BEACH ACCESS RESTORED!

Commons Committee members Temple Cummins, Dean West and Glenn Browning went down to the beach on February 14 to evaluate the logs blocking our beach access and discuss repairs to the north bridge. They decided that the best solution to the access problem would be to cut through the big log, and Temple thought his chainsaw would be big enough to do it. The cut was difficult due to the size of the log and the risk of pinching the blade, but he was able to make a perfect cut as you can see in the photos. The log measured a full 3 feet in diameter, and a count of the rings revealed that the tree was about 200 years old. We think it’s Western Red Cedar.
Wayne Dey came down while Temple was sawing through the log, and the four of them were able to use levers to roll the shorter piece of the cut log out of the way. It will stay on the beach until another big storm at high tide washes it away. They also moved a number of smaller logs and the washed-up bridge that were blocking the trail, so we have clear access to the beach again…Mission accomplished!
Here’s a few of Glenn’s photos:

In case you are interested in going to the beach to witness these extraordinary acts of nature and human beings, a note of caution is advised. The last bridge, the high one, is not at all safe right now. Carol printed warning signs, and Dean and Paula posted them at each end of the bridge. They also wrapped the railing and other dangerous spots with yellow caution tape.

The Commons Committee considered a temporary repair of the rotten decking and the loose railing on the bridge, but the biggest problem is that the supporting log on the west side is rotten. They decided it would be better to completely rebuild the bridge in the spring instead of spending time and money on temporary fixes. Glenn found two logs on the beach east of the creek that are about 40 feet long and small enough in diameter that they could be rolled down to the water at high tide and pulled up the creek into the lagoon.
The Committee plans to organize a small work party soon to help move and secure the logs before they get washed away.


Carol Young and Glenn Browning