July 6, 2012: Day 2, Port Angeles

We had a really fun day in Port Angeles today.

We went to the Feiro Marine Life Center, a really neat place that has tanks to look in with lots of sea creatures, as well as touch tanks so you can feel all the different animals. 

 

Sea star suckers, many legged sea star.

  

Basket star and a little star.

   

Selena holding a sea star, Abby touching a tube worm, and the girls playing in the touch tanks.

 

Can you see the fish?

 

Chiton

  

Baby six legged sea star, for size reference the wiped line is my finger width!  It is a tiny star, just a few weeks old.  Bottom of a limpet.

  

Sea anemones, limpet bottom, Lion Nudibranch.

 

End of City Pier in Port Angeles.

   

Fun ship toy to play on.

 

Vie of ocean from camp.  Hike to Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.

  

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, and the Dungeness Spit.

    

Hiking on the Dungeness Spit, the longest natural sand spit in the world!  The hike to the lighthouse at the tip of the spit is 11 miles round trip, we did not hike to the lighthouse! 

View of spit with large ship near the bend.

   

Another pinterest snack.  

Journal Entry
645am
Last to bed, first to wake up!  Mom hasn't been feeling well and didn't get much sleep so I’ll let her and the girls rest as long as possible.  The repair man is coming at 9, so if they aren't up by 8, that's when I’ll wake them.
Before bed last night we played go fish and memory with the kids.  They seemed to like that.  After our unplanned errands, I still hope to get a couple fun things done.  We had planned to go tot he Feiro Marine Life Center and the Olympic Coast Discovery Center.
I know the beach/ocean is only like 50 yards away out of the trees, but we couldn't see it for find a trail when we explored yesterday.  Finding the beach is a BIG priority today :).
900pm
Today was a lot of fun and not as much stress.  We had the repair guy out this morning and got us all secured for the rest of the trip.  We went into Port Angeles and visited the Feiro Marine Life Center on City Pier.  I don’t know for sure what I expected, but it was great.  They had lots of exhibits to see and touch tanks with animals.  We got to touch sea anemone, tube worms, sea stars, rock and hermit crabs, chitins, barnacles, sea urchins, sea squirts, and many others.  In the other tanks we saw flounder, sole, nudibranchs, limpets, 6-legged sea stars (and babies!) {they were very small from this size (3 mm) to this size (1/4 inch), nearly a year old(!) to about 8 inches across}.  Scallops and a giant octopus (plus tons more I’m forgetting).  The girls were too shy to touch some of the animals but eventually warmed up to the idea of touching them.  Selena even had her finger hugged by a sea urchin!!  I really liked getting to touch the creatures and a sea anemone even injected me with neurotoxin (according to our tour guide guy), totally safe since I’m not a crustacean.
After the marine center we went to the top of the pier observation tower and watched a ship and ferry come in.  It was VERY windy!  There was a really cute toy that the girls played on for a while and then we explored the Olympic Coast Discovery Center.  There were some neat exhibits and even cool ROV submarine videos from around the area.,
We stopped at Walmart and got our coolers, ice, and fire extinguishers, as well as new shoes for Selena, because we always outgrow our shoes ON vacation.  Back at camp the girls played and we had lunch (grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup).  After lunch we hiked over to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.  We enjoyed our walk through the woods to the sand spit.  Once we made it to the beach it was high tide so it was hard walking, the spit is only about 50 feet across with driftwood logs through the middle.  We didn't see any live wildlife, but did see lots of deer foot/hoof prints and a large bird track.
Back at camp the girls played then we had a snack (fruit palm trees) the girls loved them.  Now everyone is asleep but me, so I got to write this huge journal entry!  We are considering a schedule change for tomorrow.  We will decide in the morning.

June 24, 2011: Day 6, Grand Teton National Park

Today we drove through Yellowstone and to Grand Teton National Park.  We caught of glimpse of the mountains the other day, and they looked beautiful.  We decided to stay the entire trip in one campground instead of packing up, we we just had more driving to do, but less packing and unpacking.  On our way south, we stopped at the Grant Village visitor center.  The exhibits were neat, and we got to see the boat launch area.  It was chilly this close to the water.  It was cool to drive here because we crossed the Continental Divide twice, and passed Isa Lake, that flows both towards the east and the west.

Once we were out of the Grant area, it started pouring rain and hail.  It was very loud and wet.  Along the road south of Yellowstone, on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial parkway, we saw a grizzly bear!  Our first one.  It was hanging out on the side of the road eating a snack.  On our drive south, we stopped at Cunningham Cabin, a national historic site.  the girls liked the cabin, and think it would be fun to live here.  

Once we got into Jackson, we stopped at the National Elk Refuge.  The visitor center was really cool.  the had binoculars set up and let us look through them at the animals.

On our way back north we saw a moose hanging out.  We drove up to the Lawrence S. Rockefeller Preserve, and I must say, this place was AMAZING.  I hiked in alone since the girls were asleep in the car, but it was totally worth it.  What a beautiful building in a beautiful place!

Once we got to back in the main part of the park, we learned that you must hula-hoop through the cross walks?  That's all I could figure this sign meant.  :)

Abby was sad, and Selena drew this picture...

Journal

7:45 am  June 24

Today we are headed through Yellowstone and to the Gran Teton National Park!  We caught a glimpse of the mountains the other day, and they look beautiful.  For the rest of the trip, we've decided to stay at the same campground, since we are all set up and comfortable.  Tomorrow we will use for park catch-up.  Whatever we don't finish today.  I think it will mostly be Midway Geyser Basin, Biscuit and Black Sand Basins.  Maybe some lake activities.  On Sunday we are going to sleep in and do the West Yellowstone stuff and swim and play in the park and, and, and...  We will leave early on Monday, and go to the Mining Museum and Hell Roaring Gulch in Butte, before heading for home ~ and Hebgen Laek / Quake Lake!

On our way south, we stopped at the Grant Village Visitor Center.  The exhibits were neat and we got to see the boat launch area.  It was chilly this close to the water.  It was cool to drive here because we crossed the Continental Divide twice, and passed Isa Lake, that flows both towards the east and the west!!

We continued on our way towards Grand Teton National Park!  Once we were out of the Grant area, it started POURING rain and hail!  It was very loud and wet. 

Along the road south of Yellowstone, on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, we saw a grizzly bear!  Our first one.  It was hanging out on the side of the road eating a snack.  The pictures look really dark on the camera, so I hope they turn out.  

On our drive south, we stopped at Cunningham Cabin, a National Historic Site.  The girls liked the cabin, and think it would be fun to live here.

Once we got into Jackson, we stopped at the National Elk Refuge.  The visitor center was really cool.  They had binoculars and a scope set up and we could watch the animals.  We also visited the Moose, Jenny Lake, and Coulter Bay, Visitor Centers.