Ediz Hook
Encyclopedia
Ediz Hook is a 3 miles sand spit
that extends from northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula
at Port Angeles
in northcentral Clallam County, Washington, northeasterly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca
, located about 15 miles (24.1 km) West of the larger Dungeness Spit
. It is relatively narrow at points, but broader toward the base and the northeast tip.
Much of the spit is accessible by car on the Ediz Hook Road, which passes several turnouts and picnic areas, with broad views of Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountains, notably the peaks of Mount Angeles
and Klahhane Ridge. To the north marine traffic can be observed, and Orca
pods, Harbor Seals
and other marine life can be spotted. Several long stretches of public beach facilitate beachcombing and birdwatching.
"The Hook" was created by wind and tidal action along the southern edge of the Strait, that carried sediment from the delta of the Elwha River
eastward. The presence of the sand spit creates a natural harbor to the south, with the spit sheltering the area off Port Angeles from the large ocean-sourced swells that roll eastward down the Strait.
The calm waters of the harbor and sandy beaches attracted people to the area long before the appearance of European explorers and settlers. Recently uncovered archeological evidence indicates that a community, know today as Tse-whit-zen
, was occupied for generations by the Klallam
Native American people.
After settlement, the Ediz Hook Light
was established to guide ships safely by the spit in low-visibility conditions. Currently, the end of the spit serves as home for the Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles
. It is also the base of operations for the Puget Sound Pilots.
For the past few decades, notable erosion of Ediz Hook has occurred. This is believed to be caused by the presence of the Elwha River dams, which have reduced the amount of sediment carried by the river. The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration
project is currently pursuing a program of dam removal that will restore the original flow patterns of the Elwha river and is expected to diminish this loss. Several projects have added large boulders to the northwest side of the spit to slow its erosion and protect the Port Angeles Harbor.
Spit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
that extends from northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
at Port Angeles
Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,038 at the 2010 census. The area's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791, but by the mid-19th century the name had...
in northcentral Clallam County, Washington, northeasterly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
, located about 15 miles (24.1 km) West of the larger Dungeness Spit
Dungeness Spit
Dungeness Spit is a long sand spit jutting out from the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula in northeastern Clallam County, Washington, into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It protects Dungeness Bay. The Dungeness Spit is entirely within the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and home of the...
. It is relatively narrow at points, but broader toward the base and the northeast tip.
Much of the spit is accessible by car on the Ediz Hook Road, which passes several turnouts and picnic areas, with broad views of Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountains, notably the peaks of Mount Angeles
Mount Angeles
Mount Angeles is located just south of Port Angeles, Washington in the Olympic National Park. It is the highest peak in the Hurricane Ridge area...
and Klahhane Ridge. To the north marine traffic can be observed, and Orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
pods, Harbor Seals
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
and other marine life can be spotted. Several long stretches of public beach facilitate beachcombing and birdwatching.
"The Hook" was created by wind and tidal action along the southern edge of the Strait, that carried sediment from the delta of the Elwha River
Elwha River
The Elwha River is a -long river located on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. From its source at Elwha snowfinger in the Olympic Range of Olympic National Park it flows generally north to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Most of the river is contained within Olympic National Park...
eastward. The presence of the sand spit creates a natural harbor to the south, with the spit sheltering the area off Port Angeles from the large ocean-sourced swells that roll eastward down the Strait.
The calm waters of the harbor and sandy beaches attracted people to the area long before the appearance of European explorers and settlers. Recently uncovered archeological evidence indicates that a community, know today as Tse-whit-zen
Tse-whit-zen
Tse-whit-zen is a 1,700 to 2,700 year old Lower Elwha Klallam village on the Port Angeles, Washington waterfront, located at the base of Ediz Hook. A project for a graving dock discovered in 2004 that it had been sited to include the village's cemetery...
, was occupied for generations by the Klallam
Klallam
Klallam refers to four related indigenous Native American/First Nations communities from the Pacific Northwest of North America. The Klallam culture is classified ethnographically and linguistically in the Coast Salish subgroup...
Native American people.
After settlement, the Ediz Hook Light
Ediz Hook Light
Ediz Hook Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Port Angeles, Washington, United States. Originally constructed in 1861, the lighthouse structure was later replaced in 1908 by a new structure, and finally in 1946 by an automated beacon on the United States Coast Guard air station on the end of Ediz Hook....
was established to guide ships safely by the spit in low-visibility conditions. Currently, the end of the spit serves as home for the Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles
Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles
US Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles is located at the end of the Ediz Hook peninsula in Port Angeles, Washington. Air Station Port Angeles is the US Coast Guard's oldest operational air station, in operation since 1935. The air station supports three MH-65C Dolphin helicopters...
. It is also the base of operations for the Puget Sound Pilots.
For the past few decades, notable erosion of Ediz Hook has occurred. This is believed to be caused by the presence of the Elwha River dams, which have reduced the amount of sediment carried by the river. The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration
Elwha Ecosystem Restoration
The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project in the United States is the largest dam removal project in history and the second largest ecosystem restoration project in the history of the National Park Service, after the Restoration of the Everglades...
project is currently pursuing a program of dam removal that will restore the original flow patterns of the Elwha river and is expected to diminish this loss. Several projects have added large boulders to the northwest side of the spit to slow its erosion and protect the Port Angeles Harbor.