DRIFTWOOD BEACH HOUSES: A PHOTO ESSAY
by John F. Williams, Winter 2021
Photos by John F. Williams except where noted
DRIFTWOOD BEACH HOUSES: A PHOTO ESSAY
By John F. Williams, Winter 2021
Photos by John F. Williams except where noted
introduction
Many beaches around the Salish Sea are decorated with driftwood; some of which is from branches or trees that fell onto the beach and have been sculpted and carried around by the waves. A few big, old logs escaped while being towed to a lumber mill.
For the most part, the driftwood is an element of the beach wrack, moving occasionally by the tides and serving as shelter for a variety of tiny beach creatures.
Some of the wood has been moved by human actors who have created shapes for either artistic or practical purposes.
One common shape is a hut or a house used for play or in some cases to provide shade on a sunny summer day at low tide.
See more about beach wrack in Issue #12.
some of the structures are quite simple…
and some are more complicated
some houses come with an amazing view
photo by Tom Noland
photo by Tom Noland
some are more complex
evolution
There was one I saw numerous times, and it evolved over time.
This was fairly simple on June 19, 2015.
But it was quite a bit more built-out by October 5 of the same year.
this one took things to a whole new level
I really hadn’t been expecting to see a driftwood treehouse! The extent of creativity on the beach is amazing.
Actually, the urge to build shelters is not just evident on the beach. Below is a man-made structure from branches found in the woods. But I’ll save exploring that for another time.
John F. Williams, publisher of Salish Magazine: over decades of exploring underwater and in our forests and beaches, my experiences have been enriched by the insights of knowledgeable people. What I learned from them dramatically changed the way I see things,
I shared those insights by making educational films and through lecture tours. Now, I’ve created Salish Magazine to extend that notion of sharing insights by offering a wealth of articles that are keyed to the observable, but pull back the curtains to reveal the invisible.
Table of Contents, Issue #14, Winter 2021
Nearshore Regulars
Artwork by Karen Hackenberg Photos by Michael F. Adamsblack oystercatcher photo by Michael AdamsArtwork by Karen Hackenberg Photos by Michael F. Adamsfrutti di mare My original, hand-drawn, lithograph prints of the Frutti di Mare Suite, titled Calamari and Baby...
Haiku-14
by Drea Dangerton, Winter 2021 photos by John F. Williams except as notedby Drea Dangerton, Autumn 2021 photos by John F. Williams except as notedToday I awokeAsking what adventure isIn store for this day.. Snowy meadow pathsReveal its...
Poetry 14
Winter 2021photo by Thomas Nolandphoto by Thomas NolandAutumn 2021 SACRED ONES by Diane Moser Outside my window cedars lift their needled arms salute a damp sky. I inhale their pungent smell of pitch and mold and a thousand showers. They tell ancient stories of...
Berries
by Sara Noland, Winter 2021 Photos by Thomas Noland except where notedphoto by John F. WilliamsBy Sara Noland, Winter 2021 Photos by Thomas Noland except where noteda late afternoon in mid-december Cold rain drizzles down, glazing everything in a silvery sheen. Around...
Let’s Try It
some novel additions By "novel additions" I do not mean that we're adding novels to Salish Magazine, at least not yet — despite the fact that I have come to realize that novels are actually one of the few good ways to convey things as complex as our ecosystems....
Visits Underwater
by Ed Gullekson, Winter 2021By Ed Gullekson, Winter 2021see the salish sea This first video was shot at one of the most popular dive sites in Washington. It is called Cove 2 and is located along the shoreline of West Seattle looking across Elliott Bay at downtown...
Pink Salmon
by John Gussman, Winter 2021By John Gussman, Winter 2021introduction I have spent many years filming the various salmon species on the Olympic peninsula, and this year I managed to get quite a bit of usable pink salmon footage in the Dungeness River. Not wanting to do...
Birds Catching Stuff
Photos by Michael F. Adams, except as noted Captions by Thomas NolandPhotos by Michael F. Adams except as noted Captions by Thomas Nolandcommon goldeneye These ducks are cavity nesting birds that often use the same tree cavity in successive years. The goldeneyes are...
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Thanks so much for your interest and your support.