One Day at Shi Shi Beach

coscorrosa

Last Saturday was my first trip ever to Shi Shi Beach, I've been avoiding it because I didn't have the proper backpacking gear, but then I thought, I don't need backpacking gear, I can just stay awake 16 hours! Since there was a full moon, I would have night shooting opportunities between sunset and sunrise, and the forecast/cloud cover looked very promising.

Temperatures in the 30s and a persistent 20 mph wind and wet boots didn't make for the most comfortable night (I had to exercise repeatedly to stay warm, and had a few failed attempts to sleep on a huge piece of driftwood and within a cave at low tide), but sometimes, stupidity and lack of preparedness can be worth it.

Shi Shi beach is the most photogenic of all the beaches in Olympic National Park that I've been to, and I'll definitely be back (except this time with a tent, a sleeping bag, and some food!).

#1 - Sunset at Point of Arches



#2 - Cumulus clouds at night lit by a full moon



#3 - Moonset (about an hour before sunrise)



#4 - Dusk



#5 - Late afternoon (I knew these clouds would lead to a great sunset if they stuck around)



#6 - Sunrise

Dogdots

Beautiful photos. Worth braving the cold and the wind.

hawkeye978

Great set Ron. Really like the light and composition in #1, 4 & 6. Nice foreground interest in #6 in particular.

dlplumer

I have no more adjectives to describe how good these are.

yendikeno

Excellent series!
Well worth the uncomfortable night to get these.

ront

Just incredible photos Ron!! I have come to expect nothing less from you!

Ron

bnickeson

Awesome awesome stuff! #2 is perfect.

How bad was the mud on the trail getting there? I'm planning a trip for August and want to do the hike without ruining a pair of boots in the process...

coscorrosa

Thanks everyone, I definitely plan on returning!

bnickeson wrote: »

Awesome awesome stuff! #2 is perfect.

How bad was the mud on the trail getting there? I'm planning a trip for August and want to do the hike without ruining a pair of boots in the process...

The mud was ridiculous, 12" deep in some places. It should be much improved by August but I don't imagine that trail is ever mud free. I had rubber boots on (not hiking boots) since I was going to be in the surf taking photos, and they do fine in the mud but they're not exactly comfortable for long walks.

Tmetroff

These are great! What type of filter did you use for #4?

Andy

Ron, Peter Lik (and heck, Survivorman, too) have nothing on you

senorjax

I think #2 is going to be in the running for my favorite photo of the year.

coscorrosa

Tmetroff wrote: »

These are great! What type of filter did you use for #4?

I had a polarizer on acting as a psuedo=ND filter, this was well after sunset and the exposure was 82 seconds, f/14 ISO 200.

Andy wrote: »

Ron, Peter Lik (and heck, Survivorman, too) have nothing on you

Thanks Andy, that's probably because they're prepared

senorjax wrote: »

I think #2 is going to be in the running for my favorite photo of the year.

Thanks! Those big cumulus clouds were great, that particular shot is about a 3.5 minute exposure side lit by a full moon.

squirl033

great stuff, Ron, but that's normal for you... Shi-shi Beach is now officially on my bucket list! how far is it from where you park to the Point of Arches? i've heard it's a bit of a hike to get to the beach, and then a couple of miles from there to the Point?

coscorrosa

squirl033 wrote: »

great stuff, Ron, but that's normal for you... Shi-shi Beach is now officially on my bucket list! how far is it from where you park to the Point of Arches? i've heard it's a bit of a hike to get to the beach, and then a couple of miles from there to the Point?

If you're going to park overnight, you need to park about .5 miles from the trailhead at a private lot ($10/night). You don't technically have to, but it's recommended so you don't get your car broken into (probably by the guy who runs the private lot!).

From the trail head it's probably 2 muddy miles or so to the north end of the beach (there's some steep switchbacks at the end down to the beach), and another 2 miles to Point of Arches on the south side of the beach.

Doug Solis

Really nice work as always Ron, I admire your tenacity. When you shot the sunset at Point of Arches was it low tide? do you remember what the tides were/
Thanks

coscorrosa

Doug Solis wrote: »

Really nice work as always Ron, I admire your tenacity. When you shot the sunset at Point of Arches was it low tide? do you remember what the tides were/
Thanks

It was about 2.5 hours after a low tide. There are more landscape opportunities at Shi Shi during low tide then there are at Ruby Beach or Second Beach IMO, and all three beaches are great at high tide or high tide receding to low tide.

bskaran

These are great shots. the moonlight one is really stunning.