August 3, 2022 - mudslide
Another beautiful day and a very clean beach -- impressive given the full campground at the height of summer. I counted 27 adults, 4 children, and 4 dogs, all leashed except one. I observed 2 people riding bicycles, 2 using metal detectors, and one person coming down the stairs with...read more
May 13, 2022 - mudslide
A pleasant, sunny, slightly breezy afternoon on the mile. Twenty-one people, including one small child, were out enjoying the beach, which was very clean except for a few styrofoam nurdles. Two sitters, the rest walkers. Twelve dogs, of which nine were leashed. A new chunk of bluff had come down...read more
January 8, 2022 - mudslide
Large chunks of bluff have fallen right at S boundary of Tillicum Beach CG.
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November 13, 2021 - mudslide
Another beautiful day on the mile, warm and calm, after a couple of days of heavy rain. The beach was very clean, and the wrack line mostly consisted of small pieces -- pine needles, sand crab molts, some crab parts, etc. I didn't see much bull kelp. About 38 people, including 4...read more
July 28, 2021 - mudslide
A pretty, quiet morning on the mile; only about 30 people and 5 or 6 dogs (unleashed) were out on the beach. People included a kite flyer, a bicyclist, and 4 kids building sand castles. For bird life there were only a few solitary gulls, although a squadron of 16 brown pelicans...read more
April 12, 2021 - mudslide
A cloudless, breezy morning on the mile. Most folks in the campground & nbsp were still having breakfast, but there were a few people on the beach: 18 adults, 6 children, and 6 dogs, four of them leashed. A fisherman was scouting the surf for a good place to cast,...
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January 14, 2021 - mudslide
Finally, the recent storms and king tides have brought the big, persistent chunks down. read more
November 20, 2020 - mudslide
Another beautiful day on a very clean mile, marred only by five deposits of dog poo, two of them gift-wrapped, but still, not carried out. There were two freshly fallen but minor chunks of bluff. The very large chunk that began separating from the bluff a year or so ago...read more
August 20, 2020 - mudslide
A beautiful mild, mostly sunny day on the mile. I counted approximately 27 people, including four children and one infant. Seven dogs, two of them leashed. A very low (-1.1) tide, with the damp sand completely clean and the dry sand also just about pristine. A good number of crab...read more
April 30, 2020 - mudslide
Because of the pandemic-related closure of the state parks, I accessed the beach via the steps at Deane's Lodging, by the kind permission of the owner. It was a mild, sunny afternoon. More visitors were out than I would have expected, given the current restrictions and closures -- a total...read more
February 9, 2020 - mudslide
Since spotting the big chunk of bluff that's become detached from the wall, back at the end of December, I've been returning to check on it every few weeks. Would have thought the combination of heavy rain, big waves, and king tides would have brought it down by now, but...read more
December 16, 2019 - mudslide
A pleasant afternoon on the mile, warm and almost windless. Only a few beachgoers out. The driftline was unremarkable except for some small invertebrates I'd never seen before (see photo). I noticed one large crack in the bluff, plus ongoing disintegration of a clayey layer. As the tide was coming...read more
September 28, 2019 - mudslide
A beautiful warm windless sunny morning on the beach, enjoyed by about 25 adults; 7 kids; and 11 dogs, 3 leashed, 8 running free. The wrack line consisted chiefly of crab parts. At a couple of spots the wrack lay right at the base of the bluff. One large chunk of bluff has come...read more
July 2, 2019 - mudslide
A pleasant afternoon on the mile, with fewer visitors than I would have expected two days before the 4th. Quite a few crabshells scattered along the driftline. All the big chunks of bluff that were visible in my April visit have now been either washed away or covered by sand....read more
April 20, 2019 - mudslide
After more than a year's absence, it was good to get back out on the mile. I walked about 2/3 of the way. It was a mild, overcast afternoon, with only 11 adults and 2 children on the beach plus two dogs, one leashed, one not leashed. I saw a...read more
December 31, 2018 - oceanloonie
This was a beautiful, sunny, although chilly at 45 degrees Fahrenheit, New Year's Eve afternoon after a week or so of rains and blustery winds. The tide was low, so there was a large expanse of beach, and people were walking dogs, or just pleasure-walking or running. There were few...read more
July 21, 2018 - mudslide
A gloriously sunny albeit windy day on mile 197, with many people and families enjoying the beach. I saw nothing outstandingly unusual or concerning. I was filling in for a friend (Mudslide) who usually watches this mile. I will continue to monitor until she's able to get back to enjoy...read more
