Olympic Peninsula - Ediz Hook Beach - Port Angeles

I have read several blog postings about this beach and the sea glass that can be found here. So, with much interest I made an exploratory trip recently to see what I could find. The Ediz Hook is a 3-mile-long (4.8 km) sand spit that extends from northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula at Port Angeles, W, northeasterly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, located about 15-mile (24 km) West of the larger Dungeness Spit. 

The beach combing reports on other blogs described finding various amounts of sea glass or none at all. One stated, "When you go to Ediz Hook, don't expect to find much. Usually you'll get some tiny bits of indifferent glass, some metal objects, nice driftwood, but probably not a good piece of sea glass." Some did find sea glass marbles but little else. "So, if you go to Ediz Hook, go at low tide and don't expect to find anything. You may go home with nothing, or you may be SUPER surprised." http://www.odysseyseaglass.com/sea-glass-ediz-hook-port-angeles-wa.html​ 

Ediz Hook beach at about 5' tide. Notice the large boulders covering the beach.

I drove out on the road that is on the spit almost to the gate entry for the Coast Guard Station and parked. There is a large barrier of basalt boulders on the north side  creating a sea wall protecting the north beach. This is where I had heard that beachcombers find the sea glass.  I found an opening in the large boulders then began making my way west on the large round boulders. My experience that day was very disappointing. The outer beach of the Ediz Hook has been reinforced with a deep layer of rock and large boulders. I arrived right at low tide that happened on that morning to be at 4.4 feet. This was probably not a low enough tide to expose the lower beach area that held most of the sea glass and the prime reason I found nothing. According to other pictures I've seen, the beach at lower tides is primarily sand with gravel beds. The brick brack boulders seem to be higher on the beach and obscuring the sea glass. I recommend visiting this beach when the low tide is lower than 3 feet. You will probably find more glass and a much more successful hunt. The sea glass illustrated below were found by other combers in 2013. ​http://www.odysseyseaglass.com/sea-glass-ediz-hook-port-angeles-wa.html

Purple sea glass on Ediz Hook

Sea glass marble on Ediz Hook

Orbicular Jasper on Ediz Hook beach

While on the hook, I did manage to find one smaller piece of Orbicular Jasper which is somewhat difficult to find. It is indigenous to the Pacific Northwest but almost as difficult to find as agates. I explored about .3 of a mile of this beach to the west but finally realized that there would be no special discoveries that day. One of the primary reasons this beach must be combed only at lower tides is because of the brick back that the city of Port Angeles has placed to protect it against erosion. As I left I noticed the large sign that explained the "beach erosion control" measures that were presently implemented. 

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Directions: Drive hwy 101 to Port Angeles, WA. Follow 101 (or E. Front St.) into town till it merges left onto Marine Drive. Follow Marine Drive out onto the Ediz Hook where it becomes Ediz Hook Rd. Park on the left just before the entry gate into the Coast Guard Station. 

5.3.16 Updated Field Report on Ediz Hook, Port Angeles, WA
I decided to return to Ediz Hook beach out in Port Angeles and see if a greater amount of sea glass could be found at a lower tide level. I arrived around 10am and the tide was nearing +1 foot and was dropping. This gave me some hope that more of the beach and gravel beds would be exposed. I had come to believe that some of the old glass debris from the Port Angeles beach dump below 8th and 10th streets would be washed up out here. This idea was supported by several blog postings over the years by other sea glass collectors. So, I began exploring the rock covered beach heading toward the west and back toward the main land. Even at lower tides the beach was still significantly covered with larger rocks and boulders making sea glass finds very difficult. 

I did find one piece of white (clear) sea glass after about an hour on the beach. It was lying on the surface of the gravel beds and stood out clearly. If only more were found so easily. 

Another larger piece of green sea glass was found about an hour later. This piece was very nice, well frosted and rounded. It had obviously been in the surf for several decades. Along the way I also picked up a few pieces of orbicular jasper which for me personally is hard to pass up. ​

In conclusion, the few hours sent on Ediz Hook were enjoyable but disappointing. It is a beautiful beach to explore with it's vast supply of rocks! If you are looking for sea glass, however, you will be disappointed. Here's a brief video of my last trip out to Ediz hook and the results of my hunt.