Pacific Coast

25/07/2009 Article

We are now in the Pacific Flow, drifting down the coast from beach to beach, surfing every day. La Push at the Northern end of the Washington coast was our first Pacific open ocean stop. The town hosts the Quileute Indian Nation, and it was their festival the days we were there. To them family and elders play a much more important role than material things. Their houses look like trash but they do not care. They are surrounded by absolute beauty with forests, beaches, waves, eagles, whales. Fortunately, there is a new sense of indigenous pride across the different Indian nations.

Most important purchase: neoprene booties, because it is frigging cold everywhere, 9 degrees Celsius in the water!!!
Best food: 7kg King Salmon bought for 15 $ in La Push at the Wharf
Best beach: you judge for yourself, for us Second Beach in La Push Washington is right up there
Best surf beach: Indian Beach in Ecola State Park near Canon Beach, must be one of the most spectacular settings in the world, with some great waves peeling in, also Short Sands / Oswald West near Manzanita (all Oregon)
Biggest turnoffs: trashy towns, big malls and fat Americans
Daily rhythm: wake up when it gets light, marshmallows on the fire at sunset, fall asleep as darkness settles in (we have now abandoned the concept of hourly time and clocks)
Early realizations: surfing is best in mornings and afternoons, we brought way too much stuff, the kids smiles are the biggest gift, people make towns (they all have a different feel to them)

Sample views from the majestic beauty of this coast: