How much fun did the dogs have on the beach? As long we were out there, the fun never ended for them. Sky could go longer than we could throw sticks. Luna would take it easy from time to time. Sand Dollar Beach provided a great place for dogs to run. We went out early in the day before the majority of the surfers and sun lovers made their way down the stairs. This is just a small sampling of dog fun.
Last week the dogs and I drove across the state and met Ken for a few days of razor clam digging. He’d been working on the Olympic Peninsula and the timing was good for a clam season. These seasons happen about once a month between November and April on the Washington coast. In addition to clam digging there was lots of other fun on the beach. Ken fished for surf perch. His brother joined us for one night. Our friend Mary Ann and her dog Frida and her friend Linda spent two nights there. The dogs loved running and chasing balls on the beach. Sky became seriously addicted to the ‘chuck it’ toy. We had some seriously good weather for February and some normal overcast and rainy weather too.
How much fun can you have at the beach? Since we rarely get to go, we managed to have LOTS of fun and even more fun when our friends and their dog joined us from Olympia!
Here’s Ken outfitted to catch sand shrimp
There’s one!
Up close with a sand shrimp
Gulls are always close by, hoping something good to eat will be left behind
Betty and Gregg join Ken in his quest for sand shrimp. The tire tracks are from people digging razor clams earlier in the day.
Dixie wants to be part of it
Sand shrimp are used for bait to fish for surf perch. Dixie is making sure Ken is doing it right
Fishing
An intrepid angler!
Crows also wait on the beach
Dixie is looking for one of her peeps
Dune grass
These volcano-like depressions are from sand shrimp
Sand dollar
Razor clam shell
One of many creeks
Another great day at the beach
Lots of kites
This one was attached to a log and flew by itself all afternoon
We had fun with this kite
At sunset, it’s time to put it away
Gregg painted
Betty danced
Good times with good friends
The end of another beautiful day!
There are a series of numbered beaches in the Olympic National Park. I have always wondered why they did not have proper names. The beach at LaPush is First Beach. The next one to the south is Second Beach. And then there is Third Beach. Imagine that. Getting to Second and Third Beaches requires a hike through the coastal rain forest; about 3/4 of a mile to Second Beach. The great thing about that is that fewer people visit these beaches and it’s possible to have a level of solitude not available at the beaches with parking lots right next to them. And fewer distractions like litter and ATV’s.
Trail through the forest
Trillium
On the beach
Erosion from centuries of waves
Sea weed growing on the rocks
Sea star and anemone
Sometimes the sea stars are in clusters
Sea anemones
Mussels attached to rocks
Ruby sands
It’s hard to leave such a beautiful place
We stayed for two days at a small cabin in the Quileute community of LaPush. It was cozy and had a great view of the beach.
I like to watch the waves, a lot.
Buoy #2 washed up on the beach.
It hosted a colony of tiny barnacles
A series of waves washing over rocks
Ken’s first attempt at fishing for surf perch.
Quileute Needles in the distance
A nice sunset behind James Island
My Everyday Photos 