Olympic Beaches and Beachcombing Museum - July 2024

Olympic Beaches and Beachcombing Museum - July 13, 2024

Saturday we were up and packed, before the rest of the campground arose, to head to the west side of Olympic. Pro Tip: even if you have offline maps, connect, if only for a short time, when you can get data or wifi to get the latest route recommendation. Today, Google offline picked a barely shortcut onto highway 108, but it was closed for a detour. There was a lot of construction in WA. The detour signs were horrible/non-existent. We definitely went far out of the way for the shortcut. In other places, we hit 5 or 6 one-lane roads where one lane stopped and waited. Luckily, shorter than those in Colorado. 

Our first stop was Kalaloch area where the Ranger's office said open, there was a Ranger in there at the desk that would not acknowledge me, and other current events on a sign, but it said to get a stamp at the Inn. We then opted to try to make the low tide at Rialto Beach, skipping Ruby Beach -- hard call, at 11:46 am so drove up there. However, I was not brave enough to park there; it was packed -- parking on the road with the lots full and just being used to turn around and to get out! Travis then parallel parked on the side of a hill, which made me very nervous -- I also could not get out of the car safely. The guy he parked behind was directing with a circular motion. I noted good thing that I was not parking because I could not translate that signal; Travis did not know it either. The guy was being nice, but sorry, we did not get it. We started hiking toward Hole in the Wall but did not think that we make it before the tide came in, so turned back.  

There was a pretty island/peninsula that came out from the fog a little. It was crazy how foggy/cloudy it was at the beach and at sea and then further inland -- sun. We saw pelicans and seagulls.

After the beach, we went to Forks, now known for the vampire movies. We saw two venues with vampire movie displays with people waiting outside. We went to John's Beachcomber Museum; Travis's Mom came across it in an article before we left for WA. It is $10 pp and said only cash and also Venmo now, open 11am-5pm. John very friendly, took questions, and shared info. He was telling another group that he has beachcombed for 40 years and goes about once a week now. The bottom floor was for items found off the coast of WA and upstairs from another beachcomber and from Galveston, TX. His wife has gone some too and also made art from some items. He has some amazing finds -- from a tsunami in Japan, WWII, containers spills/lost from the barge, mammoth tooth, etc. There was finds everywhere; I think, though we tried, that we probably only saw/noticed 40-50%. 

The story of the volleyball (below) from a Japan tsunami is on Amazon Prime; John worked with them to make the film.

We then drove back toward the ocean to 3 Rivers Resort. This campground was more expensive and promised showers and laundry, so I had high expectations. When checking in though, we learned that the showers cost $2 in quarters for 4 minute shower. I'm too slow for 4 minutes. I expected for $39 camping and how the shower was mentioned on the website that it was be included. I got lucky; the women's shower was broken (the connection between the pay station on the wall and shower turn on), so I got a free and unlimited time shower. I thought that I brought enough quarters for Travis but only had $1.50 after all. He got change in the store. This shower was halfway through our camping. We were issued a keycard for the shower and indoor plumbing restroom. The shower was nice with shelves inside, hooks outside, and places on the floor outside that stayed dry. The restroom was also nice, but only one stall and sink, where you could lock the full space when two things could be done at the same time. I did not lock anyone out and was not locked out. Travis said he did lock the men's. It was also far from our campsite. Around the campground, they had port-a-potties that I avoided and was not what I was sold. The campground also included wifi, which was helpful, though did drop frequently. 

Our location was nice, backing up to a forest. However, this was the loudest campground with air horns at night, loud groups, and somewhere in the distance gunshots.

Next up...North side of Olympic National Park

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