Olympic Peninsula – Shi Shi beach

I spent this past weekend at Shi Shi beach, over at the Olympic Peninsula. Cris and I have been discussing a camping trip together for some time now.

  
(Location of Shi Shi beach)

 
(Driving past Lake Crescent on the way… don’t ask who took the photograph from the driver’s side… as the car was moving 🙂

Cris, Laura, and I left on Friday and headed towards Port Angeles in order to get our National Park permit and canister for our food (no bears on the beach but apparently the food odor was attracting raccoons). After getting the Makah reservation permit from a market place in Neah Bay, we headed towards the head of the Shi Shi trail.

The trail was close to 2mi, easy to do, despite having to carry food and water for the weekend. The view, as we approached the beach, was spectacular.

       
(The hike towards Shi Shi beach)

Friday was just about settling to our spot, camp fire, and start absorbing the remoteness and beauty of the place.

   
(yes, smors were on the menu 🙂

On Saturday we went for a long walk up and down the beach. What a wonderful and peaceful place… still, full of life! We met quite a few people along the way. Of note were the three + one group of teens who were on their last day of a 50mi hike up the coast. The three got separated from the last one. They were about 10mins apart but, as we discovered later, they must have got into a fight because even when the poor lonely guy reached them, they still didn’t continue their hike together 🙁 The guy looked sooooo tired when we saw him. I offered to help with his backpack but I think he was trying to save face and was determined to complete the entire hike on his own 🙂 Good lad.

        

We headed back to our camp site, picking up firewood on the way 🙂

Unfortunately, Laura got a stomach bug and spent most of her evening in the tent, resting. Cris and I must have spent close to 6 hours in front of the camp fire, talking, eating, enjoying the gorgeous sunset and then the clear night sky, in all its August glory, full of bright stars, and atmosphere-burning meteorites (shooting stars)… oh… and the odd satellite or plane confusing us 🙂

        

It was another great weekend in the Pacific North West. I had lots of time to think and reflect upon events of the last month or so (mostly at work but in my personal life too). Saturday night, staring at the stars of the clear sky brought back memories from Greece, where I used to do the same for hours. Nothing better than to stare at the universe while it talks to you. Things are clearer in my head now!

I am planning to explore the Olympic peninsula more. There is so much to see and do around there.