Cape Alava - Int'l Coastal Cleanup

The past couple years I have had the privilege of participating in the Coastal Cleanup with Washington Coastsavers in the Spring time, little did I know there was an International  Coastal Cleanup that happens in the fall! Therefore, this past weekend Kelsie and I trekked out to Ozette to do our part in making the beach a cleaner destination. The last few times we've camped at Sand Point, the southern point of the Ozette Triangle, where we had either direction to choose from to explore and treasure hunt for every little misplaced item...although there is usually enough larger debris that searching wasn't like searching for Waldo. This weekend we opted for the northern point and camped up at Cape Alava.

I have only been here once before when I previously hiked the loop a few years back. An ideal benefit of Cape Alava versus Sand Point is that you can have a fire! This was a promising attribute to have this weekend as a big storm was predicted to come through. We never had a fire, even if we were to attempt to start one with whatever wet sticks we could find there was no way to keep it going as the beach was picked clean of most driftwood. Sure enough we had a wet 3.1 mile hike. Good thing we were suited up in our rain gear! It really wasn't a bad hike in, the boardwalk was a little slippery but thankfully neither of us slipped and we didn't see too many people on the trail or at the camp sites...only one other couple had camp set up; they were there the previous night and planned to stay through the weekend. They thanked us for sticking it out in the weather! Of course! We're beasts! ;)



With a friendly deer behind us

After quickly setting up camp to get all our gear stored somewhere dry there really wasn't much to do. The tree we took refuge under did its best to keep the rain out but ultimately we were drenched. There was no point in trying to brave the wind and rain to pick up trash Friday so we hung out under our tree and enjoyed the "view" and conversation. I decided this weekend I will buy some waterproof playing cards, it seems like a good idea for times like these.

Once the sun set (and let the record show we did, in fact, get a decent sunset) almost instantly the wet clothes stuck to my body and sucked out whatever heat they could. Thankfully I wasn't wearing cotton or I might have died! (ok I exaggerate) but it was REALLY cold! I don't know how Kelsie managed, she is such a trooper! She boiled us some water to fill our water bottles with and we cradled them like "water babies" as we wandered around to the next campsite just to check things out. Still only the one other couple camped out tonight. I don't think I have ever been more cold than I was Friday evening...when the water in our homemade heaters cooled down the shivers came for me! We called it a night and with Kelsie's help I was able to get dry and warm and we bunkered down for the night. It may be silly but a situation like that can definitely be life threatening. If anything worse were to happen we were lucky we were just a short walk from the car, on a trail manageable even in the dark...although it would have been tricky in the rain too! But everything turned out all right and I, for one, had a very pleasant sleep! Dry and warm...I love my little tent, it takes care of me!

Saturday was AMAZING! All we hoped for was a couple hours of sunshine, or at the very least no rain...we were rewarded for sticking it out through the night with an entire day of SUN! We were able to hang up all our wet gear to dry out and then with the clear skies we explored the beach and picked up some trash. We had to travel north a little ways because Cape Alava is gross. Well...not gross but the beach is covered in kelp there! Which along with it brings millions of sand fleas. It was like parting the water when we walked through as the bugs scattered at our feet, it was kind of smelly too.









Hiking along the beach up to the point we passed the ranger station, unmanned this weekend, and the Osett Memorial up on the edge of the Ozette Indian Reservation. The Osett Memorial is a small shack of a building with a giant plaque describing the area and the founding of the Makah Indian Nation...and the room is full of bones, many from larger animals like whales and seals!

Back on the beach we discovered a log, as far as size think of a telephone pole, washed up and covered in an unusual goose barnacles. They look like worms with little shells at the ends. The seagulls were having a field day with this one!

Once we gathered two bags full of trash each we tied them up to our packs and hiked them out to the trailhead. We were warmly greeted and pictures taken as the first of only 3 signed up parties for the cleanup at this location. Even though the turnout for Ozette wasn't as plentiful as it is in April, the couple manning the trailhead (I can't remember their names but they founded a coastal cleanup group that I also cannot remember the name of) were sure to catch every new day hiker and backpacker and have them sign in and take a bag to fill while they were out. Just about every hiker we passed had a bag and we saw them back out on the beach picking up! What a great sight!!





















On our hike back to  camp we also stopped at an old homestead, Ahlstroms Prairie. The barn is still in tact but if you venture farther into the spooky dark woods you will come across the remains of what is assumed to be the main house. It's maybe just under a mile from the beach and right off the boardwalk.

 

It was much nicer getting to bed Saturday night...it was dry! But sure enough the rain started and continued storming all through the night. IT never ceased come Sunday morning so we wasted no time packing up and heading home. This was the wettest hike I've ever done. We were soaked to the bone!! I was actually pruney from the hike! With everything soaked through and through we had to be creative if we wanted a dry ride home. Towels and long underwear made their debut as we fashioned outfits suitable for the drive.

Overall, even with the horrible rain, I would not have traded this weekend. It was a great way to spend my last weekend of the summer before school starts in a couple days and I am always glad to help out in any way I can! Of course getting out and doing some hiking with my friend is always a fun time!