During my spring break, I spent time on the coast of Washington, exploring the Salt Creek Recreation Area and the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. My photos and brief journal were posted on Envision, the online environmental publication at the University of Oregon.
The original blog post can be found at http://www.envisionjournalism.com/archives/4182
Unique environments areas are abundant along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. During spring break, staff photographer Elle Sullivan took the opportunity to explore a few of these designated wilderness areas and enjoy the warming weather.
My first stop was Salt Creek Recreation Area, a scattering of campsites about 30 minutes west of Port Angeles, Washington. Scrambling down rock ledges and picking my way across oyster-covered shores, I was able to examine the intricate, colorful and miniature world of tide pools. Neon green anemones and bright orange sea stars stood out against the blue-black oysters and brown barnacles. I trekked out to the tip of Tongue Point and was greeted with a view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca against a backdrop of distant blue mountains.
I then traveled an hour east, arriving at Dungeness Spit. This five-and-a-half mile sand spit pokes out into the Puget Sound and is home to protected shore birds as well as other flora and fauna. The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses the sand spit, also contains tidal areas, a bay and a forest. Although the day began in typical Pacific Northwest fashion, with grey clouds and a chilly wind, the sun eventually cleared the sky, allowing for a beautiful view of the Olympics as I left the spit. Both environments demonstrated the varied natural beauty of Washington’s coast and made for a wonderful day of hiking and exploring.
