Friday Favourites: By the Shore

 

The sun shone this morning and it was a good day to do something different. We visited two spots on the water, Sandcut Beach and Fishboat Bay. Two places not very far apart on the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but they couldn't be more different.

Walking through the forest was a wee bit chilly, but full of fresh woodsy smells. A choir of birdsong floated down through the tree canopy as we walked. I used the Merlin app to find out just which birds were singing. Pacific Wren, Brown Creeper, Western Flycatcher, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, and the ubiquitous American Robin. The birds were high above us and we didn't see one of them. 

We rounded a corner on the trail and met this fellow, created with a bit of charcoal and two white rocks in old springboard notches. The notches were created long ago to hold a piece of wood out from the trunk to stand on while cutting the tree. I learned today that often the bottom of a tree is where the knots are, so loggers would cut the stumps quite high, hence the need for a springboard. 

Soon we heard the sound of waves rolling up onto the shore, but the sun was hidden by patches of fog obscuring most of the view. A Belted Kingfisher stood on a rock in the water, perhaps waiting for the sun to come out so he could go fishing. They are such quick birds and rarely in one spot for any length of time but this particular bird sat for a long time. 

Sandcut Creek winds its way to the ocean on a shelf 12-15 feet (4-5 metres) above the shoreline and then falls onto the tumbled rocks below. The flow varies with much more water in winter and just a trickle by late summer. 

This beach is a rocky one with curves and hills formed by the water. The smoothly rounded loose rock takes some effort to walk on, and there was little sand. 

We clambered up above the falls and walked upstream along the creek bed. Round pools and channels have been carved out by the water over time. We were startled by a dog who came from the woods barking loudly at us. A trail led to the creek and we could see the roof of a building in the woods, so I assume someone was living there. The dog was watchful, but not threatening. Still, we decided not to venture any further. 

Just down the road at Fishboat Bay the water looked almost tropical in the sunshine.  

A few patches of fog hung over the water, but the beach was clear. In contrast to the rocks at Sandcut Beach, here was beautiful smooth sand. It would be perfect for lounging on a warm day, or bringing children to enjoy the sand and sea. 

The tall pilings are the remnants of a dock where fishing boats came ashore, hence the name of the Bay. 

In sunny patches along the roads daisies bloom along with blackberry bushes and orange poppies. Summer weather seems to be settling in now, and for that I am very happy. 

I'm looking forward to -

* evenings on the patio

* bouquets of roses and sweet peas and dahlias

* summer food - watermelon, hearty salad dinners, and fresh fruit

* not wearing a sweater

What are you anticipating in the next months, be it summer or winter?