October 19, 2025
Olympic peninsula, Washington
A big storm blew through the Pacific Northwest last weekend bringing rain and wind to coastal areas. I was out on the Olympic peninsula at the time and the wind kicked up some big waves. High drama along the ocean shoreline, which was increased by the very high tides during the middle of the day (it was near new moon).
One consequence of all that activity was the generation of masses of seafoam, which washed up on beaches afterward. Seafoam is:
created by the agitation of seawater, particularly when it contains higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter (including proteins, lignins, and lipids) derived from sources such as the offshore breakdown of algal blooms. These compounds can act as surfactants or foaming agents. As the seawater is churned by breaking waves in the surf zone adjacent to the shore, the surfactants under these turbulent conditions trap air, forming persistent bubbles that stick to each other through surface tension. en.wikipedia.org/...
(The Wikipedia article has quite a comprehensive description of the nature and biological significance of seafoam.)
We walked halfway up Rialto, between the river and Hole-in-the-Wall, about a mile each way.
To get to Rialto from La Push you have to drive 8 miles inland to cross the bridge over the Quillayute and then 5 miles back to the ocean.
On Sunday we went out to Rialto Beach, which is in the Olympic National Park coastal strip, just north of the Quillayute River and the Quileute Tribe town of La Push where we were staying. Rialto is a steeper beach than most along this coastline which causes waves to break with more force there. That means lots of seafoam. The wind had shifted around to the north by then but was still blowing hard as the frontal system moved inland (that’s why we wore yellow slickers, against the wind).
Wind makes foam jiggle big time, and blow in clumps down the beach. You should have seen my camera after a while. I had to wipe the foam off the lens.
Mr O standing where the most recent wave reached
The seafoam had formed drifts where it washed up. We tried to avoid walking through it since there’s no way to know what’s hidden in it. You can easily trip over a log and faceplant into foam, at best. You shuffle. But since the tide was so high it was necessary to pick a route between the bank and the waves, usually deep in foam. Frequently we had to wait for a lull between big waves so we could scoot around a big driftwood log.
Walking quickly around the driftlog before the next wave
I’m including videos of the action since it’s all a very dynamic situation.
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More seafoam kept washing up and back down the beach slope with each wave. On our return to the parking lot the tide had gone down a couple of feet so it wasn’t so fraught finding a route above the reach of the waves.
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The other reason we tried to avoid walking through the foam is because the bubbles are surrounded by a film of organic material, mostly decaying plankton and algae. If you look closely at the foam you’ll notice it’s not pure white like beaten egg whites or even whipped cream. After a while your boots collect a layer of brownish-green foam scum residue that smells like stagnant wetland. Not a terrible smell but also not something I’d want to stay on my boots or pants. In fact I was thigh-deep in foam at times so there was laundry to be done when we got home.
Foam covered boots and pant legs
Rinsing boots in a creek
Threading a route above the foam where it hadn’t stacked up
I mentioned the high tide. It was fun to watch big waves breaking on the beach and I sat for a few hours out in front of our cabin earlier that day enjoying the surf and seafoam. The tide was just starting to go out then and I figured I was safe from waves but occasionally a big one would wash in. Once I got my feet wet, and I moved higher on the bank.
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We’re heading back out to the ocean again next May but there’s unlikely to be seafoam at that season. It’s a winter delight.
🌊
Overcast in the Pacific Northwest islands. We got some sprinkles overnight. Temps in 50s, in 40s at night.
What’s up in nature in your neighborhood on this fall day?
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