Padilla Bay

Today's hikers

Today eight hikers (all women, by the way) met at the northern entrance to Padilla Bay, which is near Anacortes. We also went through Edison, where I have on occasion stopped to buy some delicious baked treats at the Breadfarm Bakery. Today we went on through and came to a place where we could park and start our excursion along the flat four- to five-mile dike. There are two starting points, one where we started, north, and another at the southern end. It doesn't really matter where to start, the distance is the same from one end to the other. And I don't think I have ever been on any hike that is flatter than this one. We didn't have any up or down, just... well, flat, with crunchy gravel underfoot.

A short distance to the dike

Once we parked our cars and used the facility, it was just a short way to the beginning of the estuary. It was the only elevation on the entire excursion. Although it looks like waves out there, it is the exposed mudflats and low tide. I found that out on a website (WTA):

At high tide, the water will cover the whole bank. At low tide, the water will be completely gone from the bay, exposing the mudflats. The grass you see growing along the slough is eelgrass, an important native grass harboring small salmon, crab, and other invertebrates that, in turn are food for the eagles, herons, otters and seals.

We were certainly fortunate today, as the air temperature could not have been more perfect: maybe 65 deg F with a very light breeze. We walked around two-and-a-half miles to the southern entrance, stopped for a little break (there was also a porta-potty available) before we started back. Although we saw a few birds, redwing blackbirds, killdeer, plovers, and robins, as well as a few eagles high up in trees, there were no blue herons or other fancy birds like that. Nevertheless, it was a delightful walk along the dike, and I would return again without hesitation. It was pretty perfect, all things considered.

I sure am lucky to live here, especially how hot it got today in the Mideast and on the East Coast. I suppose if I were to acclimatize a little, I might not expire right away, but it would not have been much fun, either. Hope if you are in the midst of it, you are finding ways to cope.

:-)