Sunday, December 06, 2009

The Days Are Very Short

This morning, here, barely a dusting of snow, and no hard frost on the car. Seems to be clear sky, though the wind is strong. Maybe I have to go back to the ocean again today... which I gotta admit is bad for the planet. Drive less, everyone agrees, and one of the discussion panelists said on Friday night. But, um, please may I think about ocean acidification tomorrow instead of today, please?

Clear weather Saturday, so to the ocean I went. These days I always drive to Rialto Beach via Quileute Prairie, in case the elk are there, but yesterday they were back on Beaver Prairie, (map showing Beaver & Quillayute in relation to ocean; Rialto is to the north of the river mouth at La Push) behind the field next to the highway where the llamas usually are. I almost didn't notice them, thought they were cows :-) It seems to my simple mind that there can't be TWO herds of elk wandering the west end, it must be the same group, maybe going up and down the Sol Duc River corridor. Someone at the Park probably knows. Looking out from up on Quileute Prairie, the Olympics stood out like crazy.

The Olympic Mountains core, from Quileute Prairie... (Click for larger image.)

There were eagles, over the lake and at the beach; and the surf was Very Quiet, just low white waves on a flat blue ocean even at high tide. No people for the first couple of hours, then a few.

Rialto Beach, quiet surf, December 5, 2009 (Click for larger image.)

Fresh red alder drift, easy to see it's new because of the color. In one spot an Old Giant Log sitting on top of a new red alder log, more evidence that things move around out there when the waves are wild.

Drift: old log on new Red Alder trunk (Click for larger image.)

On the way home was in wander mode, stopped to figure out where the mysterious lookout must be so I could look it up (turns out to be Kloshe Nanitch), and for the first of what will plainly be many efforts to make a portrait of the Emily Carr tree.

Lone snag. (Click for larger image.)

The days are very short. It remains cold. Friday night's heavy frost stayed in the hollows and shady places all through the day Saturday.

Almost home. Sky performance from Laird's Corner, 12/5/09 (Click for larger image.)

1 comment:

Sky said...

you capture some lovely photos, indeed! have no idea when we will get over that way, but i do love how you keep me updated on the beauty surrounding you. thank you for sharing such amazing images.