The Elwha Project

Jory Kahn Paddling above the Elwha River Mouth, 2010

2011-10-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

More Notches Cut in the Gliles Canyon Dam, getting there..

2011-10-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

Link:
http://www.video-monitoring.com/construction/olympic/s6latest.jpg

Seagulls at the mouth of the Elwha, Oct 2011

2011-10-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

Elwha River Mouth at Dusk, 10/9/11

2011-10-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

Dam image in Patagonia's Surf Catalog...

2011-10-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

http://media.patagonia.com/fb/SURF_F11/#/18

Lower Elwha Tribe Member After Fishing the River Mouth

2011-10-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

Lower Elwha Dam Removal in Process & Lake Aldwell

2011-10-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Elwha River Mouth Surf, Oct 9, 2011

2011-10-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

Elwha River Dam Removal Web Cams

2011-10-06T00:32:00.000-07:00

Watch the Elwha River dams being demolished via a few cool webcams,

http://www.video-monitoring.com/construction/olympic/js.htm

Back at it

2011-10-06T00:29:00.000-07:00

I've been revising a NW paddling guide for Mountaineers Books the past few months so have been behind on posts. The book, "60 Trips, Kayaking Puget Sound, the San Juans and Gulf Islands" will be released summer 2012. We added 15 new trips, including the Elwha for advanced paddlers. Cheers.

Scale Model of the Elwha Dam from the Port Angeles Marine Science Center

2011-02-28T15:32:00.000-08:00

Scale Model of the Elwha from the Hurrican Ridge Visitor's Center

2011-02-24T22:09:00.001-08:00

Useful Elwha Dam Removal Info Links -

2011-02-15T14:25:00.000-08:00

There's quite a few links on the Elwha dam removal project. I found the following to be most useful in describing the project, and in posting updated info:

- Coastal Watershed Institute
- Elwha Watershed Information Resource
- Return of the River, Elwha Dam Removal Documentary
- Elwha River Restoration, Facebook Page, (most current info on the project).
- Olympic National Park, Elwha River Restoration page.
- Peninsula Daily News. Posts regular updates on the project.

Mouth of Elwha, early December

2011-01-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Elwha motion blurred....

2010-12-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

Driftwood Beach Shack

2010-12-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

September at the Elwha River mouth

2010-12-20T10:24:00.000-08:00

Tree Branch off the mouth of the Elwha

2010-12-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

Jory surfing the class 2 rapid above the Elwha River mouth

2010-12-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

I love this little wave train just above the river mouth. On small surf days, I'll paddle up there to play in the current. Or enter above the rapid on my waveski, run it, and surf the mouth. Few places offer so much variety in water features.

Visit my new show at the Blackbird Coffeehouse in Port Angeles, WA

2010-12-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

Check out my new show of still lifes created from garbage collected along the Elwha River at the Blackbird Coffeehouse in Port Angeles, WA. Starts Dec 4th. http://www.theblackbirdcoffeehouse.com/

Draining Lake Mills. Here, 18' lower, 11/13/10

2010-11-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

Draining of Lake Mills..

2010-11-09T20:30:00.001-08:00

Here's a great piece by Seattle's King 5 News on the draining of Lake Mills..

http://www.king5.com/news/environment/Lake-Mills-Elwha-dams-classroom.html

Gone Dam Pale Ale, Oct 2010 Release, Harbinger Winery

2010-11-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

Here's the bottle label for the Gone Dam Pale Ale, an October only 2010 Release by Harbinger Winery in Port Angeles, WA. Ken DeBondt was the artist for the label.

Garbage Collected on Strait of Juan de Fuca 10/29/10

2010-11-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

This batch is from a popular sea kayak paddle we did along the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Freshwater Bay to Salt Creek Rec Area. Vertical cliffs, sea caves, aches, and abundent sea life are part of the trip. Wind and swell can make it an advanced skills paddle, but fun if you know what you're doing. In a few pocket beaches I found large chunks of foam and the normal plastic bottles and other items that had floated in. The kelp beds were saturated in tiny pieces of foam, plastic, and nylon rope, pretty sad, as removing those items would be impossible. I carried these larger pieces back in my kayak, a great way to haul trash out. There were some very large plastic and foam chunks I couldn't fit in and an industrial looking 6 foot wide tire on the first pocket beach north of Observatory Point. Anyone have a helicopter?

Garbage Collected on the Elwha River Mouth 10/30/10

2010-11-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Garbage Collected on the Elwha River Mouth 9/16/10

2010-09-28T00:03:00.001-07:00

Garbage Collected on the Elwha River Mouth 9/15/10

2010-09-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Garbage Collected on Freshwater Bay 9/14/10

2010-09-27T23:59:00.001-07:00

Pics of removal of Cofferdam on the Rogue River, Oregon

2010-09-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

See images on the link below, scroll down from top to bottom to see removal progression...

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=318598

Elwha River Dike near Place Road, Before and After

2010-08-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

The dike along the south side of the river has been improved to allow for better flow below the dams upon removal. This side is accessed via the public parking lot via Place Road. The wooded view with the path is before the new dike.

