LA PUSH ON THE PACIFIC COAST

Stayed one night here, in the Quileute Indian reservation, on the edge of the ocean. Had a lovely 3 mile round trip hike to Third Beach ( in this fabulous scenery you would think they could come up with a more romantic name!)

We wandered up the beach watching the mist disappear, sunbathed, then were amazed as an otter appeared out of the ocean, ran up the beach with a fish in its mouth about 20 feet from us and disappeared into the forest! 

CAPE FLATTERY, WASHINGTON

We had a lovely day's drive up to Cape Flattery, the most north westerly part of the lower 48 states. Stopped at the small fishing villages of Clallam Bay, Sekiu and Neah Bay in the Makah Indian Reservation. We visited the Makah Indian Museum where we saw artifacts from a 500 year old village that had been lost under a mudslide near Ozette. It took them 11 years to complete the dig there. The Makah Indians used to be whale and seal hunters, going out in canoes, spearing the whale then getting pulled about by the whale until it tired, after it had been killed one man got into the water and sewed the whale's mouth closed so it would not sink before they brought it in. Sure beats going to the fishmonger to buy fish!

There was a half mile hike over some very old boardwalks to get to Cape Flattery, sadly the fog came in, so we did not see Tatoosh Island with the lighthouse but spotted one puffin, lots of cormorants, one sea lion and a bald eagle with a bird it had caught. 

SEKIU WITH VANCOUVER ISLAND IN BACKGROUND

MAKAH INDIAN MUSEUM

CAPE FLATTERY

CAPE FLATTERY - SUNNY SIDE!

MISTY CAPE FLATTERY

BALD EAGLE WITH PREY

THE NORTHERN OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASHINGTON

We left Sequim and headed west, I don't think its a good idea to listen to the news – today we heard that Napa in California had experienced a big earthquake and Vancouver, just the other side of the water from us, was talking about not being prepared if a big quake came and they think one is due! Hey ho! What will be will be! But just don't “be” near me please!

I have forgotten to mention the weather, since we arrived a week ago the sun has shone every day and its around 22oC.

We stopped at two pretty falls, part of the Olympic National Park and arrived at a superb national forest campground called Klahowha for two nights while we explore the north westernmost part. We were so lucky to get the only one of two sites with electric. We are surrounded by wonderful, so very tall trees – usually I'm not keen on camping in forests but this has sunshine filtering through, its warm and we have electric!

MARYMERE FALLS

SOL DUC FALLS

CAMPING AT KLAHOWHA

DUNGENESS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND DUNGENESS SPIT

We stopped another night at Sequim (pronounced like swim but with a Q in it) we have had three nights on this quiet very clean site called Gilgal Oasis RV Park and have moved every morning to a different site!

We had a relaxing day, drove to the Dungeness Spit, walked through a beautiful forest and on to the 5 mile spit. We walked about half way along the spit, had lunch, built some Inukshuks to add to all the beach art around, saw one seal, watched a man in a bi-plane stood on the top while it looped the loop, Roy spotted lots of birds then we wandered back - a lazy, peaceful day.

DUNGENESS SPIT

ROY'S NEW HOBBY!

WELL PERHAPS NOT! OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS IN BACKGROUND

ANYONE WANT TO BUY AN INUKSHUK?

LIGHTHOUSE WHICH WE NEVER GOT TO

HOW DO THEY GET THAT TO BALANCE?

HOW TO USE TREE ROOTS!

SEATTLE TO THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASHINGTON

Back again in the USA!  After taking 22 hours to arrive here, caused by a delay in Philadelphia, then an hour's drive north to finally sort out the noise on the Dodge, a dreadful drive back through the concrete jungle of Seattle on the I-5 we took the pretty road along the Hood Canal towards Olympic National Park.

HOOD CANAL FROM POTLATCH STATE PARK

LAKE CUSHMAN

LAKE CUSHMAN

Weather was warm during the day but with cool mornings and evenings, autumn is just around the corner.

Drove north on the 101 and stopped 2 nights at Sequim, where we took a trip into Olympic National Park, a vast wilderness area of mountains, lakes, forests, coast and temperate rain forest. We drove 17 miles up to Hurricane Ridge at 5242 feet, it was stunning in the hot sunshine, which did nothing for the photos. We hiked  3+ miles up and back to Hurricane Hill - gorgeous and Roy spotted an Olympic marmot on the way down. The black tailed deer were so tame we had to shoo them away from our picnic table.

panorama of Olympic mountains from Hurricane Ridge

looking from Hurricane Hill towards Port Angeles and in the mist - Vancouver Island

black tailed deer asking if we had any spare lunch - shoo!

Olympic marmot

butterflies in abundance 

one of those mountains in the background is Mt Olympus

love this - it's how kids draw mountains!