Come visit Ruby Beach with me

Not far down the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula from sparkling Crescent Lake (see previous post) is Ruby Beach and long stretches of distressing deforestration.

First the beauty, then the beastly.

This last picture was taken as I was leaving the parking lot for Ruby Beach. These resilient trees slope down to the beach, and the constant wind has stunted the growth of the trees nearest the beach (on your right).

The picture below shows a lone man walking the beach. (click on the picture to enlarge it for your screen; then you'll be able to pick him out in the center.) A few minutes after taking this picture, his wife clambered over the hundreds of sea-tossed logs to join him. When they came within talking distance, I asked where they were from. They said they lived on the San Juan Islands, west of Seattle, but that they had always wanted to spend time on this peninsula. They were sleeping further up the beach in a tent. The woman (I think her name was Gretchen, but I'm not sure) said, "We'd live outdoors if we could. Next year, we're going to move somewhere we can live off the grid. It'll be in the west. We want to have a family, but only when we're used to the life ourselves. We come from the Midwest. We're used to light switches and running water. I want to see how we copy with living with the land, what it provides. My husband is a sculptor. We're just blown away by the way nature throws these immense logs around and sculpts them into these incredible shapes and silvers them in the sun. Gordon seems to adapt to this life better than me. I'm not used to rinsing my clothes in seawater and stuff, but I'll get used to it, I guess. You're from New York? You ought to give it a try."

Ruby Beach has several illuminating signs, telling about the way tsunamis work (this is a very susceptible area for tsunamis), and how dangerous it can be to ignore the forces of nature at work in and near tidal pools. Rather than repeat what the signs say, I'll reproduce them here. You can click to enlarge and read them. 

When I left Ruby Beach, I saw many beautiful, rolling hills to my left. The patterns on these hillsides looked beautiful at first, until I came closer and saw what they were. In the picture here, the lighter area or 'bell curve' you see is an area where trees have been cut and harvested. The darker areas are the still-existing forest. Below this picture are close-ups of how ugly the hills look when there's nothing but stumps and debris. I should point out that as I drove south from Ruby Beach, I counted no less than 40 huge, log-laden trucks speeding north to Port Angeles.

The highway was beautiful, though, and the day was splashed with sun. Many of the hills (small mountains, really) in the distance were impressive and rugged. Still, as I came upon stripped hillsides, I lamented the loss of and lack of trees. I know that logging companies are doing their 'best' to replant trees, but how long will these hills look denuded and stumpy?

Finally, toward late afternoon, I was nearing a  stopping point for the night when I  spotted a small bridge in the distance. A sign stood before the bridge. The name -- Humptulips -- struck me so funny I had to share it with you. When residents of this small area give out their mailing address to friends (and, yes: that is the name of the town), I can just imaging them suppressing giggles every time they pronounce it. Or, maybe they're used to it. I don't think I'd ever be.

Comments

[Shanna]

I'm finally catching back up with you. The lake photos are lovely. Hope you print and have some framed for your home as a memento of the trip. There's a papermill at Wycliffe, Kentucky, just an hour north of here and on a day with a north wind, we can smell it at our house. How stinky!

[Kay Dennison]

I'm playing catchup yet again! Sigh

Like you, I mourn the loss of forests. This is a beautiful country and it is our legacy to preserve it. Your photos, as always, are magnificent!

[Fran aka Redondowriter]

I came by from the link Kay Dennison has on her blog. I keep asking Kay where you find groaners, but yours was the best! I hope you made it up yourself.

My eldest son and family live on Lake Dawn right outside the Hurricane Ridge gate to Olympic National Park. Their address is Port Angeles. I was there in August, but though the capital where my sis lives was sunny, it was rainy and very cold the whole time I was in Port Angeles.

Lake Crescent is so beautiful! My son and his wife were married there three years ago by the elder of the Skllalam tribe. There are photos on my blog.

Your travels sound fantabulous. Travels With Charley, or Kent in this case. Do you have a pet with you by any chance?

My friends Kathy and Allen are traveling across the country in their van (they call it GoVan--after Van Gogh. Hmm. That's a groaner I guess. They've been gone three months now and come back at Thanksgiving.

I'll spend more time at your blog later.

Oh, that post of the conversation with the girl in Port Townsend was priceless.