leaving the lower 48

Leaving CA and the Redwoods behind we continued north along the coast highway and camped in rain forests within good hikes of rugged, heavily driftwood-laden beaches. Beautiful, damp and cold - around 30 degrees both nights - although we’ve been extremely fortunate not to camp in heavy downpours. We rate Oregon’s as the loveliest, most private campgrounds with the nicest BR/shower facilities. In northern Oregon we also visited several historical sites related to the Lewis and Clark expedition which placed our adventure and ideas of "roughing it" into a different perspective. Theirs was an awesome journey with many hardships, the success of which was in good part related to the assistance they received from Native Americans whose nations they crossed.
Humbled by Lewis and Clark’s fortitude, breadth of knowledge in the natural sciences and geography, we crossed into Washington, again following the coast and stopping at intervals to hike quiet, padded trails of the Olympic rain forest discovering a few waterfall; to appreciate picturesque lighthouses and to visit both the Dungeness Spit and Willaca (?sp.)National Wildlife Refuges. Although further north and traveling among snow covered mountains, Spring is still in evidence with Robins, songbirds and paired ducks and shorebirds, budding trees and blossoming skunk cabbage ( beautiful yellow calla lily- like flowers) in the bogs.
Yesterday we boarded the Matanuska for the first leg of our marine highway passage along the Canadian coast to Alaska. It’s really happening - the scenery is beautiful and this morning we saw our first whale - hard to believe but it’s happening! "Home" now is an all metal stateroom with bunk beds. No connection here but will post later. WOW!!