The Awesome Olympic Peninsula

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 04:26 PM

I'm sorry this sounds like a report, but it's the way it came out...Our trip was just fabulous, and the weather didn't prevent us from doing anything. The total lack of traffic and visitors to this area caused Troy to ask me, "What'd you do, reserve the whole park??!!" It was truly a great adventure! (pics linked at the end of this...)

The magnificent beauty and extreme diversity of the Olympic Peninsula is indescribable. With 300+ digital photographs and four hours of video highlights, justice is still not done to represent this area.

Walking the beaches at low tide, we saw large ochre starfish, green sea anemones, rose-colored sea anemones, goose barnacles, leaf barnacles, mussels, tube worms (feather dusters), whip kelp, crabs, hermit crabs, snails, and the stunning sea stacks – tall pieces of rock carved out from the mainland, many with windows of various sizes carved through them, allowing the sea to crash through, and providing a view of the seascape and sky beyond. Several had enough earth on top of them to support the growth of trees and vegetation. High tide showed such a different view of the same areas – waves crashing loudly against the sea stacks, the innumerable logs lining the area between the shore and the cliffs, and the smaller rocks that extend from the shore into the water. Destruction Island, the site of five major shipwrecks, certainly was a testimony to the strength, power, and uncertainty of the wind and sea.

Within the same day, we saw the grasses, beautiful yellow skunk cabbage, and other smaller vegetation merge with the stands of Aspen, and then the forests. However, with the converging climates, warm and cold waters coming together, and the enormous amounts of rainfall (200 in/yr in the rainforest), these forests were unlike any we’d ever seen. The conifers and maples reached higher and had trunks wider than any trees we’d seen. The huge ferns grew everywhere, with mosses, lichens, mushrooms, and other fungi growing everywhere on the ground and on the trees. At times we felt like we should see dinosaurs, or gnomes and fairies. The Hoh Rainforest is a magical place! We heard birds calling and saw two herds of Roosevelt Elk grazing in the marshy area near the Hoh River and in the pasture next to a small log cabin. An elderly man came out to stand on his porch and stare at me as I stared at “his” elk!

On this same day, one could have hiked another 17 miles to Blue Glacier in the Olympic Mountains. My point is that this is the breadth of diversity that so impressed us! Sea to forest to rainforest to glaciers and snow-capped peaks could be experienced all in one or two days, and with very little driving! The colors, textures, climate changes, vegetation, and wildlife were just so diverse and so interwoven among each other in their places in the ecosystem.

The high cliffs at Cape Flattery, the most northwestern point of the continental U. S. on the Makah Indian Reservation, had huge caves and very tall, thin waterfalls. Troy explored the north shore at Clallam Bay during the 7:45 a.m. low tide and saw a huge orange Sun Star! Luckily he did not have his camera with him on that trip – he slipped off the rocks and fell in the bay! He did manage to save the sea urchin shell he was carrying.

I’ll link a few pictures for you.

The sunset at La Push, near Rialto Beach:

Sunset at La Push, near Rialto Beach, sea stacks in the background

Rainbow, same time, same place, after the rain quit

Marymere Falls in a rainforest near Crescent Lake, on the way to La Push and Forks from Port Angeles

More pics to come...

Thanks, everyone who helped with our decision to make this trip and with their advice of what to bring and where to go.

We had no TV until the night the war was started, (we were in Clallam Bay) and no Internet except Sunday night, slower than usual dialup at the Rainforest Hostel.

~Shirley

Alice · 03-22-2003, 05:06 PM

I'm so glad you were able to see so much; it truly is a beautiful area.

When are you and Steve making the trip back out?

Doug1 · 03-22-2003, 05:09 PM

Shirley, glad you and Troy enjoyed it

Glad you got a chance to visit Lke Tapps Marine Research Center, The lady that runs it is a sweety , the caretaker is nice but has his moments

I am really sorry I couldn't get away to come up and meet you

. I am still trying to wangle a trip to tech school in Indiana

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doug1

Glad you got a chance to visit Lke Tapps Marine Research Center,

....um, we didn't see that, and we didn't know it was there....but we saw the drained Lake Tapps!

