While the rest of Seattle gathered in front of their TV’s last weekend to cheer on the Seahawks, Aubrey and I escaped to the Olympic coast to watch the hawks by the sea. To be fair, there weren’t any hawks, but we did see bald eagles, sea otters, surfing sea lions, and – to our delight – no people (for a 24 hr period)! We spent most of our time collecting driftwood, roasting it (to dry it out), and enjoying the the warmth of our campfire.

Me, roasting driftwood. Photo by Aubrey.

Along the way, we found some fascinating and colorful sand, which originated from tiny garnet (pink) and olivine (green) gemstones found in the igneous rocks that make up the olympic coastline. Although the colors may look bizarre, they are real!

Click image for larger view!

Wilderness Coast, Olympic National Park, Washington

Sandtasy : Prints Available

Naturally colored sand along the wilderness coast of Washington's Olympic National Park. The pinks and purples are powderized garnet, and the greens olivine.

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One Comment to “A Sandy Fantasy – Olympic Coast”

  1. Haijo de Jong says:

    Lucky guys you are, that you are able to go into nature in the neighbourhood of where you are living. I admire your photos and enjoy the beauty of the landscapes and nature you catch.
    All the best to you,
    regards,
    Haijo