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"From a human-shaped world you are about to step into a terrain
dominated by other forces.
The sea makes the rules."
--- National Park Service sign at the trailhead to Cape Alava
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Islands, sea stacks, and rocks are scattered along Washington's northern coast.
Islands range from partially isolated points to true islands several acres in size. Cannonball Island connects to Cape Alava during low tide.
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High rocky sea cliffs front most of the northern coast. The highest cliffs along Washington's coast can be found at Cape Flattery. Wave-cut platforms rise 120 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
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Waves are slowly wearing away the land, leaving more erosion-resistant sea stacks standing in the surf. Pocket beaches can be found in protected areas. At Point of The Arches, a string of needle formations lead out to sea.
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The Olympic Coast Sanctuary
The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary covers over 3,300 square miles of Washington's coastal waters. More than 600 islands in the Sanctuary provide breeding grounds for birds and marine mammals. 29 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises pass through the sanctuary. Some of the largest colonies of seabirds in the United States are are found here.
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Within Olympic Coast Sanctuary waters, the continental shelf extends 8 to 40 miles offshore. Submarine canyons slice into the continental shelf and slope.
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