Pacific Northwest 2008

Back in NZ

2008-09-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

We arrived back in NZ this morning. The plane was early but the baggage was held up. We stood around waiting and waiting. Then, when bags did arrive, we were missing one of them. I think they've found it though and are sending it on to Invercargill.

I'll leave this blog up for a few more days in case anyone wants to see the photos, then I'm taking it down. Blogging on the road was challenging. Not all places have free wi-fi, plus we were often tired by the end of the day.

But we had a good trip. Heard coyotes, saw grizzly bears and bald eagles. All new experiences for us and ones we hope to repeat again.

Bear Day - Orford Valley - Sep 3

2008-09-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

Today we did a guided bear tour led by Homalco Wildlife Tours, a first nations organisation.

After a two-hour boat ride through calm waters to mainland Canada, we were taken by bus to a remote area which was flanked by glaciers and tree-covered hillsides.

There were viewing platforms and plenty of opportunities to see bears in their native habitat.

We were lucky to see a mother and her 3 cubs from a distance.

Not all of the viewing was done at the platform. While we were walking towards an open area, this bear charged toward us but he was only after salmon. It gave some of us a fright but the guides reassured us before the bear headed off downstream. In total we saw 12 bears over about a 3-hour period.

Vancouver Island, BC - Sep1-2

2008-09-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

I wasn't looking forward to the 3-hour ferry from Washington to Vancouver Island but armed with dramamine I made my way through it. Today, I've been irritable and grouchy. The signage bothered me (too many billboards), taking a very poor backroad for an hour and a half bothered me, taking wrong turns (lack of signage) bothered. Thankfully my co-pilot has been more than understanding. She has even saved the lives of a few pedestrians from my touchy state.

We've ended up at Campbell River and managed to take a few photos of a great blue heron feeding on the shore.

We went up the river to the dam near Elk Falls and saw trout jumping out of the water. I got some video footage but alas no video editor. Tomorrow we are going on another boat ride. Thank goodness for dramamine!

On to Mt Vernon - Aug 28-31

2008-09-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

We drove to Port Townsend to find out about catching the ferry. Before we knew it we were in line with a bunch of other cars, waiting to get on board. It was great that they could take us without a reservation but regrettable that we didn't have time to see the town.

We arrived at my brother's in Mt Vernon. He does artsy stuff with a hammer and anvil (blacksmith) and other materials. I couldn't believe the variety of things he and my sister-in-law make. You can see more at their website Driftwood and Iron

They are also the best of hosts. They took us all around the area to show it off. I have to say it felt a lot like Sonoma County, California, but also Southland, New Zealand with its many, many farms.

Wistful oyster beds.

One of the most amazing things they showed us was this bald eagle's nest and an eagle sitting nearby.

While we were watching the eagle, a flock of Canada geese honked their way across the sky. Truly remarkable.

Here's me and my bro and sister-in-law. They took us to Bellingham and La Conner - both really neat towns with lots of arts and craft shops. There are so many things we liked about the area that we are planning to go back.

Next stop - British Columbia!

More of the Olympic Nat'l Park - Aug 27-28

2008-09-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

On our trek around the Olympic National Park, we stopped at the Hoh River. The waters are a steely gray from the glacial melt.

Then we moved on to Elwha. We had read that the dam there was supposed to be discontinued to help increase the salmon population etc but I saw no evidence of it. There is a big dam to the left of this picture which keeps all the water from flowing down its natural path.

The dam didn't impress me so I took photos of insects instead.

Signs and Things

2008-09-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

These tsunami warning signs are all along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts (also Alaska and Hawaii). They were instituted after the tsunami in Indonesia which wiped out so many lives.

Nearby each warning sign is an evacuation route sign. He whakaaro pai tena. Good idea.

These 'hand sanitisers' are an even better idea. They must really cut down on the spread of disease where large groups use the facilities. We found them in regular park bathrooms but also the longdrops in remote areas that have no running water.

I liked these interpretive brochures. These are at the beginnings of some hiking trails to help understand the history of the area or the way the eco system works.

These are bear-proof garbage containers. Bears and even some people can't open them.

Ruby Beach - Aug 27

2008-09-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

We had a few days without the internet but this is where we travelled through a few days ago. Still in Washington, on the coast, this is Ruby Beach. A nice place with a lot of driftwood.

These rocks were actually part of the land but the ocean has worn around them, making separate formations.

Quinault Rainforest - Aug 26

2008-08-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Went hiking on the trails around the lake. Quinault has a large Native American reservation near the Olympic National Park. Apparently they actually control some of the usage in the park such as fishing etc at the lake as well as beach access on their own land which is by permit only. They also do bear guiding. We've been looking for bears but haven't seen a one. Though we did see a small herd of elk.

But as you walk through this rainforest, it is amazing to think that besides the local tribe, there were early settlers here from at least around the mid-1890s. They were given 160-acres each and told to clear 50% of the land. Most of them just couldn't hack the wet winters and clearing these oversized Sitka spruce trees. They are really incredibly large. But two families made it. One homestead is being restored and is viewable through a trail.

Here I am, standing in front of a fallen Sitka spruce. The root systems are so shallow that this must be a common occurance every winter. We were struck by the many, many trees that have fallen down - maybe due to heavy snows. Many of the trees have broken limbs - looking almost like amputees.

There are so many different berry plants in this forest. This is a wild blueberry growing close to the ground.

