My wife left me today...so I went to the park

My wife left me today. Not forever, but she and my baby flew down to California to spend time with her family. But it was a catchy title, right? So I'm stuck here trying to remember what I did before I had a wife and a baby. I love being alone, so I thought I'd welcome this break, but it's weird. So I thought I'd take a trip to The Narrows Park on the south east end of Gig Harbor. My dog and I used to go there often. It felt like it was our own private beach, because there was hardly anybody ever there. It's a dilemma for me...this blog is supposed to introduce you to the great things Gig Harbor offers, but the more folks who learn about places like Narrows Park, the less likely I am to have it to myself.

Today was a pretty good day. There were people scattered here and there, but the tide was at a -2, so there was plenty of beach to maneuver on. Tides in Gig Harbor fluctuate radically by the way. Keep up on the changing tides with this chart.

Most people are pretty responsible. I do let Seb off of his leash to run and swim, but as soon as I see other folks around, I put him back on leash. 2 of the 3 other dog owners I saw at the park today did the same. The other had a Dalmatian (Seb hates Dalmatians, they tend to be aggressive) and as the dog ran towards us the owner kept yelling, "He's okay. He's fine." Thanks. The problem is Seb isn't. He got his eye slashed open as a puppy when he was on leash by a dog that was off, and now, more than 8 years later, he'll still attack any dog that approaches him. Fortunately the Dalmatian ran back towards its owner each time I picked up a rock and pretended I was going to throw it. But like I said, most people are pretty respectful...I won't bash an entire park 'cause one person won't control their dog.

Narrows Park is a great place to view the bridges (on low tide days like today, you can walk underneath them). There's lots of sea life there as well. We've seen otters, seals, lots of fish, star fish (or sea stars for the picky folks), and tons of shells. It's the best place in Gig Harbor for a picnic or a nature walk, I think. Here are a few photos of our day.

The drive down to the park is incredible. The forest is just beautiful.

Beach at low tide. Tides in Gig Harbor fluctuate greatly. Don't walk too far if you haven't checked the tides.

Mount Rainier peaking out above Tacoma. The mountain moves, you know. You can see it from so many angles, and it looks different every time!

Tons of shells and sea creatures can be found at Narrows Park. I don't know what the rules are in terms of taking them home with you, but I prefer to take photos and leave them for the next folks.