The Martins, being the resident tide pool pros, suggested a very early rise this morning so as to catch a very low low (this means the low tide was actually lower than the typical low tide) around 7:30am. When the water is out that far far more pools are revealed along with animals that are typically not often exposed to air.
Miraculously, we did manage to get up and even got the girls up and going and our two families rolled on out to Salt Creek to go tide pooling. I guess it started kind of slowly, but as we got further out and really started to slow down and pay attention to each of the pools and instead of just scanning across we saw oodles of way cool creatures.
Brad discovered that kelp is slippery, but when he bit it he found a huge sea star (they are not fish, so “starfish” is a misnomer) who was eating a mussel. It was waaay cool.
This particular tide pool reminded me of bouillabaisse - that seafood dish with a mishmash of all sorts of shellfish & fish and stuff. You can clearly see a huge sea star, mussels, purple sea urchin, ulva, barnacles and lots of other goodies. Yum!
Yes, that’s me wearing a lined, waterproof jacket we bought in Monterey along with two, yes, two, hoodies, one of which is a fleece-lined jacket. I HATE BEING COLD.
Becky and Kate and Caroline are in the background looking somewhat more comfortable.
This was a beautiful area and one of the best beaches on the Olympic Peninsula for tide pooling. After scrounging through puddle after puddle of gorgeous aquaria the kiddos headed to the beach to burn off some extra energy. The sea stacks along the Washington coast are phenomenal and this area is no exception.
Our afternoon was spent wandering peacefully down, and up, a couple of trails at Lake Crescent.
The Olympic Peninsula is covered in temperate rainforest, which is a pretty phenomenal ecosystem. The woods near Lake Crescent might not completely fulfill the requirements, but if not, they’re close. The trees were awesome huge and Gary, Becky and Kate are so knowledgeable. They named many of the animals and plants and told us stories about why certain things in the forest exist today. For example (Brad’s telling this as I’m typing): “Long ago, on the side of a mountain in the wilderness there was a crack of lightning from the gods. The large fire consumed the wilderness. All the animals started to flee. Some flew. Some pranced. Some ran. The only animals that were left were the little field mice that couldn’t outrun the ravaging fire. Their only hope, the mighty douglas fir. Up the bark of the douglas fir they scrambled for they knew the power of its fire resistance would save them. Even today you can still see them hiding in the safety of the pine cone.”
There were wildflowers everywhere. I kept asking Brad to stop the car so I could get pictures of the foxglove.
All four kids (Kate’s neighbor friend, Holly, came with) could chillax inside a big, fallen log.
Requisite family photos in front of Marymere Falls.
Gary and Brad researching some new fungus in the undergrowth.
Lake Crescent was beautiful. Very serene, very classy, very…aristocratic. The lodge had such a northeastern, presidential vacation place kind of feeling to it. We had a yummy – and particularly large – dinner before heading back to relax in front of the Martin’s wood burning stove. Anyone on the OP needs to spend a couple of hours around Lake Crescent. Be sure to visit the lodge; don’t just walk around the trails (which are awesome).
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