One of the most photographed places on the Olympic Peninsula is Ruby Beach.

Offshore islands like these are called “Stacks”.  They are ghosts of former coastal headlands.  Surf gnaws away softer rock, leaving harder rock to provide sanctuary for ocean birds to breed and raise their young. 

Rocks like these line the coast.  They are rounded because a glacier carried them down the mountains to the sea and further smoothed by nature’s tumbler… the sand and sea.

This sign warns of Tsunamis and educates visitors before reaching the beach on what to do in case tsunami waves should arrive.

Wave action can undercut cliffs and cause trees to fall down onto the beach where they are rounded by the sea as driftwood until a lucky visitor finds just the piece they were looking for and takes it home

All this quality beach time gave us an appetite.

So we headed for the Kalaloch Lodge and had some Kalaloch Clam Chowder with Olive and Rosemary Bread and Oyster Crackers– YUM!