Living In Secret

The first time I drove highway 101 through Aberdeen and Hoquiam it was a cold, wet day in February.

The fog had closed in and there wasn't much to look at past the rain drops on the windshield. I remember feeling frustrated and unsure that I was even going in the right direction. Since we were used to navigating the streets of Seattle with the help of our IPhone GPS, we hadn't factored in that the further you get from the city, the further you get from reliable cell towers. I felt like I was flying blind. Each time we grasped a blip from the network, I asked John to jot down the final directions through town. Who puts an interstate through a town? One way streets? Should I have turned there?

Once we crossed the final bridge to leave Hoquiam, the houses spread out and the streets felt quieter. As we began to climb our way towards Ocean Shores, the trees on the harbor side opened up to a driftwood piled shore, still gray water, and fog. The glassy harbor reflected the gray sky and it looked like the end.

The Edge of the Earth lies just outside of Hoquiam. It is breathtaking. I remember all the stress of our drive evaporating into that view. I've never seen anything like it. That will always be the first view I remember about Grays Harbor.

We were on our way to apply for a job at the Pacific Beach Inn. Before the Craigslist ad we replied to, we had no idea Pacific Beach existed, let alone the rest of the North Beach. When we took the job, we took a new way of life. Sure, we miss the city for some things. Now we live in a place that feels like a secret. This is our frontier. We've taken hikes minutes from our house that I swear haven't been seen by humans in years. Maybe it's the rain that makes everything feel new. Maybe it's Puget Sound's way of imitating an ocean that keeps the rest of Washington from going any further west. It's reassuring to know there is still fresh, unspoiled nature in America.

My family and I celebrated our first year pioneering our frontier last March. The luxuaries of the city, in all of it's documented discoveries is fun, but not many people get to live in a secret. Secret beaches. Secret trails. Secret taverns and shops with locals more than willing to point out more secrets to discover. We've barely scratched the surface.

I can't wait to discover more. Now I carry real, paper maps.

This post come from Jennifer Grant. You can read more of her writing at her blog, Be More Pacific. Or just go to the Pacific Beach Inn and say hello!