Grays Harbor coastline this morning.

“Couldn’t we just [deleted] and go back to sleep?” Wayne, groaned, wistfully. We both knew better. It was 6:30 am. And dark.

Moonrise over Westport Marina, Grayland Washington.

We’re working our way home to Portland Oregon, where we expect to roost off Hayden Island, Jantzen Bay. This morning we left Westport Marina, Grayland, bound for Ilwaco, Washington.

Dawn as we left La Push, Washington, yesterday.

“That is one angry-looking sunrise,” Wayne observed. “Maybe the sun was protesting getting up, too,” I replied, knowing full well how much Wayne is not a morning person.

Dusk view from Quileute Marina, La Push Washington.

Yesterday’s sunrise was almost as spectacular from La Push, where we once again took our best guess at first light departure timing.

Dusk from La Push, WA.

Wayne described the La Push sunset as “World class.” I agree. We enjoyed from the window at River’s Edge Restaurant, for a rare meal out. We don’t fish. La Push is a fishing town. I figured it was the freshest salmon dinner I could get. It was. In the cozy warmth of the restaurant, I decided to enjoy the sunset without whipping my camera out. Even the far tamer view at dusk was still pretty spectacular.

Guardian gets a guardian on the NOAA boat next to us at Quileute Marina, La Push Washington.

Normally, we bolt from Neah Bay, cruise about 22 hours straight, cross the Columbia Bar and head into Astoria (or vice versa, on the way out).

Cape Flattery Lighthouse, between Neah Bay and La Push Washington.

This time, thanks to some amazing weather, Wayne’s working the rubik’s cube exercise on the best time to cross the Columbia Bar, we’re taking our time. Plus, like a child dwadeling over bedtime, we are reluctant to end this season’s cruising to tuck into the cave-like covered moorage in Portland Oregon.

These rocks off Cape Flattery reminded us of nature’s version of Easter Island’s statues.

Timing the tides, currents and available light, it’s been early to rise, up and out, several mornings in a row. 

Olympic mountains view from Port Angeles City docks.

Many of our most magnificent views were not capture-able by camera, like the whimsically named Graveyard of the Giants. But then, that’s what travel is all about, right? Otherwise, we could all just never leave our screens, and take in the world digitally. 

It is not the same as being there. If anything, this trip has intensified our desire to hike the Cape Flattery area, and wander the “enchanted” Elhouwa Valley.

Where has traveling inspired you to travel more deeply?

Oh — that “Red sky at morning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night sailor’s delight.”? Wive’s tale. Those fiery sunrises have been just as much a delight — other than our sleepy eyes getting a bit fried from the sunshine.

Rough guess on a Google Maps satellite view of our location at this posting.

Location Location
At the moment, we’re two and a half hours outside Grayland, Washington, bound for Ilwaco, by Astoria (N46 43.5 W124 11.8). We still have wifi.