Discovery Park

Discovery Park 1/20/07 3 miles

What better way to experience a sunny January afternoon in Seattle than to walk through one of the many parks? On this day I decided that a jaunt through Discovery Park would not only be refreshing but add a little mileage to my legs – plainly, I needed to stretch my legs a bit during the short winter days and Discovery Park is a great place to do just that.

After a quick discussion with the park volunteers in the visitor center and armed with my new park map, I started out on the 2 ½ mile loop trail circumnavigating the park. A gentle stroll through the woods led me to the big north meadow where couples, families and dogs enjoyed the superlative views of the islands and Olympics beyond. And the snow-covered Olympic mountains held their own against the afternoon haze settling in around them. Overlooking the north meadow are a few of the old buildings from when Discovery Park was within the perimeter of Fort Lawton. I had to squint against their shine in the afternoon sun, they were so bright.

I wandered along the cliff edge over-looking the sound and the beach below to where the trail split between continuing through the woods or down the hill to the beach. I can never pass up an opportunity to walk along a beach so made my way downhill to the beckoning waves. I’ve always felt a connection between myself and the rhythmic sounds of water and as I walked along the beach my breath slowed as did my pace. I absorbed the smells, sounds, and sensations of this beautiful day. A quick stop to admire our little lighthouse on the point and I rounded the point to watch a pair of kayakers paddle their way through quiet ripples.

A small pond lies on the north side of the point – a perfect spot for bird watching. I spotted a variety of water-birds, but sadly wasn’t able to get a clear photograph. Then came the climb back up to the original trail which not only exercised my leg muscles but my heart and lungs. Up there, in the trees, a sense of solitude accompanied me back to my starting point. Soon I was back in my car heading to Chinooks for a fish taco and lemonade. Looking forward to a spring filled with hiking and spectacular views.

Willapa Peninsula

1/13-1/15/07 SW Washington

I have fond memories of Long Beach Peninsula, spending time with my grandmother and cousins on this narrow spit of land that swings up the coast from the mouth of the Columbia. I had visited many times during the summers of my youth and found comfort there again after the death of a beloved uncle. This year I decided to share my lovely peninsula with a few of my fellow Mountaineer Photographers. The peninsula holds many opportunities for photographers, from sweeping ocean vistas to historic old homes and a few lighthouses thrown in for fun.

We rented yurts at the Cape Disappointment State Park for the weekend and arrived Saturday afternoon to a bitterly cold welcome – not from the park staff but from the temperature of the yurts. The yurts were advertised as being heated – however, there is only so much heated defense that can be produced by a small 1200 watt heater against a frigid cold winter the likes of which are rarely seen in the northwest. We quickly settled in and set out to explore our immediate environs, hoping the activity would keep us warmer. Our first stop was a Waikiki Beach to photograph the Cape Disappointment lighthouse atop the cliff. As we finished here, the light began fading although a few breaks could be seen with a slight orange color reflected in the wet sand. So, we gathered together for dinner in Ilwaco and a chilly night in our mausoleum-cold yurts.

It really doesn’t take too long for my sleeping bag to warm up and luckily Saturday night was no different. I woke up pre-dawn and comfortably changed into some warm clothes for my Sunday romp. Two of my compatriots and I had plans of heading to Ledbetter Wildlife Refuge at the tip of the peninsula for sunrise and what a beautiful sunrise it was. During the night, our cloud cover cleared off to reveal a star-filled night sky and for our interests that morning a bright yellow and orange sunrise over the bay. As the morning warmed, I walked along the beach with a myriad of seashells and birds in the surf and birds in the grass. I hadn’t been relaxed for several weeks and here my troubles seemed to melt away – at least something was melting. The water in the bay had begun to freeze and had washed ice chips ashore and built a little wave barricade between surf and shore.

After I rejoined my morning photo partners, we headed into Oysterville – a town I knew all too well. This is where Grandma had lived. Oysterville is a small town with wonderful old houses, a church filled with character and oyster shell lined streets. OK, they are now paved, but that’s how I remember them. We journeyed on to the local cemetery then sought out the windless kite flying festival in Long Beach. Yes, you read that right – windless kite flying. This was absolutely fascinating to watch. These kites are so light that just the tension on the cords is enough to keep the kite aloft. We ventured back down to Cape Disappointment to visit the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and tour the North Head lighthouse before heading back into Ilwaco for a walk around the marina. It was decided that sunset at the North Head lighthouse would be the best place and we watched a orange and red sunset on a day that had been sparkling clear if not just a little chilly.

After dinner in Ilwaco, we all journeyed back to our yurts. However, my yurt had developed a beeping problem – the battery in the smoke detector died and the detector emitted an intermittent beep to let us know this fact. As we knew we’d never sleep with the noise, we packed up and headed to our other yurt across the way and four of us settled into a little warmer of a night – body heat really does help. Sunrise the next morning was admired along the Columbia River and after a short stroll on the beach, we were all ready to go home to warm up as best we could.