In mid-April of 2017 I took a flight to a place in the country I had always wanted to visit and photograph - the Northwest coastline. So, armed with my trusty Canon 60D camera and usual set of lenses (standard 15-85mm, 70-200mm, 150mm macro) together with my tripod, I set off to Port Angeles on the northern coastline of Washington State, about 80 miles and a 2.5 hr. drive west of Seattle.

Olympic National Park lay just south of Port Angeles, but roads into the park were still closed for the Winter. Port Angeles is only 9 miles south of the Canadian border and just 22 miles south of Victoria in Canada itself.

I knew this State was blessed with lots of moisture - which, to me meant misty mornings, and dew covered foliage. But I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of moss covering trees, logs, and boulders. On Thursday April 21st I came upon a magical scene at a place called Madison Creek Falls. I had stopped to photograph the waterfall, but was entranced by the beauty of the sun shining on the moss that covered the trees on the path leading to the waterfall. This photo just gives a hint at the phenomenon and does not really do justice to spectacle of a whole grove of large trees covered in moss and illuminated by the sun.

Later that same day I drove to a point of interest  called La Poel which I'd identified on Google Map. This place was a beautiful spot - just a small park on the edge of a lake called Lake Crescent. No one was there, so I was free to explore the area. Whilst wandering around I began to hear the sound of running water in the distance. Moving towards the sound I came across this lovely creek with beautiful moss covered stones all around. Another magical place - I couldn't believe my good fortune! I stayed at this spot for probably an hour, experimenting with different exposures and compositions. By varying the exposure time I could make the water appear sharp and detailed, or more ethereal; this photo is an example of the latter. The creek fed directly into Lake Emerald.

  Seventy miles and 1.5 hr drive west of Port Angeles and on the north-west coast itself was a very interesting beach called La Push. I knew that off the coast of this part of the country were "sea-stacks" though I had never seen one before. Sea stacks are mini-islands that jut out of the sea just off the beach. I was looking forward to seeing them. I was not disappointed. Arriving in late afternoon on Friday the 21st of April, I immediately sensed the beauty of this scene. After a walk of perhaps two hundred yards from the spot where I had parked my (rented) car this amazing scene unfolded before my eyes. These mysterious outcroppings were indeed like small islands, often with trees growing on top. The sky was both threatening and beautiful, with the reflection of the sky adding drama to the scene.