On the Beach

A few images from a recent beach walk.

West Wind

A strong west wind this morning causing waves on the west side of Whidbey Island.

Seagulls were having a wonderful time soaring.

Man Against the Sea

Remnants of a sea wall on the west side of Whidbey Island. A developer thought houses could be built here but the Salish Sea won out. The San Juan Islands are on the horizon.

Olympic Peninsula: Ocean Beaches

Leaving Lake Quinault Lodge, we followed SR-109 down the coast to Ocean Shores. Here's proof my Silver Bullet made it on the beach. August 2.

Olympic Peninsula: Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach is a popular one along the Olympic Peninsula coast.

Destruction Island and its decommissioned lighthouse were barely visible even though it is only three miles off the coast. The smoke from the B. C. fires had arrived.

Olympic Peninsula: La Push

La Push is a Quileute Indian village at the south side of the mouth of the Quillayute River.

To the south is First Beach, a mile long crescent and part of the 57 miles of coastline along the Olympic Peninsula. 

Winter Beach Walking

Walking the beaches of Whidbey Island is an adventure in beauty, no matter the season. I was at Ft. Ebey State Park March 16 for this view.

Whidbey Island Beach

A view of the Olympic Mountains in early May from Libbey Beach, an Island County park on the west side of Whidbey Island.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park, B.C.

Porteau Cove is a popular place for water enthusiasts.

There are man made reefs and scuttled boats that divers frequent.

There is a tantalizing pier and lots of beach for walking.

It's a great place to stop on the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler.

Windjammer Park Storm Damage

A high tide and 60 mph southerly winds early on March 10 left their marks on Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor.

Sailing on a Windy Day

I was near Joseph Whidbey State Park on a blustery day, watching this fellow have a great time. One man's trouble is another man's joy.

Oak Harbor Beach Erosion

Recent very high tides and southerly winds have eroded the beach at Windjammer Park on Oak Harbor Bay. All the supports for the wind breaks used to be on solid ground. Now the southern most ones are surrounded by driftwood.

Winter Wind Storm

West winds of 35 mph created great waves at Sunset Beach yesterday. Sea foam on my clothes, sand in my eyes and mouth, what more could a native Whidbey Islander want?

Stormy days like yesterday show why the attempt to make waterfront lots on this part of the beach did not work. All that remains are broken pieces of concrete.

Man Against Nature

A developer built a bulkhead along the southern end of Sunset Beach decades ago with the aim of selling waterfront lots.

These photos from yesterday show why the project did not succeed. The remnants are a favorite site for graffiti. Sunset Beach is on the west side of Whidbey Island. The San Juan Islands are on the horizon.

Kite Surfing at Joseph Whidbey State Park

The brisk winds on Veteran's Day were enjoyed by these fellows.

Whidbey Storm

The crashing waves on the west side of Whidbey Island reflected the storm that left some new snow on the Olympic Mountains in the distance. 

Beach Stroll

A stroll on the beaches of Whidbey Island is always a rewarding adventure. The Olympic Mountains are in the distance. This scene is from earlier this fall.

Sunset Waves

Sometimes it's hard to take my eyes off the horizon. When I do I find there is color everywhere.

Cool Gulls

Gulls keeping cool on West Beach, Whidbey Island.

Windy Day on Whidbey

These three photos I took yesterday at Windjammer Park show how much the seagulls enjoyed the brisk south wind.

One seagull stayed on this rock for ages, just being blasted by the waves.

Many of them soared, staying nearly motionless.

A willow at the lagoon gives an idea of the strength of the wind.