The trail is icy and I’ve left my grippers in the car. Aki is in hog heaven thanks to all the other dogs around. We can hear some of them barking on the first beach we will visit. It makes sense given all the cars we saw in the parking lot. I would be hurrying through the walk if not for the ice.

Aki and I avoid the busy beach by walking a parallel trail through the woods. It leads us to another beach. As I slip and slide out of the woods, we hear the nattering of ducks. A small raft of mergansers swims just off shore while a larger grouping of surf scoters fishes the deeper water. This beach is a quiet as the other one was noisy.

Prior walkers have pounded down a good trail for us to use. But for the ducks, there would be no sound. But for the little dog and I, the beach would be empty. Two ducks blow past the headland that separate the two beaches and make sloppy landings near the scoters, reminding us of what we just escaped.