Pat Neal

PAT NEAL: Let the rain keep coming

“Does it always rain like this?” my fancy friend asked recently while huddling under a refreshing morning shower that hit so hard the raindrops seemed… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Who owns the river: An apology

It was wrong to say in a recent column that bureaucrats, biologists and the bull trout owned the Hoh River. In my own defense, there’s… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Bureaucrats, biologists and bull trout

In our history of the Hoh River, we’ve watched the transfer of ownership from the Native Americans, to warring European nations and eventually to the… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Nonprofits here to help?

In previous episodes, we traced the transfer of ownership of the Hoh River from the Native Americans, who were the original inhabitants, to various warring… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The logging capital of the world

The Native Americans were the first to log the Olympic Peninsula. They cut the Western Red Cedar. Every part of the cedar tree, from its… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Who owns the river?

In previous episodes, we traced the history of land ownership of the Olympic Peninsula in general and the Hoh River in particular. It began with… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Continued: Who owns the river?

In last week’s episode, we were attempting to answer the question, “Who owns the Hoh River?” Ownership began with the Native Americans shortly after the… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: A difficult question to answer

Tourists ask many questions about this land of ours. Is the weather always like this? How deep is the river? As a professional know-it-all, if… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The news from NOAA

It was another tough week in the news. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration threatened further restrictions on salmon fishing from California north to the… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Fun on the farm

Every year along about this time, I think about the good old days. That was back when the Olympic Peninsula lowlands were filled with farms.… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Searching for solitude

Now that the tourists are here, it’s easy to see why we put a season on them in the first place. From the acidified ocean… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The fate of the fish ducks

For some, the New Year begins on Jan. 1. Out on our rivers, the new year begins with the emergence of the baby salmon from… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: A case of clam fever

I don’t know what made me say I was the fastest clam digger in the west. It must have been the COVID-induced cabin fever talking.… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Answering tourists’ questions

Springtime must be my favorite time of year on the Olympic Peninsula. When uncounted millions of birds fly north along our coast to their remote… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Understanding our fishing regulations

“When does the river open?” The tourist angler asked after I told him the river was closed. He was standing knee-deep in trouble, casting away… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: An Earth Day review

How was your Earth Day? Many hoped it would lead to some progress in reducing the pollution of our planet’s air, water and soil. It… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The Highway 101 blues

Thank you for reading this. Somebody must. Because when I mentioned in last week’s column that the Highway 101 bridge over the Hoh River was… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Peninsula’s Wild West roadways

In last week’s episode, we were hurtling west of Port Angeles and, having crossed the Elwha Bridge, headed west on U.S. Highway 101. This bridge… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Olympic Peninsula driving guide

The signs of summer are all around. The roar of the lawn mower, the stench of burning charcoal and the seasonal spike in gasoline prices… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Requiem for a river

Spring is a time of hope on the river. The salmon eggs that survived the winter floods are getting ready to hatch when the weather… Continue reading