There isn't a gauge on the Sol Duc River. So I watched the Elwha gauge online through the morning... 
and in the afternoon off I went, hoping the Sol Duc too had gotten a little less fluffy. Well, yes. Less muddy, less volume but still a lot. Finally the salmon seemed to think it was practically perfect.
I never managed to get a picture of one of the big ones, plump and colorful and a hint of those fierce hooked jaws as they flashed by. But I saw plenty, all sizes. Jump jump jump. After a while I feeling like I was throwing myself into each leap, and just watched. Happily.
2 comments:
is this a long hike? how long are they running there? glad you have such a huge playground at your disposal!
No hike at all, just shamble a little ways from the parking area. Perhaps totter off to the side and down a little ways for a better angle.
As to how long, however, I don't know. I tried 4 times this year unsuccessfully to to see them on the move; twice no action and it seemed there just wasn't enough water; then the rainstorm last week and twice so much too much water it seemed they were waiting (or swimming invisibly upstream under the flow). Finally it seemed to be perfect on Sunday; much later this year than the two octobers previous, before they decided conditions were right and started to jump. They were still at it Monday. Last year this time it was all over already by now.
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