Kayaked out from Hobuck Beach on the Makah reservation for several days of solo paddling on the Olympic coast in late June. Circled Cape Flattery and shot down to Shi Shi my first night for a evening to take in the sights at point of arches… and listen to the ocean wind and waves. The scene is the last flashes of light on the channeled rocks at the point with a cluster of dark sea stacks in the distance.… The interesting geology a work of time, plate tectonics and ancient coastal glaciers meeting the edge of the pacific ocean.
What a fantastic and refreshing trip with fair winds for my outrigger w paddle and spinnaker. I met other explorers along the way… of several species. Lol.. Curious sea lions, singing oyster catchers, herons, osprey and some other sun soaked travelers with big smiles and DSLRs in hand. This stretch of coast is one of Washington states hidden gems.
Photography at the point is fantastic. The sea stacks and glacial grooved rock formations at the end of Shi Shi beach present wonderful foreground and background elements. The tides are constantly moving back and forth across the rocks and the skies off the coast create great atmospheric variance. The results is a full pallet of components for creating great landscape images and for experiencing the coastal environment. Take some time to explore the area if you go before your evening and morning shoots.
This trip is not for novice kayakers, period. The journey is offshore and winds can pickup easily turning your trip into a very challenging experience unless you are prepared and physically fit. Neither Shi Shi and Hobuck beaches have an area free of shore break so you have to surf the break to shore. If you are skilled it’s a blast! But be aware I was the only kayaker landing the beach… no one else tried it. I did notice that the beach just beyond the point had little or no break with a South Easter so you may be able to land there if the main beach is to dicey just be careful of the rocks. If in doubt just hike in.
I had the great fortune of camping out in the Hopi Nation a few months back during one of my solo photographic expeditions last year. Soaking in the surreal sights and sounds of the painted desert. During the cooler months when you can trek without melting and most of the rattlesnakes are dreaming of summer. Lol.. This scene is the last light of day on rock formations (in the wastelands) with clouds overhead. What a fantastic eerie place to explore. Highly recommended. Watched the stars from a nearby mesa that night and listened to coyotes bay… just what I was hoping for.
The variety of hues in the sandstone and mudstone layers is the result of the varying mineral content in the sediments and the rate at which the sediments were laid down. When sediments are deposited slowly, oxides of iron and (hematite) aluminum become concentrated in the soil. These concentrations create the red, orange, and pink coloration. During a rapid sediment buildup such as a flooding event, oxygen is removed from the soil forming the blue, gray, and lavender layers.
The Hopi Nation (Hopituskwa) is a 1.5 million acre reservation located in northeast Arizona. The Hopi people have the longest authenticated history of occupation of a single area by any Native American tribe in the United States. Thought to have migrated north out of Mexico around 500 B.C. they speak a Uto-Aztecan language. The Hopi are believed to have descended from Ancient Pueblo Peoples (Hopi: Hisatsinom or Navajo: Anasazi) who constructed the large complexes in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado. They lived along the Mogollon Rim which forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, from the 12th–14th century.
Happy 100th Birthday to our National Parks!! Thanks for helping us protect and maintain our natural wonders and wild spaces. For the diversity of species we share them with, us and future generations. .
In celebration of the 100 year landmark the National Parks are granting free admittance August 25-28:
https://www.nps.gov/subj…/centennial/birthday-invitation.htm
Nature Photography Journals and Photographic Insights of Photographer Jeff McGraw
Wild and Free 