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This was the third year that the Washington
Alpine Club has participated as a club in
the annual Beach Cleanup. We had an excellent turnout and unbelievable
weather!The Beach Cleanup was the idea of a
gentleman
named Jan Klippert. He was hiking the Olympic Coast and noticed a variety of
debris that had washed up on the beaches. The current across the Pacific
Ocean carries objects from as far away as Asia! Jan went home and started
making phone calls. He now has a growing annual event with over 500 volunteers
participating, as well as the Park Service, Cities of Port Angeles, and
Forks, and even the Makah Indian Nation. The WAC is also one of the
sponsors.
 |
Ben Altizer and Michael
Sheehan with a load at Jefferson Cove. Ben has big piece of styrofoam.
It's low tide, at high tide the water is all
the way to the trees! |
The Trailhead at Oil City is at the end of a dirt road,
at the Olympic National Park boundary. There is no city, nor any oil, at Oil
City. At one time it was a drilling prospect. Now it is only a place in the
Hoh Rain Forest, at the mouth of the Hoh River, that begins it’s journey
high above on the glaciers of Mount Olympus. Oil City is an ugly name for a
beautiful place. The silver lining in the name Oil City? It helps keeps
folks away! Ruby Beach sounds much more inviting, but isn't really..
It is less than two miles to the Hoh Beach and the
Pacific Ocean. We set up camp above the high water line, sheltered from the
wind by big driftwood logs. We had a group kitchen area, and the tents
dispersed.
 |
Michael and Florence Sheehan
on the bottom of a huge tree that washed up on the beach! |
Hoh Beach is interesting in that large amount of logs
and driftwood accumulate on the beach each winter. They wash down the Hoh
River, and are deposited on the beach by the high storm tides. Each year the
beach is different as logs and wood are washed away or redeposited. What is
a sandy beach one year, might be a huge pile of logs the next.
With low tide at 10:30 am our group immediately
traveled North along the beach and cobbles around Diamond Head to Jefferson
Cove. Jefferson Cove is a scenic 1 mile stretch of sandy beach, perfect for
laying out, volleyball, or soccer.
 |
What do you get when the
beach is clean? A homemade Macadamia
Nut Brownie from Florence! |
Armed with trash bags we picked up floats,
styrofoam,
plastic bottles, rope, pieces of fishing nets, and an old propane tank. The
styrofoam is the worst, as it continues to break down into smaller and
smaller pieces. Our only interesting finds were a water bottle from Japan,
and an Arabic Coke can. The Japanese Glass Floats are still found
occasionally along our Ocean, but not near as many as in times past.
 |
Our cache site at the ladder
at the end of Jefferson Cove.
Mike, Doerte, Victor, Joelle, Bentley,
Elden, and Florence. |
We carried all our bags to the far North end of the
beach where we made a big cache high above the High Tide Line. Jan will
arrange a vessel and a Zodiac to come and pick up all the backcountry caches.
At the North end of Jefferson Cove is some wonderful
tide pools at low tide. This is also the place where a ladder takes hikers
off the beach to the trail that goes over the impassable Hoh Headland to
Mosquito Creek. 17 miles, two creek crossings, a waterfall, and two other
Headlands later hikers exit at Third Beach.
 |
Elden and Bentley Altizer
getting ready to hike out on Sunday morning.
Look at that blue sky! No clouds! |
Our Team headed back to Hoh Beach, anxious to get
around Diamond Head before the rising tide left us stranded on the wrong
side for 12 hours. We were happy to meet the Sargent family, and Lee and
Shawn Parsons, who were working Hoh Beach. At camp, we had lunch, and time to relax for the
afternoon.
 |
Victor and Joelle rounding
Diamond Head with the rising tide. The high was 7.5'
That is Hoh Head in background. It is
impassable at all water levels. Hikers must take the trail overland. |
Michael and Florence Sheehan,
and, Lee and Sean Parsons hiked out, carrying a
bag of debris to the Trailhead. We were all sad to see them leave so soon.
Everything collected on the Hoh Beach had to be hauled out to the Trailhead
for pickup by volunteers from Port Angeles. We left them a large load of 12
bags, a tire, and 2 propane tanks.
 |
What do you do when it is a
hot day in April and you're at the Olympic Beach? Go for a swim! Besides
Doerte, all of the boys got in the water.
Doerte taking the plunge! |
Evening saw the team have some great fun! Some of us
ate some fresh mussels. Chris kept a pocketful of fresh mussels and would
cook them to order! We saw three seals in the water, and two Bald Eagles
perched in the Sika Spruce high above. The lighthouse far offshore on
Destruction Island came on exactly at sunset. We made a big bon fire to
signal passing ships and enjoyed smores, popcorn and other treats. The Moon
in its first quarter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn was visible as well as the Big
Dipper, and other stars.
A leisurely morning and then a leisurely hike out on
Sunday. A grand time was had by all. Jeff Sargent suggested that the trip be
extended to three days next year!
Thanks to Jan Klippert for organizing this huge event.
Thanks to Victor, Joelle, Elden, Bentley, Michael and Florence, Lee, Sean,
John, Tami, Tim, Jeff, Chris, and Doerte for taking time out to participate
in the cleanup!
 |
The Sargent Family! Jeff,
Tami, Tim, Chris, and John. After a
leisurely Sunday morning we all packed up and headed out! |
For more information on visiting the wild Olympic Coast:
http://www.nps.gov/olym/wic/coast.htm
|