November 18, 2017 - mudslide
A calm, mild late afternoon on a beach largely clear of debris. There were large tangles of bull kelp in the driftline. About 30 people, including 8 or so children, were enjoying the beach. There were maybe 5 dogs. South of the riprap at the campground, the big chunks of bluff...read more
July 3, 2017 - mudslide
There was quite a bit of activity on the beach, with many visitors here over the Fourth of July holiday. Still, it wasn't anywhere close to crowded. I only walked about three-fourths of the mile this morning. Nothing significant to report except that another chunk of bluff has fallen, within...read more
March 31, 2017 - mudslide
A sunny, mild day on the beach with only a few people in sight at the start of my walk. When I returned, many more had materialized in the vicinity of the campground. (The campground looked to be about two-thirds full.) The cliff-carvers have taken advantage of what was a...read more
January 23, 2017 - mudslide
I visited Mile 197 to see what changes the recent storms had brought. Was amazed to find that the cliff had been scoured almost completely clean of carved-in initials, images, words of wisdom, etc. Also, a great deal of sand had been washed off at the cliff's base, revealing layers...read more
December 3, 2016 - mudslide
I paid a quick visit to the mile on 12/3 to see if the recent storm had uncovered any interesting rocks. It hadn't, but since my 11/13 visit additional cliff erosion had taken place. Contrast photo 1, taken on 11/13, with photos 2 and 5, where a fallen fence post can...read more
November 13, 2016 - mudslide
A quiet afternoon on a very clean beach with few visitors: approx. 8 people and 3 dogs, all leashed. A couple of big chunks of cliff had come down, one just N of the campground’s N stairs and the other within the first quarter-mile S of the campground. Moderate quantities...read more
May 24, 2016 - mudslide
A quiet afternoon on the beach, though the campground looked almost full. There was very little manmade debris to be seen. The largest was a rubber pipe about 2" in diameter and approx. 7' long lying at the bottom of the N stairs to the beach. It looked to be...read more
March 27, 2016 - mudslide
Significant cliff erosion observed (see accompanying photos). Possible tsunami debris and attached organisms (photos). Little wildlife--just a few gulls---but wash-up of what appears to be remains of juvenile Velella velella.read more
December 18, 2015 - mudslide
Finally a sunbreak -- a cloudy one, at that -- in the midst of our ongoing series of storms. Only one site was occupied at Tillicum Beach campground. Five people and three dogs, one leashed, were out walking on the sand. Natural driftline debris consisted largely of what looks like...read more
August 21, 2015 - mudslide
A pleasant day; the beach was very clean. I picked up only four small pieces of plastic debris. I was surprised at how few people were out, given the inviting conditions. Of the four dogs I saw, three were on leash. No major changes noted.
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March 28, 2015 - mudslide
A very clean beach on this official clean-up day. I only managed to find a few small plastic fragments and some very small chunks of styrofoam. I did get a chuckle out of seeing a trail left in damp sand by one of the styrofoam bits that had blown up...
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November 29, 2014 - mudslide
A fair number of people were out walking, considering the sharply chilly day. Only three or four dogs, the most memorable a miniature dachsund attacking the surf, urged on by its owner. It was fun and surprising to see a game of bocce ball in progress. Runoff from last night's...
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August 14, 2014 - mudslide
Went down the mile at around 4:30 p.m., just after high tide, at the end of a mostly foggy day in response to the request to look out for the endangered sea turtle that was recently encountered in Florence. Alas, no turtle. 15 adults and 7 children were observed, along...
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April 20, 2014 - mudslide
A beautiful Easter Sunday, warm and sunny, only slightly breezy. Incoming tide just past low tide. Few people on beach. Sand washed clean by recent rain and tides. Some driftwood at back of beach, almost nothing in driftline. I picked up two bottles and a piece of rope. A Steller...
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December 2, 2013 - mudslide
This is to provide images of the king tide at Tillicum Beach campground, Mile 197. Not a very impressive inundation here. The first two photos are of the N steps down to the beach, the third of the S steps. I was puzzled by the fact that the lowest set...
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November 2, 2013 - mudslide
A beautiful afternoon on what was anticipated to be a stormy day. Few people on beach. Lively surf. Found beached northern fulmar (had to look it up, as I don't know my birds that well; also, see photos).
