Removing Marine Debris near the Elwha River

Over Labor Day weekend, a friends and I was on a beach walk along Freshwater Bay beach, west of the Elwha River mouth near Port Angeles.

We spotted a large block thing floating in the water just off shore. Looking at it with binoculars we realized it was a piece of a dock.  It soon landed on the beach and with a closer look, we realized it was mostly styrofoam and lined with concrete and metal wire.

This type of styrofoam breaks up on our local beaches leaving not only small chunks but also very difficult to remove tiny bits of bead foam. I've seen this foam in kelp beds, tide pools and on many of our NW beaches.

I immediately contacted the Feiro Marine Science Center in Port Angeles to find a solution for removing the dock.  After a few days, they figured a solution to cut up the foam and remove it manually.

This week, three volunteers armed with plastic bags, plastic sheeting, cutting tools and a wagon worked for a few hours to remove the foam.  Here's the photos of their efforts.

View more photos and info plus comments on my Instagram page @salmonbaypaddle

Donate to Feiro Marine Science Center which runs a small aquarium and marine education programs in downtown Port Angeles.

Thanks to these volunteers at Feiro!

Rob Casey is author of Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, 60 Trips and Stand Up Paddling Flat Water to Surf and Rivers, both by Mountaineers Books.  He owns Salmon Bay Paddle a SUP school in Seattle.  Get in touch: rob@salmonbaypaddle.com

Elwha River Mouth - Washington's Newest Beach (Seattle Times article) Trip #40

I've had the opportunity to watch the Elwha River dam removals over the past few years. I surfed the river mouth pre-removal when the beach was cobble. Over the years, soft sediment began to not only cover the cobble but also extend the beach into the Strait several hundred feet. The sediment changed the river mouth from shallow reef style waves preferred by short boarders to sandy beach waves better suited for paddlers. Pre-removal, I was able to paddle up the river mouth nearly a quarter mile to a class 2 rapid, now the sediment has choked the mouth to where it's nearly impossible to make that trip.  The sediment is so thick that you lose sight of your hand just below the water's surface.

Paddling the mouth is best at high tides when you can skim over shallow submerged sections of the delta. At low tides, you can paddle around the entire delta.

Be watchful of waves. The Strait can be flat calm, or not. Despite the differences in wave types, large waves can break on the west and north sides of the delta at any tide level. If you prefer a calm no wave day, use the following sites to forecast swell 4' or less, and no or little wind. A NW or W swell over 4' can deliver substantial waves to the delta. Or a strong W or NE wind (over 15kts). Use surf etiquette if other surfers are present.

Launch from Place Road (right fork) but be prepared for a 10 minute walk on gravel to the beach. Check out the book for additional launches. Trip #40

Read a great article on the post-release Elwha delta.. (posted 2/14/17)

Surf Forecast Sites I Use:
Surfwater.org - PNW surf forecasts
NOAA - Puget Sound to WA Coast Marine Forecast
WindAlert - Real time wind data

Looking west towards Freshwater Bay and Striped Peak  (courtesy of Doug MacDonald) / Seattle Times

Learn more about my book Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans, 60 Trips. I also offer SUP and Kayak lessons available throughout the year at Salmon Bay Paddle. Questions about paddling on the Salish Sea, give me a holler anytime at salmonbaypaddle@gmail.com or 206-465-7167

Support the Washington Water Trails Association and the Cascadia Marine Trail. The wwta works to create and protect access for paddlers on Puget Sound as well as provide an extensive network of over 60 paddle-in camping sites - www.wwta.org

Paddling the Elwha River Mouth, 11/11/13

The Elwha's changing fast, or really morphing. in December of 2012 an expansive sandbar developed off the mouth several hundred feet. In September of 2013, another large section again developed off the mouth further extending the river delta. Sea birds have been taking advantage of the various offshore sandbars in large numbers.

I've been exploring the river mouth every few weeks during the pre, during and now post dam removal.  Here's a few more pics of paddle there today. I found the small surfable standing waves in the river mouth on a no swell day in the Strait.

Looking north towards the Strait. 

Looking upstream over smalls standing waves.

Dam release sediment line in Freshwater Bay.

