Second Beach Near La Push

We left the Indian reservation and pulled off the main road to visit Second Beach. It has a trail marker which takes you on a .7 mile hike through the rainforest in order to access the beach.

The rainforest was wet (it had started to rain) which made it exactly what it should be-- AMAZING with color and texture:

 
We practically had the trail to ourselves, which made it a fun experience while we were walking and talking:

 
Some trees had fallen due to winter storms -- others were unique in their shapes and branch patterns:

As we neared the end of the trail, the forest lit up and we could hear the roar of crashing waves...

We had to scramble over another pile-up of surf logs that were shoved to the very edge of the woods:

 
At last! Here was Second Beach and it was GLORIOUS! To the right of the crescent-shaped beach was a rock wall that had a key-hole opening. It was still raining and the wind was blowing-- which meant rolling waves would occasionally crash all along the outer rocks and spray through the rock "window": 

 
 
I am always entranced by the power of water:

 
Bill and I walked along the high tide line of the beach, snapping pictures of basic elements-- like rock and water:

 

 
Just then, the clouds broke and a weak winter sun peeked through... Even though my camera was still on automatic, I thought the contrast was stunning:

 

(the light circles in the middle of the photo are actually raindrops on my camera lens)

and

and

 

The clouds returned and the waves were still churning:

 

and

 

I was having soooo much FUN that I did a little side-kick in the air:

Which, of course, Bill caught me doing...

We decided we should say "good-bye" to Second Beach and head back into the rainforest before dark...

 
We cautiously worked through the heap of surf logs to get back on the trail  (I slipped twice). I cracked a couple of jokes (about how I should just "walk it off") so we could get motivated for the uphill climb:

 
Eventually the trail leveled out and we went back to enjoying the rainforest:

 
A moist environment is a great place to find some cool fungi:

So we walked and talked our way back .7 of a mile.... I paused to take a picture of me on the edge of a creek bridge:

 
Ta Daaa! We made it!

 

All of that fresh air made us happy and hungry, so we returned to Forks to find a restaurant for dinner.

Second Beach = scenic and very beautiful.

Time with my best friend = PRICELESS,

Comments

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Sherri....it's so good to see this wonderful part of you, exhuberant just to be there...ocean, rocks, nature...your Bill. Being the wanna be geologist in my mind, I have always been fascinated with eroded pieces of land away from the shore. You took some incredible Winter pics of the ocean. Thanks. Oh how can I forget the rain forest. So many shades of green and the tree shapes. My senses are full. :)