Glines Canyon Dam Flow Structures

2010-08-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Delay in New Posts -

2010-08-13T15:57:00.001-07:00

Folks,
Due to writing a book on stand up paddling for Mountaineers Books, summer, etc, I'm behind on new posts. Expect a few in mid to late August, hoping to get back on track! Thanks for the patience. Rob Casey

Da Fuca Blog

2010-06-13T20:57:00.001-07:00

Here's a great blog called Da Fuca with incredible witty drawings of waves, surf, surfing, and such around the Juan de Fuca area.

Da Fuca

Elwha River above the new Discovery Trail bridge, 3/10

2010-05-19T17:06:00.001-07:00

Beach Garbage Collected at the Elwha River mouth, 5/14/10

2010-05-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

The most common items we find are tampon applicators, bottle caps and a flat plastic item used in the shrimp fisheries.

Progress Finally

2010-05-16T12:44:00.001-07:00

TV Screen Frame in Beach, 4/30/10

2010-05-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

We've tried to remove this TV screen frame a few weeks ago, no luck.

Driftwood Beach Shack, 4/30/10

2010-05-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

Speeding over the Elwha

2010-05-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

I was speeding to dinner on Saturday night in Port Angeles as most restaurants stop serving food by 9pm. We left our place at 8:15pm, and while obviously not paying attention, passed a state trooper while crossing the Elwha on Highway 112 going 10 over. Oops. I'll send in my $116 donation to Clallam County this week.

Sunset over Freshwater Bay, 4/29/10

2010-04-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Glines Canyon Dam

2010-04-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

Winter on the Elwha, #2

2010-03-31T21:19:00.001-07:00

Winter on the Elwha near Altaire Bridge

2010-03-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

Motion Blur on Freshwater Bay, WA

2010-02-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Elwha River Below the New Bridge

2010-02-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

Gary Korb Throwing Ends on the Elwha River

2010-01-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Gary Korb (pictured) who lives by nearby Salt Creek wrote the comprehensive book, 'A Paddler's Guide to the Olympic Peninsula.' This is the only guide dedicated to whitewater kayaking on the Peninsula with over 75 river runs covered. Gary also makes surf kayaks from his home using hardware store materials and fiberglass. You can see Gary rip in his custom boats at Crescent Beach on most days when the surf is up. In this image, he's 'throwing ends' on the Altaire rapid of the Elwha. You can find his book on Amazon at: http://bit.ly/cW3fXD

Beach Garbage Collected at the Elwha River mouth, 1/2/10

2010-01-04T13:49:00.001-08:00

Beautiful winter day on the Elwha, 1/2/10

2010-01-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

Flattened Driftwood Shack

2009-12-12T22:01:00.000-08:00

After a series of high wind storms in late November, and possible human influence, the driftwood shack below has been flattened. We've found the beach further down by Place Road to change in form every time we visit due to the winter high tides and recent strong surf.

Driftwood Beach Shacks, Elwha River Mouth

2009-11-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Storm over the Strait, and Surfer Crossing the Elwha

2009-11-09T23:05:00.000-08:00

Autumn Leaves on the High Tide Mark, Elwha River

2009-11-09T23:03:00.001-08:00

The Last Wilderness Blog - Elwha Post

2009-11-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Ken Campbell is a kayak and stand up paddle instructor and guide living in Tacoma, Wa. He has self published a series of NW kayaking guide books for his own company, Little Bay Press. In 2009, he paddled his 12' Laird stand up paddle board 150 miles throughout the Puget Sound to raise funds for the Washington Watertrails Association.

He also has a great blog called the Last Wilderness, focused on the Olympic Peninsula where the Elwha is located. His recent post is on the Elwha. Check it out HERE.

Elwha River Tree & Fisherman

2009-11-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Time Exposed Wave, Oct 30st, 2009

2009-11-04T11:49:00.001-08:00

Garbage Collected Along the Elwha, Saturday Oct 31st.

2009-11-03T14:32:00.000-08:00

This is one bag of three that we collected. Due to high tides and a large swell, more garbage was present.

Surfing the Elwha, Oct 30th, 2009

2009-11-02T13:58:00.001-08:00

Driftwood Beach Shacks, Elwha River Mouth

2009-10-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Survey Marker, Elwha River mouth off Place Road

2009-10-29T16:58:00.001-07:00

Sawdust Mountain - Eirik Johnson Photographs

2009-10-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

Check out Eirik Johnson's new book, 'Sawdust Mountain'. The book has great images of the Olympic Peninsula. His work will be at Seattle's Henry Art Gallery through January 2010.

Cedar Tree and Seagull Wing

2009-10-27T13:18:00.001-07:00

Light Rain on the Lower Elwha

2009-10-27T13:16:00.001-07:00

Salt Marsh and View of Striped Peak

2009-10-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Salmon Season on the Lower Elwha

2009-10-27T13:11:00.001-07:00

Autumn along the Lower Elwha

2009-10-27T12:54:00.001-07:00

Garbage Collected Along the Elwha, Sunday Oct 25th.

2009-10-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

We walked up the Elwha River from its mouth on the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Sunday about a quarter mile, and collected a full bag of garbage. This section of the river is heavily used by fishermen, surfers, beachcombers, and has homes upstream, and also collects flotsam and jetsam from boats or other marine sources. The river's two dams will (hopefully) be removed soon, the largest dam removals yet in North America. We will continue to collect garbage every time we visit the river.