A quick little getaway for a few days of my Spring Break, Don and I are vacationing at a condo on Birch Bay which is part of the Puget Sound. To say we were at the beach would be a misnomer. Around here if one says they are going to the coast they mean the Pacific Ocean. Often we will use the term coast and beach interchangeably. Though technically speaking there is a beach here on Birch Bay with mostly mid-sized smooth rocks and very little sand. There are tides, high and low, but only small waves. The Puget Sound is not just a part of the Pacific Ocean, it is a body of water unto itself with it's own characteristics. For example, it is salt water but not as salty as the ocean. Technically speaking it is the second largest estuary in the United States after Chesapeake Bay. Though we know what it means, we don't use the term "shore" unless we are referring to a particular type of bird like a seagull, which would be a shore bird or as a geographical note such as the shoreline. But when we visit our friends in New Jersey and they ask us if we'd like to go to that shore we know they mean the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike at the ocean, the Puget Sound is relatively protected by land so picnics and camping aren't one big sand fight due to the winds we experience at the coast.
Today Don and I took a walk along the shoreline. The tide was coming in, but gently. Don had his big camera and took some interesting shots of the rocks, the sea life, and detritus. I searched for interesting rocks to take home to add to a pile of rocks there.
 |
| Check out the little red dot on this seagulls beak. It is supposed to be there. |
 |
| My rock collecting bag. |
 |
| "Danger. Keep Off".... Then why is there a bench on this dangerous pier? |
 |
| Detritus 1 |
 |
| Waterlogged snag |
 |
| Detritus 2 |
 |
| A view of the rocky beach |
 |
| Shore birds |
I love that area. I grew up on the east side of Washington. I completely get the 'shore' 'beach' thing, as my friend in PA says shore all the time.
ReplyDeleteOnly thing is we've heard folks in Spokane who refer to Seattle as "the coast." Hum, no it isn't. The coast is Ocean Shores or Long Beach.
DeleteI am in love with Washington state. Sometime in the next year or two, I plan to move there. I'm originally from San Francisco area, but there's something about the nature in WA!!
ReplyDeleteYes, we really have lovely natural elements on our state, but be prepared for a lot of rain.
Delete