additional physical changes at this time to the beach. New construction or repairs are happening along the Prom, but these do not seem to directly impact the beach, and dunes show normal amount of wear. As the wave action has slowed considerably at this time of year, the sand is much more level and the "dry" portion is a much larger portion of the beach as compared with winter.