The Wolfe Property is one of Washington State Parks' best kept secrets. And a wonderful little study in barrier beaches and lagoons. The aerial photo (click on the title of the post) provides some context. A spit, a tombolo, a lagoon, and a forest.
The spit has multiple beach ridges, recent berms curving out from the old one, and an undulating shape. My instinct tells me this is a sign of instability, or at least of highly variable sediment supply. Even the beach south of the spit - at Seven Sisters Road - shows signs of both significant accretion and erosion. There may be both natural variability and a human history to this. Plus, like Shine Tidelands, this site is north of the bridge - so its sediment source has been impacted and the southerly fetch significantly reduced.
Today the beach had thousands of little crabs (maybe more) and dozens of herons (maybe less) - but it was the first day in the field in a long time that I don't recall seeing a bald eagle.
(Turn right at the west end of the bridge, go a mile to Seven Sisters Road, drive down to the parking area, and walk the beach north to the spit. But remember, it's a secret.)
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