Olympic Coast surfing

As many of you know (and some of you don’t) life has led me far from my home on the east coast, and landed me in Seattle- a city surrounded by water, but not the kind you can surf. The Pacific coast is about three hours away so surfing has taken a backseat to working and raising our daughter. I oftentimes wish for my old life of carefree days on the beach, but I also know I will eventually make it back that way. Every now and then, we get away to explore the land around us. The summer here is probably the best weather in the United States and all the winter rains makes for a summer full of continuous blooms and rich evergreens.

We recently took a trip out to the Olympic Peninsula, home to Indians, old-growth forests, and a more laid back way of life. Our 1984 Volkswagen Westfalia van makes for a slow go and we sometimes worry if she- her name is Heidi- will get us there and home again. Luck was on our side though and the weather was perfect- sunshine, 80 degrees and blue skies. After a ferry ride and a drive through the foothills we eventually came upon a glacier lake- the road winding for 15 miles alongside the most heavenly view of evergreen trees and turquoise water. We pulled over at spot that most would easily miss- we took off our sandals to feel the moss on our feet, and found a little beach of pebbles. The water was freezing, but so refreshing and we had to dive in. It took my breath away and the dramatic drop-off from beach to deep was almost frightening. It was similar to the edge of an ocean’s reef, and I couldn’t help but think shark, but after all I was in a lake.

We reached the beach soon after, and were pleasantly surprised with a head high swell and just a handful of surfers in the line-up. The water was cold and I wish I had worn gloves. I’m guessing it was in the low 50’s. My 5.4.3 with built in hood is a great suit for these parts, but I’m still amazed I have to wear one in the middle of July!

There was a campground literally on the beach, with folks camping in the logs and rocks. We decided to camp 15 minutes away in the National forest amidst giant trees, just ripened salmonberries, and clean restrooms. We hiked a mile and a half onto another beach we heard blocked the ever present wind, but the surf was very small and the tide was too low, but we could see it had potential and will make the trek again someday. There were people camping there too, just above the high tide line and it seemed like a good place to stay for a night or two if you were willing to take a trip or two back to the car to get your cooler, boards, tent, and accessories to the beach. Since we couldn’t surf, we explored the tidepools- it was so much fun to show our daughter starfish, sea anemones, mussels, and sea urchins. If you’re ever out in the Pacific Northwest, this is a trip I highly recommend. And believe it or not, you can rent a surfboard and wetsuit right on the beach if you make it on a weekend. The closest surf shop is 50 miles away, but they bring out a trailer over the weekend. I was pleasantly suprised to see a Surf Diva board in the mix, and also spotted a few women braving the cold water with me.