Journeys: Pacific Coast - Highway 101

     It rained during the night. I slept extremely well for the first time in two nights and decided to sleep in as long as possible. I had breakfast and was back at Rialto Beach by 10:30 a.m. I was looking forward to the day's hike and set off. I had the idea to hike to the Chilean Memorial near Cape Johnson where the map indicated there might be a nice cove. About a mile into the hike I came across a headland and a feature named Hole in the Wall. The Hole in the Wall was not so much a hole, but a window through the cliffed out headland looking upon the ocean. It struck me as a piece of natural beauty and thought it would glow nicely in the evening sun. Shortly after Hole in the Wall the hiking changed from sandy beach to headland rock scampering. I came across an older man resting on a rock. He had a Nikon camera and was wearing a silver watch. I asked him how his day was and what he thought about the cove that I was destined for. He recommended a point just south of the cove where he enjoyed taking photos of mussel and kelp beds. I looked out to the ocean and only saw a small island with two miniature mountain peaks connected by a saddle. Where was the point? Oh, the island was the point. The point was connected to the beach by a line of rocks accessible when the tide was out. It was 2:00 p.m. The tide was due in at 4:30 p.m. I debated my odds of being stranded with the old man. He thought I would surely and unfortunately be stranded. I agreed, but replied that it was all part of the adventure then set off directly for the point.
     I reached the rocks leading to the point and began hopscotching my way out. I was standing on a rock halfway to the point when I stopped to take a look around. Lapping water broke my wandering thoughts and I realized that the tide was coming and the passage to the point was closing. Exciting! I  leapt from rock to rock reaching the point in time to turn around and watch my exit disappear under water. It was 2:20p.m. The tide would be highest at 4:30p.m. I wondered how long I would be stranded on the now island, but pushed those thoughts aside and started exploring. I scrambled 50 yards up the steep saddle linking the two miniature mountain peaks. The slippery rocky slope rewarded me with one of my favorite views and photos of the entire road trip.

View from the island/point.

     I lounged in the saddle laying in the grass enjoying the view. It was rather windy in the saddle and soon I was cold. I down climbed to the rock and sand beach lining the perimeter of the island and walked to the west side of the island. There were a few small rock pinnacles and I had some fun killing time and climbing to the top of each one. At the top of the highest pinnacle I sat and watched a small boat bobbing in the waves out past the furthest sea stacks. The waves were so big that each time the boat was in a trough it would vanish from sight! I traversed out a band of rocks away from the island as far as I dared and took photos of crashing waves. I was hungry and clambered up the side of the island to a sheltered spot and had lunch. After lunch I returned to the east side of the island and took a nap on a rock. When I woke it was 6:00 p.m. and the island was starting to block the sun. It became quite cold. My exit was still completely covered in water. I returned to the saddle and sat in the sun trying to stay warm. The wind in the saddle drove me away again and I returned to the beach and stood by the closed exit jumping up and down to stay warm. I could see the tops of rocks re-emerge from the water as the tide slowly went out. It was like watching paint dry. Around 7:30 p.m. I took my chances and started skipping across rocks just poking out of the water. I was 50 yards out when the water surged recovering my escape. Water spilled into my boots and I was immediately soaked. Frustrated I looked at my feet and cursed the ocean. When I looked up again still standing in ankle deep water I saw a sea otter swimming on his back staring back at me. Was that rock on his belly? Seeing the otter lifted my spirits. The surged went out and I hopped my way back to the mainland.
     The sun was sinking and the golden hour was fast approaching. I was far from Hole in the Wall and started to run. I ran all the way to Hole in the Wall and good thing too for I made it just in time. I took photos as the sun glowed on the rock making quite an image. Surprisingly exhausted from laying around on an island for five hours I made it back to my truck and returned to my random trailhead parking lot for the night.

Hole in the Wall catches the evening sun.

HDR sunset near Rialto Beach, WA.