May, 2021
I’m still just hanging around the campground and the town of Pacific Beach and the homes in the area. I love it here. Today I went for a walk along Joe Creek. Let me show you the cool stuff that I saw.
In the Google Earth image below, you’ll see the big RED dot, my campsite. And you’ll see there is a river/creek just to the south of the campground. That’s Joe Creek.
Joe Creek starts up in the hills, to the east, and then runs down through forests and fields until it winds its way just south of the town of Pacific Beach and just south of the campground, and then empties into the Pacific Ocean (on the left).
The long blue line in the image below is where I walked on the ocean beach and then up along Joe Creek … where I took photos and videos that I’ll show you below. It was fascinating to watch the ocean waves come up into/onto the creek, but then after each ocean wave went as far as it could, then to watch the saltwater be pushed back into the ocean by Joe Creek’s fresh water coming down from the hills above.
Besides the small town of Pacific Beach to the north of the campground, notice that there are a good number of homes up on a hill south of Joe Creek.
So let’s start from the beginning of my walk today, ok? The photo below was taken from that berm behind my trailer. You might be able to see Joe Creek, coming from the left and flowing out into the Pacific Ocean.
Here’s a closer photo below showing the waters of Joe Creek flowing out into the ocean.
And then I walked away from my trailer, south over the beach, and to the edge of Joe Creek.
Here (below) is where everything happens! Incoming ocean water … out flowing creek water … wind … waves … tide … and even sometimes floods coming down from upriver when the rain and wind and snow/ice melt from the Olympic Mountains and their glaciers cause Joe Creek to run full blast. But today, all was calm.
I stood right there for a long time, watching and listening, learning how all of this water did what it did … the saltwater of the ocean … and the fresh water of the creek. I thought about major huge rivers like the Columbia River, the Nile, the Amazon, and realized Joe Creek acted the same way, just on a smaller scale.
Eventually, I took a video. You’ll see waves from the ocean racing in along the far shore of Joe Creek.
Saltwater is heavier, denser, than fresh water. So further up this creek and certainly up into the Columbia River, saltwater drops down under the fresh water sometimes for miles up into major rivers in the world. That’s one reason there can be saltwater fish far up some of the larger rivers in the world. But Joe Creek isn’t huge, and isn’t very deep, so I think Joe pushes that saltwater right back out into the ocean.
I waited quite awhile before taking the video below. I waited for that “seventh” wave (the one that is larger than all the others). You’ll see the wave from the ocean flow in on top of Joe Creek and along the bank, even knocking some of the sand bank off into the water. Eventually, the energy of that ocean wave expires, and Joe pushes it right back out into the ocean. Way to go, Joe!
After that ocean wave receded, the two photos below show a bit of the creek and the remains of the old pilings that used to be there.
Ha! Do you see the faces in what were the pilings of a pier or breakwater here years ago?
The land further up the creek from this area was private, so I clambered up the bank into the campground where the big YELLOW arrow is in the Google image way above.
I turned around then, up in the campground, and took the photo below which shows Joe Creek on its way to the ocean.
Below is a photo of the campground that I took earlier today from that hill south of Joe Creek … just to show you where I am now. So after walking along Joe Creek, and climbing back up into the campground, I’m now in the campground off to the right, there’s lots of campground and lots of campers off to the right.
And then I started walking back through the campground, back to my trailer (it’s on the far left in the photo above, up where there aren’t many other campers!
I chatted with some nice camper folk.
And then I spotted this pretty bird below as it was walking along in the grass between campsites.
I think it’s one of the hundreds of varieties of Muscovy ducks, can any of you folks help with that?
The feathers are beautiful! And look at those huge webbed feet!
So that was my day today … Joe Creek and the ocean … and then this gorgeous bird.
One more adventure tomorrow, then I’ll head home.
That wave was spectacular and yes I know it’s relatively small, but that was so cool!
Relatively small yes, and yet when I thought how waves like that one affect coastlines all over the world, then those small little waves become pretty important and powerful. Thanks Lori. 🙂
Yes, that was such a cool wave! And then the creek pushed it back out to sea. Great story-telling Ann. We really benefit from your curiosity. 🙂
Thank you, Fran. Ok then, I will continue to be curious!! 🙂
I saw the faces in those piling stumps before I read that you had too, Ann. The energy of the ocean and of life, eh?
Ah yes, interesting thought. The energy of the ocean and of life … who knows why those faces look like faces … in these stumps, or in rocks, or in trees or clouds. Nice thought. Thank you.
We have Muscovy ducks in Britain. They are not native but come from the Americas. Your duck looks as ours but for the feather coloring. England’s are white. Lovely photos. Thank you.
Henry, thank you for confirming these are Muscovy ducks. I’m glad you have them in Britain too. They are quite interesting to look at!
Well, you may not be driving around the area in your truck, but you sure aren’t just sitting around your campsite! I have a small travel trailer (I’m in Idaho), and I like to sit and read and relax, but I can do that only so long and I get bored. I’ve never known how people can sit for days at a time. And yet, you don’t have to drive to find interesting things, you just proved that on this trip. That was a good lesson to me since I usually just jump in my truck and drive off somewhere, now I’m going to go for more walks! 🙂 I like the faces in the stumps, the ocean wave, the bird. Fun stuff.
And a good lesson to me too, Susan. We don’t have to sit or drive, we can walk and still find super things to see and do. I’m glad you’ll be doing the same. 🙂
Fascinating. And fun!
Thanks Babe. 🙂
Ha! You find faces everywhere! I’ve started looking for them too. Kinda fun.
Oh my gosh, once I started looking, I found them everywhere and still do obviously. 🙂 Good hunting, Mark!
Well, no one has commented about definitely knowing what the ducks are (Muscovy?) except Henry in England who knows bunches of stuff! I sure don’t know ducks but my online research tells me these are Muscovy ducks. That red “wattle” stuff around the eyes and the beak seem to be consistent with Muscovy ducks. Most websites say Muscovy ducks are found in North and Central and South America, as far “north” as Texas (what is Washington State south of Texas??) Also that these ducks are found in New Zealand and Australia and all manner of places in Europe. The kicker was that they are found in Canada … so SOUTH of Texas, but not in Washington State, but they ARE found in Canada which is NORTH of Washington State and definitely north of Texas. So ….. my question to everyone … do you believe what you read on the internet? Ack, maybe we shouldn’t so much, eh? 🙂 I think they are Muscovy. And this was, yet again, another fun blog of yours. You’re terrific. Thank you. 🙂
Ha! What crazy stuff is on the internet! Found from Texas south, oh but gosh also found in Canada … what is Canada south of Texas? Goofy stuff, huh. You are welcome, June … and thank you too. 🙂 Your reply was great fun.
Muscovy ducks, yes! We see them here in southern California, sometimes white ones and sometimes multicolored ones, and often the dark ones like the one in your photo. The ones here are not friendly and avoid humans if possible. But your Muscovy duck sure seemed to like you. 🙂
Thank you M! I too think Henry knows his stuff (above) and yet it’s excellent to have another confirmation from another person (persons) who has seen these ducks and knows what they are, and you confirm that some of them have that dark coloring. The Muscovy duck that I saw in the campground didn’t pay any attention to me, just wandered right by me looking for tidbits of food in the lawn. I certainly didn’t need a zoom lens to get those photos; if anything, I had to back away from the duck. I wondered if maybe it is used to being fed by people in the campground so is acclimated to our presence in its world. Thanks for the info. 🙂