And made it to the Willapa boat launch right before sunset.. we cruised the swells as the Magic Hour descended upon the surrounding scenery:
Justin manned the stern, I ladied the bow. We had to engage our ripped triceps to the maxx as the Lady was loaded down with essential supplies (see: beer, mosquito headnets, firewood, and hammock).
We passed an eerie convocation of balls. At first I thought 20 angry harbor seals were moving in formation towards us, but much to my relief it was just a random pack of spheroids:
Landed on the shores of Long Island, a strip of uninhabited beach forest between the Long Beach Peninsula and the mainland. It's beautiful. And desolate.. except for the bears, woodpeckers, swifts, and elk. And traveling clam farmers.
And the Bonker Trail.. a strange loop through a forest of mammoth stumps. Giganterrific! It's like walking amongst dinosaurs.
We combed beaches, stared at rocks, made a campfire, cooked food, read out loud to each other about Banana Slugs, Wolverines, and Giardia, and hiked through the forest. And look what Trospy found hiding in the rocks..
..could that be an arrowhead?? Second only in treasure-finding awesomeness to those elusive glass fishing boat floats? The consensus is 'inconclusive', though the chips around the sides definitely look human made. Archaeology!
We left Long Island to hike around Leadbetter point, which ends in a vast and beautiful beach, home to the endangered Snowy Plover. Then it was off to Astoria to gorge ourselves silly (once again) at the Columbian Cafe. We walked along the docks trying to digest our crab cakes, beer bread, prosciutto-wrapped mahi mahi, fried green tomatoes, homeade fettucine, wine and espresso cocktails, and then collapsed in a satisfied pile at the motel. I forgot to take pictures, as I was too busy stuffing myself. The next day we had a breakfast of almond croissants, egg sandwiches, and coffee, followed by a snack of various danish baked goods, and topped off with a picnic featuring some of the most delicious wine-maple smoked salmon I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. I'm full.