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September 30, 2013 - mudslide
Relatively calm day after back-to-back weekend storms. Only two other beachgoers sighted. Very clean sand; a few gulls. Major event was discovery of dead Steller sea lion, which had been entangled in and garroted by a rope that was attached to a small beam. The animal had obviously been dead...
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August 17, 2013 - mudslide
A foggy but warm early afternoon on an outgoing tide. While I was on the beach the fog cleared for a bit, but then returned. The surf was maybe 2-3 ft. I saw 30-35 people, some sunbathing, a few kids boogie boarding, and three adolescents up on the side of...
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April 20, 2013 - mudslide
A surprisingly empty beach, given this afternoon's warm temperature, light breeze, and outgoing tide. At the north end of the mile, large driftwood posts have been sunk vertically into the sand, forming a large triangle. Only saw 12 people at the beginning of my walk, one couple with a leashed...
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September 14, 2010 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Calm and comfortable AM for walking, though the fog did diminish visibility.
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April 28, 2010 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Many small plastic bits in tideline. This is what I have imagined making up the "plastic soup" in the large ocean gyre areas.Two small active waterfalls falling from bluff at what used to be "Dean's Motel". One waterfall perhaps 8" across at top and second perhaps 18". The second had...
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November 23, 2009 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Wonderful weather for a November day. Calm and warm. Head scarf and fleece jacket were soon removed. Most notable item re: today's walk was the abundance of foam. The light breeze would send small pieces rolling and leaving an interesting snail like trail.Larger meringue like pieces were everywhere along the...
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October 6, 2009 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Have had this report on hand for sometime and now of course I find there are missing details.Did note that it didn't take long to find it was too warm for a jacket on this bright, sunny day, - so bright that it's hard to see the bluff as I...
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August 11, 2009 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
This was an interesting walk with on a very pleasant day with my daughter from WI and our friends who were visting from Kakegawa, Japan. New steps and sandbagging etc. near south end of mile indicated effort at erosion control but the area of the slide was nearer the north...read more
February 3, 2009 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
T-shirt weather. Scattered large tree sections with stubs of roots attached have washed in. Several large jelly fish about one foot in diameter on the beach.A very nice walk. How fortunate we are to have uncrowded public beaches.
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October 22, 2008 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
A beautiful day and clean beach -- a walker's delight. A few sandpipers foraging at surf's edge, a pleasure to watch. No debris but small scattered rocks and broken shells. No indication whatsoever of the large heavily-pebbled area and exposed low rock formations visible earlier in the year. I talked...
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August 7, 2008 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Some of the rocky areas revealed last winter at north campground entry remains. The interesting "Hobbit Village" of rock formations that appeared near the sound of the mile is now a group of "low tables"
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June 21, 2008 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Much of the rocky area and low sandstone formations near the entry point (Tillicum day use) are now covered with sand. A nice tidepool area remains and this is where the seven tidepoolers were exploring.
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May 8, 2008 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Major natural changes on this mile wih more and more flat, carved sandstone exposed and new tidepool areas exposed. Some old tree debris exposed with the sandstone formations near the Tillicum day use access point. This mile is not recognizable as the same smooth, sandy mile of a year or...
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March 5, 2008 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Very interesting walk today. Just south of public beach entry area people were collecting agates as if they were picking strawberries. I had never before seen rock beds exposed here. Near south end of the mile were large areas of exposed low, sculptured rocks giving the impression of an unearthed...
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December 12, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Nice afternoon to be on the beach. Sunglasses needed when starting the walk. Dark clouds gradually became total cloud cover by walk's end. Only sign of the big storm was the set of damaged access steps. No unusual beach debris. No seagulls at all on the beach today but a...
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November 4, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
A great day to be on the beach. It was surprising there were so few people. Very clean beach.
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September 2, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
The form I had with me didn't ask about the number of dogs but, while walking, I remember thinking, "There are more dogs than people on the beach." Most dogs were off leash.Everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying the fantastic weather on the Labor Day weekend...
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May 15, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
Some new housing and steps construction on this mile.
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January 30, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
There was possibly someone clamming; we saw no digging but one person had a bucket, and another some sort of tool.A balk eagle flew out and flew lazy circles over us a few times.
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January 24, 2007 - silverwalker35@hotmail.com
I see the Indian hogan type house near the south end of my route has had the sandbags removed and a low cement retaining wall has been poured. Generally, a very clean beach. Small rocks, a bit of kelp.
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