Sailboats on Puget Sound

Despite the bustling metropolis built along its shores, the Salish Sea remains a wild place, with quiet nooks and crannies where otters play and sailboats ply the gentle ocean waters of Puget Sound. Anchored in serene bays, or drifting down swirling channels of life infused tidal flow, one may well think that the age of sail never truly left this corner of the world.

 

Sounds of Silence in the Pacific Northwest Forest

Take a moment to listen to the silence of the quiet forest, the rush of a distant river, the call of a Pacific Forest Wren, and the tumbling jubilant of a singing woodland brook. The forests of the Pacific Northwest offer a serene escape for the ears and mind.

Swimming with Poisonous Rough Skinned Newts

Below the waters of even the most murky of woodland ponds dwell one of the worlds most poisonous animals, the Rough Skinned Newt. These Pacific Northwest amphibians have knobbly backs, bright orange bellies, and excrete a poison 10,000 times more toxic than cyanide that is similar to that of the infamous Japanese Puffer Fish or Poison Dart Frogs. So long as you are not so dimwitted as to swallow one, the Rough Skinned Newt is a fascinating and innocuous creature to observe.

A Swarm of Sand Dollars in the Salish Sea

The floor of shallow inlets of the Sallish Sea play host to a spectacle of nature when Sand Dollars gather in their thousands. These odd creatures live as long as 13 years, and feed upon all manner of detritus, cleaning the water of the ocean on an impressive scale. They are a vital part of the aquatic ecosystem.

 

#ThroughMyWindow Video Challenge!

If you're one of the millions of people like me stuck at home in quarantine or practicing social distancing, than also like me you probably need something to take your mind off the pandemic and all the other problems that are facing us in these troubled times.

Join me in making the best of a bad situation by participating in the #ThroughMyWindow video challenge. The rules are simple - film a video entirely from within your home of the world outside.

Barrier Falls on Gnat Creek

In the quiet hills of Northern Oregon the clear waters of Gnat Creek tumble over Barrier Falls on its laughing journey towards the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. This haven of natural splendor thrives with life that throngs to the wild forest and bountiful waters that throng with salmon on their journey to their ancestral spawning grounds.

I captured these photos and video back in September, hopefully they will help satisfy your wanderlust during this time of necessary cabin fever!

Tillamook Creamery Tour

Cheese flows through the great halls of the Tillamook Creamery in a golden river of creamy cheddar, spicy pepper jack, among many other flavors. The Tillamook Creamery is an essential part of any trip to the Oregon Coast - here you can watch the process of cheese production, as well as sample the delicious results. I highly recommend the pizza and ice cream at the cafeteria for a gourmet meal on your way to or from the beach!