Discover Paddling Freshwater Bay to the Elwha River, Trip #40

Freshwater Bay going west.

A new trip in the book, I've been paddling from Freshwater Bay (aka FWB) to the Elwha River for a few years.  Located along the Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Port Angeles, this trip offers on calm days a beautiful paddle through several miles of kelp beds and undeveloped shoreline.  We rated the trip Exposed, as it can also get quite rough mostly towards the Elwha end, so strong paddling experience is required to do the whole trip. The one way distance Freshwater Bay boat ramp to the Elwha River mouth is 4 miles.

Launching at the Freshwater Bay boat ramp, a Clallam County Park, there's plenty of parking for day use only.  Paddle east either along the shoreline or 'Bee' line it to the Elwha straight across the bay. If you choose not to go to the Elwha, the bay provides lots of exploring and can be done so with less experience on mellow days. You'll experience different conditions there - either super mellow or huge seas requiring expert paddling skills. The bay can get rough on northerly winds, and I've actually surfed waist high waves at the FWB boat ramp.  Friends who guide kayakers through there for Adventures Through Kayaking in Port Angeles, talk of a bay wide gyro or eddy formed off Observatory Point on the west end of the bay from westerly swell or westerly winds. If you feel you're 'bucking' or going against current - adjust your strategy or course direction to get out of the current.

Jory paddling the Elwha.

The Elwha River's two dams are currently being removed as part of the largest dam removal project in North America.  Many hope the sediment built up behind the dams will flow to the mouth rebuilding it's now rocky beaches. Watch the dam removal process in real time from web cams, Here.

The river's mouth can like FWB be either glassy or quite rough.  Surfers who love big hollow fast waves surf here.  Waves break in very shallow water as little as 3'.  If you wipe out, you're falling on knee high rocks.  I've seen 6' faces come out of completely flat water off the mouth - scary!  The surfing vibe here can be quite 'local' and rather aggressive, so make sure you know surfer's etiquette and can negotiate large surf in whatever craft you're paddling.  A rip can occur off the mouth on the ebb - remember to paddle perpendicular to the current to escape the pull out to the Strait.

On small or now swell days surfers usually aren't present and you can paddle right up the mouth with ease.  About an eighth of a mile up stream, you'll encounter a small class 2 rapid which be surfed at higher water levels.  Stay off the shore on the east side of the river as it's Lower Klallam Tribal land and is often enforced.

In May, the Da Fuca Downwinder, a 13 mile paddling race goes from the boat ramp at FWB to Port Angeles. Click HERE for race info.

(Pre-dam removal) Mouth of the Elwha on a calm day.

Prior to launching for this trip, check the ocean swell size and direction.  Also check wind direction and tides.  The Strait winds goes most often East or West, and in winter North or Northwesterly.  Large ocean swell can seriously affect your paddle, particularly closer to the Elwha.  Summer low tides at the FWB boat ramp can mean a long haul to the water.  Low tides at the Elwha are great for exploring the gravel river channels at the mouth.

Alternative Trip: #41 FWB to the Salt Creek Rec Area.  Exposed.

A few sites to look at to help prepare for your trip:
Surf WA
NOAA La Perouse Buoy at the mouth of the Strait.  Check for swell size.
NOAA Marine Forecast for WA State.  Check for 'Central Strait' wind conditions.
Surf Etiquette - There's several sites available, here's one to get acquainted with.
Adventures Through Kayaking - This Port Angeles kayaking shop offers tours of FWB.

Getting There:  Drive west from Port Angeles on Hwy 101. Take the Hwy 112 junction (at the Junction Roadhouse) right and follow for approx 10 miles. Look for FWB boat ramp signs on your right. Follow Freshwater Bay road to the shore.

(Pre-dam removal) Elwha River mouth on a stormy day, looking east.

Learn more about my book Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans, 60 Trips. I also offer SUP and Kayak lessons available throughout the year at Salmon Bay Paddle. Questions about paddling on the Salish Sea, give me a holler anytime at salmonbaypaddle@gmail.com or 206-465-7167

Support the Washington Water Trails Association and the Cascadia Marine Trail. The wwta works to create and protect access for paddlers on Puget Sound as well as provide an extensive network of over 60 paddle-in camping sites - www.wwta.org