Day 13 - Ocean and Mountains

Out of the tents and into clothes. A quick delicious camp breakfast and off to the Pacific Ocean!

We were headed for Hole-in-the-Wall, a spot you can only go through during low tide. It was about a mile walk on the beach.

Have you ever seen drift wood like this? That's Todd with Katelyn on his shoulders next to it!
There's the hole, way down the beach.

As we approached, we saw marvelous things... Here are two starfish. Check out the colors!

In another tide pool, bright green anemones, brilliant orange seaweed, and white shelled clams;

and black shelled clams and fuchsia seaweed in a third. We even saw an octopus in one of the tide pools, but couldn't get a good picture.

Here we are at the Hole-in-the-Wall!

How big is it? Kinda big...

Everything was "kinda big"!!

This is only my second visit to the Pacific Ocean. The first was when I was 8 years old. I had to get wet even if my feet were numb after one good dunking.

We played a long time in the little tide pools, choosing just the prettiest rocks to add to each one.

When we stopped at a restaurant on the way home, Katelyn drew these tide pools. She said one was all water. And you can see the green anemones and orange starfish too.

After the beach, we had lunch and proceeded to Hurricane Ridge...from zero elevation to 5242 feet...on a very wind-y, scary road. This picture is after I laid on the ground and burped numerous times to settle my stomach. Karen said I was already looking much less green.

So what is there to see from Hurricane Ridge? The Olympic Wilderness!

Carrie Glacier, the triangle in the center. It is significantly smaller than it was 100 years ago. Lillian Glacier is now gone.

Snow in August

Majestic Sitka Spruce and breathtaking landscapes

And Black-tailed deer here, there, and everywhere!

We headed home very tired.

But it was so worth it! Thank you so much Todd, Karen, and Katelyn for a fabulous camping adventure!