Lake Quinault

A little beach on Lake Quinault, the product of a shoreline oriented to capture the westerly waves and just enough sediment to form a beach. The sediment may have been brought in or it may have been delivered by runoff in the swale above the beach - most likely both. I suspect active use and maintenance of the beach prevents the rain forest from retaking the shore, which it might if left on its own.

AERIAL VIEW

These photos were taken over a couple of days this past weekend - one much damper than the other. and here's the same beach from 5 years ago:
Lake Quinault: January 2014

The shoreline landscaper would suggest that instead of trying to protect that ragged edge of the lawn, they simple pull it back. The extra bit of back beach would be a better place to put a plastic Adirondack chair or a nice wooden bench than the sloping, uneven grass. And if the edge were a bit farther up the slope (just 8-10 feet), there would be no need for the rock. Instead, you could plant some low native shrubs along the little break in slope. Not a big deal, just seems easier than this persistent need to protect every last bit of lawn - of which there is already plenty. And historical photos in the lodge suggest this area above the beach used to be shrubs, not grass.