Strait, River, Mountains. Sand.

Strait of Juan de Fuca under a very windy sky. Monday, I drove out Place Road and walked along the dyke path to where the Elwha River enters the Strait. High tide washing across the new sandy flats (1) and into the river. This all used to be a cobble wilderness, no sediment at all escaped the dams for a hundred years. But the dams are gone.

New Land in the Nearshore (Click for larger image.)

A baffling array of ripples of fibrous debris, well back from the edge of the Strait. Olympic Mountains to the south, whence the river flows.

... (Click for larger image.)

The windchill was fierce. A sunshower blew in for a moment. Sand. There was sand everywhere, burying the cobbles. Sand everywhere. I just couldn't believe it.

Strait on left, River to the right. (Click for larger image.)

Mute your sound before you watch these videos. All you can hear is the wind blowing across the camera.

Elwha River Meets the Salt, February 25, 2013 High tide, the whitecaps washing over the new sandflats, February 25, 2013.

Maybe I'll go back on Friday afternoon. The tide will be lower.