Although it seems to be a forest with plenty of food, we saw little evidence of birds or other animals. There should be robins and woodpeckers but we saw none. Is the wildlife in decline?

Welcome to Washington - Aug 25

2008-08-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Astoria Bridge - it's one of the longest bridges I've ever crossed. My co-pilot took this photo as we were driving. Washington is on the other side.

We drove through Raymond and saw some neat sculptures. If I have time I will upload more pictures later. But this is where we've ended up for two nights - Lake Quinault in the Olympic National Forest. This valley gets 12 ft of rain a year. I feel lucky that it's not raining now. It's sunny and warm and a good place to stay put.

Fish are jumping in this lake but we saw no one fishing.

We went on a walking trail in the evening. A few of the trees are incredibly mossy. Really liked it.
We've got lots of photos to upload - just a matter of time and a good wi-fi connection.

Oregon - Aug 24

2008-08-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Oregon coast

Well we made it to Brookings, Oregon and spent the night. Then, ended up travelling all the way up the coast. There were only a few spots that I felt compelled to stop at - and some of those, I actually just kept going. We drove through Tillamook - saw the big cheese factory - but not many cows. We wondered how they produced so much cheese with so few cows.

We pushed on to Astoria which is just at the border to Washington. A very impressive bridge marks the spot with huge ships travelling underneath.

Klamath - Aug 23

2008-08-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

At Klamath, one of the first things you see is the Yurok Tribal Center. It is a massive building. And on the way into town are signs with sayings in the Yurok language. This is definitely Yurok country.

Like most folks we stopped in at the Trees of Mystery. I didn't remember going there until I saw Paul Bunyon. We also went through the native American museum there which was quite good.

Then for $13.50 each we walk through the trees and took the gondola up through the forest to a lookout at Ted's Ridge. It was so foggy though that we didn't see much. I also noticed that there were no bird songs. But at the top we did watch an osprey land in its nest at the top of a tree.

We also saw this chipmunk feeding on berries on a shrub.

Prairie Creek - Aug 23

2008-08-23T22:22:00.001-07:00

We drove in toward the campground at Fern Canyon/Prairie Creek, looking for elk. The road is unpaved but firmly packed, and winds its way through an rejuvenating old growth redwood forest. The land had been logged for 100 years but was taken over by the government in 1991. We didn't see any elk deep in the forest but did on the way back out to the highway. There are several meadows where they graze and are easily seen. Also saw lots of beautiful dragonflies but they were too quick to get photos of.

This stag appeared to be the head of the herd. He is grazing among the many blackberry bushes around the meadow.

Redwood Creek Estuary - Aug 23

2008-08-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

Stayed the night in Eureka and continued our trek northward along the California coast today, stopping first at the Redwood Creek estuary. There is a really good visitors center here (pictured above) and a very, very short walk (w/c accessible) through the wetland.

It looks beautiful on the surface but the story of this place is one of radical change in the last 44 years which has rendered it a very dysfunctional habitat for salmon.

This place was inhabited by native Americans for thousands of years. The interpretation panel states that Yurok tribal elders said that the salmon were so plentiful that you could walk across the creek on the backs of the fish, and that they were as loud as horses.

In 1964, homes and farms at the creek were flooded badly and as a result, levees were built to force the creek to run directly into the ocean. Unfortunately this change means that sediment build-up from the ocean greatly reduces the viability of this habitat to sustain salmon, shore birds, and marine animals. Despite this, people still value and use the creek as a fishing ground.

Humboldt Bay Wildlife Refuge - Aug 22

2008-08-23T21:07:00.001-07:00

This was probably originally a coastal wetland but was more recently a cattle ranch. A waterway was made by dredging and damming. Now they have made it a refuge and are encouraging native plant growth in the habitat whilst managing the cattle in respect for that. We saw deer, egrets, sandpipers, sparrows and lizards thriving in this rejuvenating wetland. The loop track was a very easy 1.7 miles.

Avenue of the Giants - Aug 22

2008-08-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Avenue of the Giants was a nice drive. Lots of big, old redwoods. But have to say I found the drive to Fern Canyon more powerful. There the feeling of 'old growth redwoods' is everywhere.

Rest Area south of Laytonville - Aug 22

2008-08-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Chipmunks and jays were feeding on morsels left by a traveller at the parking area. Don't need to feed jays. Their numbers multiply and they may encroach on other less-prolific native birds.

Melissa Etheridge - Aug 20

2008-08-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

Forgot to mention that we went to see Melissa Etheridge at the Wells Fargo Arts Centre (formerly the Luther Burbank Arts Centre) in Santa Rosa. The crowd was on its feet from the moment she stepped onto the stage. It was a great show.

Update - Aug 22

2008-08-23T02:57:00.000-07:00

i'm in Eureka and uploading is taking forever so it may be awhile before i get more pictures up. We got sucked into the drive-through tree at ... ooh, forgot the name of the place - Legget? Then stopped at a rest stop outside of Laytonville that was really neat. Drove through the Avenue of the Giants. Then ended up at Humboldt Bay Wildlife Refuge where we saw lots of birds and deer.

My Home Town - Occidental, California - Aug 20

2008-08-23T01:54:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not this used to be a bare parking lot. Now, it is lush with vegetation.

St Philips Catholic Church

This was Harmony Union Elementary School. Now they are converting the sports field (what we used to call in the 'blacktop' in the 1970s) to homes; and the old classrooms to shops.

Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco - Aug 18

2008-08-23T01:11:00.000-07:00