I set off at 8:30, the weather was overcast and a little chilly, but the chill soon disappears once you start moving. You just have to keep moving, otherwise it finds its’ way back, chillier than ever.

One of the defining characteristics of the Lake Ozette trails is the boardwalks. Much of the landscape is soft and boggy and the boardwalks allow for easy traveling without the need for muck boots. The only downside is that over the years the cedar planking starts to get old and tired and in many places quite slippery. Couple that with the framework gradually rotting away and several sections of the boardwalk have developed a sideways slant that makes for some interesting navigation. I can imagine that if you have a large heavy pack, your feet can shoot out from underneath you quite easily.

About 2 miles in, I passed the Olympic Trail Crew. They were all set up for a hard days work, tearing up the old sections of boardwalk and replacing it with a framework to be filled with gravel. I noticed that it seemed like about half the boardwalk was marked for replacement. The new gravel paths will be easier to walk on, but I’ll be sorry to see the boardwalks phased out.

Blue huckleberries

The blueberries and blue huckleberries were out like mad as well. I picked probably a quart to eat. They were delicious. There’s something about fresh fruit right off the bush that just can’t be kept in place through the produce line.

Once I reached the beach I was surprised to find the shore covered in about 4 inches of rotting seaweed. I guess it is that time of year, but it really took away from the majesty of the coast. It reeked and was a pain to walk in. Notice the crow in the picture below. It completes the ominous, creepy scene.

Oh well. I started out north along the beach and shortly come to the old Makah – Ozette Ranger Station. Adjacent to the ranger station is the Osett Memorial. Scattered about within the old cedar building are many bones. Whale vertebrae and ribs, deer skulls, beads and various other artifacts. There’s a bronze memorial plaque as well: Click for larger view

Further up the beach the seaweed carpet gave way to a loose gravel shore. My goal was to get to the mouth of the Ozette River and then return, but I was too busy exploring the various campsites scattered in the tree line that by the time I reached the point just south of the river, it was starting to rain and I had to be back in town in time to pick up the kids to take them home. The weather was dreary, the tide was high, and it was just a generally uninspiring trip overall.

Making my way back south, I found a rather large pile of bear sign. The bears have been enjoying the bountiful berries in the area, thats for sure.

Also, its a rare occasion to visit this area and not see deer. Today was no exception.

The trip back was uneventful. I gathered up a couple more handfuls of berries to munch on and stopped for a minute to chat with the trail crew replacing the worn out sections of boardwalk. They seemed intent on their work, though, so I left them to their task.

On another note, today I was wearing my new Rail Riders shirt that I got from Mickey of Eco-Planet Adventures. Swing by and check out what he is offering: A guided adventure trip to the Amazon. Let him know I sent you.

This is a wonderful shirt;  super lightweight, breathable, tough and has his logo on the front and back. I really like it. It was a bit chilly on this day, so I had long sleeves on underneath as well, but I can see how this shirt would be wonderful on a warmer, more humid trip.

When I got back to the car, my feet were uncharacteristically sore. I’m not sure what was up with me today, but the whole trip I just felt blah and uninspired. My back hurt and my legs were stiff; they never really felt warmed up. I haven’t been out since then, and I know I need to. I need to break out of this funk and get moving again.

I’ll let you know how it goes.