Monday, July 12, 2010

Hike to Edith Point

This past weekend we had some friends visiting, so we invited them join us on a hike to Edith Point.  It is one of our favorite places to hike, but since it usually takes us over two hours round trip, we save it for special times with friends.

"Sounds of the wind and sounds of the sea
make me happy just to be."
-June Polis
We usually go out along the ocean trial, where we often see more birds and sea creatures along the shoreline.

And it is a sunny side to walk on in the early morning... with an excellent view of Mt. Baker due east in Washington.  Three men were also enjoying some time in the sunshine in their small fishing boat.

"The day, the water, the sun, the mountains, the clouds... I do not have to purchase these things with money."

It is interesting to see the erosion pattern of holes in the sandstone rock.

"Delight in the beauty that surrounds you."

There are endless opportunities of subjects to take pictures of... which makes it hard to do this hike in less than two hours when you take a camera along.

Since the tide was out, we could go down to where the starfish cling to the rocks.

"I think it annoys God if you walk by the color purple and don't notice!" Alice Walker in "The Color Purple"

A wooden starfish?

Let your imagination loose. Things are not always as we first see them.

In a couple of pockets driftwood accumulates, making an interesting pattern of large "pick-up sticks."

"The landscape belongs to the person who looks at it."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

These moss covered rocks are not usually visible unless the tide is out. I love the fresh green color.

"Delight in the beauty that surrounds you."

The owner of the property, Don and Betty Graves, live in this really cool house, which was built primarily from materials brought to the site by barge, as there is no regular road access to the end of Edith Point.

In all the years we have hiked out to this point, we had never met the owner... but when we got back to where we parked our car, Don was on his bicycle and he stopped to visit with us.  We told him how much we appreciate him allowing us to hike on his property and enjoy this little part of paridise.

"Discovering this idylic place, we find oursleves filled with a yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty overwhelms."

"All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within." -Horace Friess

The colorful, stately Arbutus tree.  It is starting to lose its leaves already.  By mid-August all of its old leaves will be on the ground... and new ones will survive until next summer.

"Nature is the art of God."

We take the Middle Trail back from the point... it is wider, a little more level and we find our return takes about half the time as it takes to go out to the point.

"Be a gentle friend to the trees and they will give you back beauty, cool and fragrant shade, and many birds singing."

And if the birds are not singing, they are pecking... like this Flicker woodpecker.

Shirley and Maureen walking and visiting along the Middle Trail.

More Arbutus leaves, like confetti cover the ground.  Just like after a wedding.
 
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference." -Robet Frost






4 comments:

  1. What an absolutely beautiful and special place! Thanks so much for sharing.

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  2. I found your blog by following a link from Terrill's blog ... what a lovely photo essay of your hike to Edith Point. I have bookmarked your blog and look forward to returning for another visit soon. Thanks for sharing such sumptous and beautiful photos!

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  3. These pictures are wonderful!! Thanks for stopping by my blog last week! Hope you have a great day!!

    :)

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  4. Sherwin, you have captured some love shots here. David and I just walked the Georgia Strait trail last evening and then came back through the middle trail. Edith Point is my favourite walk on Mayne Island.

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