Alice---I've already talked Steve into coming out sometime! Will have to be when there are no crowds...

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 06:35 PM

Here are a few more pics...

Sea Stacks at high tide...Ruby Beach

Pink Anemones at low tide - Beach Four. These are under water in this photo.

Me next to a starfish during low tide at Beach Four.

Beach Four, Low Tide, Green Anemone under water

These pics were taken with Troy's Olympus D-490-Z 2.1 megapixel, with 3x optical zoom and macro function, at HQ highest quality *.jpg -- in case anyone is curious.

~ Shirley

Doug1 · 03-22-2003, 06:44 PM

Glad you got a chance to visit Lke Tapps Marine Research Center,
ummmmmmm, thats what some of us call Mikes new tank

Alice · 03-22-2003, 06:49 PM

Did you test the water temp, Shirley? Brrrrrr...not good for wading, let alone swimming-even in August!

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doug1
Glad you got a chance to visit Lke Tapps Marine Research Center,
ummmmmmm, thats what some of us call Mikes new tank

\
Duh-h-h-hhhh...I slept next to it!

I LOVE the rockwork as it goes around the corner!

Alice, the water is FREEZING, as Troy found out when he fell in the bay while trekking across the rocks at Clallam Bay...

~ Shirley

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 07:18 PM

Where we went, in some sort of order of when we did it:

Mike and his lovely family in Sumner - could see Mt. Rainier in the distance, sort of.

Port Angeles, taking the Scenic Route after crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge...following my former student and her dad.

Hurricane Ridge was fogged in; didn't go there

Marymere Falls and surrounding forest.
My former student and her Dad went their own way at this point.

La Push and Rialto Beach

Forks for groceries

Rainforest Hostel

Ruby Beach

Hoh Rainforest during the rain, no video

Kalaloch Lodge cabin -- two nights for one price deal

Beach Four at high and low tides

Ruby Beach at high and low tides

Hoh Rainforest during a sunny day - lots of video

Saw elk herds twice

Clallam Bay and the war started that night; we coincidentally had a room with a phone and a TV for the first time.

Cape Flattery trail - hiked it twice, first without the video, then with it. Didn't have a clue what we were about to see at the end of the trail!! (High cliffs, awesome seabirds and sea stacks and swirling waters. Cormorants diving for dinner)

Port Angeles, drove to Heart of the Hills below Hurricane Ridge, which was closed, and hiked a trail in the foothills.

Sequim and the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge -- huge cliffs, sea birds

Port Townsend - looked around, had yummy clam chowder

Bainbridge Ferry to Seattle, overnight, then fly home.

This trip was well worth every penny and I highly recommend it -- especially during the off-season. I'd love to come back in October.

Shirley

Stang69 · 03-22-2003, 08:29 PM

All these pics and none of Troy wet???? Whats up with that hehehhe. Glad ya had a good time and hope to meet you some time.

Jeff

ShirleyM · 03-22-2003, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stang69
All these pics and none of Troy wet???? Whats up with that hehehhe. Glad ya had a good time and hope to meet you some time.

Jeff

Fortunately, he had left his camera behind this time. Unfortunately, I wasn't there to see it happen! (Probably a good thing, too!)

In order to protect the sea urchin shell he was carrying, he landed on the back of his hand, wrist, and arm. So, our first aid kit came in handy for all the rock cuts he got.

Yes, NEXT time we will meet you in person!!!

Junkzoo · 03-22-2003, 10:39 PM

Well Shirley,,,glad you and Troy are back

sounds like you had a GREAT time!
missed ya out here,,,,

MontanaRocknReefer · 03-23-2003, 02:56 PM

Shirley thanks so much for the awesome pics!

Loved the little colored stones around the green anenome!! Very neat!

Some day Pat and I will meet you! It's in the stars!

ShirleyM · 03-23-2003, 04:52 PM

Thanks, Johnny!

I posted a bunch more, as an index, at

http://creativelyyoursvideo.com/Olympic-Peninsula/

The ones linked here already plus a bunch of new ones are there.

Shirley

Casey · 03-23-2003, 10:44 PM

Shirley great pics I enjoyed them all.

Casey