RUBY BEACH, Wash – On a wet and slippery afternoon, just getting onto Ruby Beach means hiking through an obstacle course of slick driftwood.
"It's a place that's wild and primitive", said Olympic National Park ranger Barb Maynes.
There are no lifeguards on Ruby Beach, no colorful umbrellas or deck chairs--just you and the ocean. That's why you need to be extra careful. The dramatic tides can make a mess of any day hike along the Olympic Wilderness Coast
"People have lost their lives and they have been swept away, "said Maynes. "More recently there have been people who have had awfully cold wet scary nights."
Hikers who want to explore more than the beaches should carry tide charts with them. There are tidepools to check out, migrating whales and dramatic weather to behold. In a downpour on Kalaloch Beach, a few miles away, some Seattle friends said they weren't a bit disappointed in their visit.
"In Russia we have a proverb: there is no bad weather.There are bad clothes. We have proper gear so we are enjoying it!"
