Camping and Backpacking Adventures

Since we are sticking around for our kitchen remodel this summer, we decided to just go on a close but new adventure for our camping trip this year; the Olympic Peninsula & WA coast.  Adam grew up going to Salt Creek just west of Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula.  It's right on the Straight of Juan de Fuca and looks directly across to Vancouver Island.  It has a great place to explore the tidal pools during low tide.  It was supposed to be in the mid-eighties in the sound around Bellingham and Seattle but out here, we got caught in a COLD fog bank for almost the whole time! Once I got over the fact that we were not going to see the sun and that I had barely packed enough warm clothes, we had a GREAT time. Susan and Mark joined us for most of the time too. 

Our view of the fog bank- we should have seen Vancouver Island the whole time. 

exploring the tunnels

Castle rock!

Hello?

Checking it out with Grammie Susan!

Corbin loved checking out all the tide pools. He was quite the expert by the time we left. Budding scientists! 

He also loved just watching the waves and water. 

Sometime we even get brother and sister snuggles. Here he was helping Eliza calm down after an epic melt down about being cold! 

Checking out the bunkers

Hot dogs on sticks!

So glad Susan could join us. 

Adam and his dad!

Another budding scientist! 

Climbing up to the big island during low tide. 

Hello from the foggy top!

You can just barely see them up amongst the trees!

Making friends and wearing mermaid costumes ( you wonder why she was cold??)!

Finally the day we left, it cleared up! 

Looking north to Vancouver Island!

Then the biggest part of our adventure! Taking our kids back packing for the first time! Out on the Olympic National Park coast, there is a trail that is only 3 miles out to the beach along mostly boardwalk and flat trail. We figured this would be a good place to start- flat, short, and easy with great rewards at the end! Adam and I had not been back packing since 2007! So it was good for us too. It took us longer to get ready changing from car camping into our back packing mode and packing But we finally arrived at the trail head. Corbin borrowed a pack that used to be Uncle Neal's. It was a bit big but we filled it with his sleeping bag, pad, clothes, and tent stakes! He said it was heavy but not as heavy as Adam's! Adam had our whole tent, his sleeping bag/pad and Eliza's AND 2 bear canisters with almost all the food! I have been battling a bad back and was very nervous about it hurting (which it had been the whole time car camping) and then carrying a big load. It was heavy but it was managable. 

Eliza took her school bag with her clothes. 

Here we go! 

first break!

 The kids did GREAT! We brought some lemon drop candy and used it when things were getting tough. We took our time but it was getting late...so we didn't have quite the unlimited time we had imagined.  Corbin started to get really tired near the end and said he wanted to stop but then we heard the waves and finished! He was pretty excited! 

Waiting for Adam and Eliza to find a site for us. It was dinner time....

"I am floating without my pack on!"

 Adam and Eliza found us a great spot with an ocean view, complete with a driftwood fort! Even though it was a bit foggy, it was so much warmer than Salt Creek!

Two growling raccoons!

Our ocean side view!

camp kitchen- complete with table made from drifting trash. 

Mac and Cheese for dinner please!

The site was perfect. The kids played the whole time, right in our site while we made dinner, read, or just hung out. 

After dinner, it was low tide and we checked out the tidal pools again. 

Why not explore the tidal pools in your mermaid dress? It is the ocean, of course!

Waiting for the sunset

Family Selfie on- top of the hill!

Sunset!

 The next day we went around the bend and checked out the big, flat, sandy beach. Perfect for sand castle building! 

While the built, I enjoyed the sun, the view, and my book!

Builders!

Being "mommy!"

Then they waited and watched the waves knock it down!

Tons of rolling in the sand!

Balancing!

 We had so much fun! I could have stayed one more day. The sun came out, it was warm, the kids played great, we read, watched the sunset and enjoyed the whole time!

Corbin's pack wasn't any lighter on the way back...unlike ours!

Ah, this was my pack from high school... almost 20 years old! 

Just before this mermaid had a melt down about having to tie up her dress so she wouldn't trip!

I am so proud of us! I love our little family!

Headed home

These two did amazing! I am so impressed! They did it! We did it! 

Yay! We made it to the parking lot! It took us longer but we did it!

Some kids were a little tired!

It was so much fun! We were tired, dirty, smelled, but proud, happy, content, and so glad we did it!