We saw some Caribou nearby our campsite this morning. Eventually, Alan and I took pictures of them before saying good bye to the Hoh Rain Forest. We drove north. I read through our Olympic National Park day hikes book and decided that Second Beach sounded cool. I had always thought of this area as having rocky islands along the shore and Second Beach looked like a fine place to see those. Unfortunately, upon arrival we saw many no trespassing signs. Alan didn't want to upset any Indians so we drove further into the Quileute Indian Reservation and got out at La Push. This beach looked very different than Beach # 2. Instead of driftwood, we saw a shore covered in foam. Each wave painted the shore with a different foam pattern. After taking a few pictures of the foam and foggy shoreline, Alan and I hopped atop a boulder wall and boulder hopped out to the end where someone had earlier saw seals. There weren't any seals on the boulders but a seal did occasionally pop his head up out of the water. I first took pictures of the pretty islands to my right and then focused on the bay and waves.
Eventually, I wanted some seal pictures so I spent about 5 minutes posed ready to snap a quick shot as the seal popped his head out of the water, exposed his body, and flipped back underneath. I enjoyed watching the waves come in. The birds floating in the surf would dive through each wave just before it crashed into them. After a few minutes I had over a dozen seal shots most of which just showed his head. However, I did catch his belly and once his flipper as he waved before diving back under.
After that we walked the other way down the beach and took many more pictures. The frothy coast looked very pretty and the foggy atmosphere made for excellent pictures. The Pacific still played the sneak-up-and-splash-you-game and we had to run from the waves a couple times. The clouds parted revealing a little, pretty, blue sky. After a few more pictures we walked back to the car and then made a few rounds around the small, trashy Indian town trying to figure out where Alan could purchase smoked salmon. I'd nearly filled my 2 gig card up so I uploaded pictures to my portable hard drive while we drove toward Sol Duc Falls.
La Push
The frothy surf repaints the beach with each passing wave.
This beach is very different than Beach # 2.
La Push
The beach was covered with foam.
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La Push
Foamy beach.
Crazy foam!
La Push
More foam.
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La Push
This duck wasn't very happy at me for setting my dry box near him.
Rock islands project from the water.
La Push
Rock islands project from the water.
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La Push
Looking from the boulder wall toward the bay.
Looking from the boulder wall toward the bay.
La Push
Looking out towards the rock projections hiding in the mist.
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La Push
Splash.
I see a seal!
La Push
You can barely see his head.
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La Push
Splash!
Splash!
La Push
Water works it's way towards shore.
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La Push
A large wave moves toward shore.
Seal!
La Push
Seal!
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La Push
Seal!
Seal!
La Push
Bye bye seal.
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La Push
Look how small Alan looks compared to that tree.
Look how small Alan looks compared to that tree.
La Push
Foam painted beach.
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La Push
The water recedes.
Here comes the next wave.
La Push
Alan really liked photographing the foam.
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La Push
Alan really liked photographing the foam.
Alan really liked photographing the foam.
La Push
Alan really liked photographing the foam.
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La Push
Looks kind of dreary.
I like this picture.
La Push
Ooh, blue sky!
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La Push
Ooh, blue sky!
Ring around the ocean.
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