Ilwaco: Walking the Docks and Dreaming of Fish

It's been a year since I went fishing for salmon and crab in beautiful Haida Gwaii, Canada. I was really missing hanging out on the docks and sniffing for fish. So during my trip to the Long Beach Peninsula when we decided to go to Ilwaco, I got really excited. They have FISHING BOATS in Ilwaco and that means.. FISH! Ilwaco has a real fishing port and even though they are busy fishing and processing fish, there are great things there for visitors and their dogs to do.

It's mostly about fishing in Ilwaco, WA and I want to go too!

We drove up to the Port of Ilwaco and found a convenient parking lot right across from the docks. There were lots of places to explore... fishing charter businesses, restaurants, art galleries and even a book shop. I loved walking and sniffing and exploring.

I really don't need a fish finder. I can SMELL them!

Each time we came to a gangway down to the docks, I pulled to go down there. I wanted to get on a boat AND GO FISHING. The sea air blew in my face and made my ears flap! So after trying to get my owner to walk down two gangways, she finally gave in and took me down to the fishing boats. There were huge boats and smaller ones. Many were from out of state... even the South Pacific.

Here I am asking nicely to go down on the docks. I love the smell of fishing boats. Please?

We walked to the end of the dock and turned around. Once we returned to the walkway, I enjoyed the grass, the Condor Sculpture and the fish shops. I gave the condor sculpture the once over just to make sure it wasn't real! This life-size replica of a real California Condor has a nine-foot wingspan. Why was it there? Well, reportedly, Lewis & Clark, the explorers, saw that type of bird on their trip to the area.

Here's that SCARY condor!

The next thing that really interested me was the parade of fishermen returning from their charter fishing trips. They had tons of salmon in bags. Once they got up to the walkway, they took the fish out, hung them up and had their pictures taken with their catch. I have to say, the salmon I caught in Haida Gwaii was bigger than most of their fish for sure!

Here's the salmon catch from one of the charter boats.
SIGN ME UP!

I really wanted to sniff the fish but my owner wouldn't let me. We took a picture and walked on.

By then, I was getting tired. I had run on the beach for an hour in the morning so I was ready for a nap in the car. I gladly hopped up on my seat, had a drink of water, and stretched out. You see, it is overcast and misty many days on the coast so I wasn't in danger of overheating in the car. I went to sleep quickly.

It was only later that I found out that my owner had met a friend for lunch at Ole Bob's Seafood right across from the parking lot where I was sleeping. As you might guess, they didn't bring me any seafood after their DELICIOUS LUNCH! But what's new. Such is the life of a dog.

I know she had lunch there. I saw her come out!

That was our last stop on our wonderful trip to THE BEACH. I was sad to leave but am already planning my return. There is so much to do and see on the dog friendly Long Beach Peninsula of Washington.