What a gorgeous sunny weekend we had here in Puget Sound! And, what a change it was from mid-week, when we had a few snow flurries. We decided to take advantage of the sunshine and head out onto into the country for a drive and a canoe paddle in Thurston County.
Frye Cove, on the westside of Eld Inlet is a pleasurable place to lazily paddle and explore. There are little mid-inlet coves and southern tidal estuaries, perfect places to explore.
Bluffs rim most of this area of Puget Sound. Many bluffs are made of glacial and interglacial sediments - layers of sand, cobble, and clay. Eroding bluffs provide most of the building materials and nesting places for shorebirds. You can see lots of holes in the wall-facings, where birds have had nests. Sediment or eroded "bluff stuff" drops to the base of the bluffs, where it is gradually carried along the shore by wind and waves. These bluff sediments help build shore forms such as spits, tombolos, and barrier beaches.
The tide was out about 30 feet when we set out, so the beach was rich with shells. This area had submerged mesh traps for clams and mussels. The area boasts Butter Clams, Eastern Soft-shell, Bent Nose, Manila Clams, Mussels, and Pacific Oysters. During our entire paddle we saw a number of small fishing operations along the bank, but very few homes. The cliffs along the shoreline had become compromised, with many of the old trees plunged into the water, covered in barnacles.
We had a very tranquil, sunny paddle, with gentle water. At one point I had to remove my coat as I got too warm. I was certainly counting my blessings - thinking that most people don't do this kind of thing, just glide along the water's edge to enjoy the day. George and I talked about the benefits of getting out into nature, of taking time away from the rush of activities, to gear down, and appreciate where we live. After five years of paddling together almost every weekend, we've got a system together, to manage all kinds of water conditions, weather, and portaging. Very little of it even requires much consultation - it is done instinctively now, keeping words to a minimum. I like this, because the sounds of nature are waiting to be heard.
We paddled close to shore, so the images underwater were quite clear. As we approached the Frye Cove State Park a little boy was walking with his father along the shoreline. They waved to us from the hillside, and the boy said to his dad, "Hey Dad, look! They're on their honeymoon!"
