On the north end of Prince of Wales Island, looking out over Sumner Strait, is a lovely and varied stretch of beach that is worth visiting again and again. We went by skiff from Point Baker, but there is a road to it, too. In the parking lot is the fanciest outhouse that I have ever seen.

Parking lot and outhouse at Memorial Beach. In front of the outhouse are bear-proof trash cans.

Walking the trail at Memorial Beach

There is a short trail that starts by the sign and takes you to the beach. It is just the right length to put you in a peaceful state of mind to relax at the beach. The trees welcome you to walk among them, to shed off the day-to-day concerns, to breathe deeply and calmly. Maybe they even invite you to hold your sweetheart's hand. Trees can be really nice people.

There are picnic tables and fire rings at the beach. There is also a shelter with a wood stove for cool, blustery days, or to take the chill off while camping there overnight. The shelter has bunks. Bring your own sleeping bag and pad!

Shelter at Memorial Beach, Prince of Wales Island.

But really it is the broom that I love best, and that someone put it together with duct tape. Most of the Alaskans that I know have duct tape handy in their home, truck, and boat.

The broom head might have been found on the beach, maybe after being blown off of the deck of a boat in bad weather. There's a boater looking at this photo right now saying, "That's where my broom went!"

My favorite beachcombing quarry on Memorial Beach are pretty, surf-smoothed pebbles and cool driftwood shapes.

There are rock outcrops in between the stretches of sand and pebble that have tidepools full of enough colorful critters to keep you busy looking until the tide comes in. Well, to keep me busy. I haven't made it past childlike wonderment when it comes to tidepools. Hermit crabs still delight me.