Bald Eagle

Sequim, WA – Part 1

August 10, 2009

Our plan today was to drive into Olympic National Park for some hiking but the mountains were socked in with fog so we decided instead to get acquainted with the small city of Sequim (‘skwim’) where we are staying.

Fog at John Wayne Marina - Sequim Bay

Fog at John Wayne Marina - Sequim Bay

Sequim lies at the foot of the Olympic Mountains along the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a 50 mile wide salt water channel that connects Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean and separates Washington State in the USA from Vancouver Island in Canada.

Eagle Fly-By Over The Cliffs At Dungeness Spit

Bald Eagle Fly-By at the Cliffs Next to Dungeness Spit

Because it’s within the rain shadow of the mountains, the Sequim prairie receives an average of only 15 inches of rain per year. That would be a near-desert climate if it weren’t for the fogs and cool breezes that come in from the Strait. Just 40 miles away on the west side of the mountains, the Hoh Rain Forest receives ten times as much rain.

A Tidal Estuary near Three Crabs Road

A Tributary of the Dungeness River Enters Dungeness Bay near Three Crabs Road

{ 2 comments }