Images: Tsunami Dock in Remote Washington

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Tsunami Dock

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife)

Officials found this 65-foot (20 meter) dock on a remote beach in Olympic National Park, Washington on Dec. 18. Because of the dock's remote location, crews could not begin the removal process until March 19, 2013.

Reaching the Dock

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (Olympic National Park))

A crew makes the rugged trek to the dock in Olympic National Park on Dec. 21, 2012.

Dock Sampling

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (Olympic National Park))

A worker takes samples from the dock on Dec. 21, 2012.

Tracking Buoy

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Crews attached a tracking buoy on Dec. 21, 2012 to make sure the dock wouldn't be lost if the current swept it out to sea.

Dock in Surf

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

The Japanese dock sits in the surf on a remote beach in Olympic National Park.

Beached Dock

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Rough surf and swollen creeks kept crews from the dock. Helicopters will be used to remove pieces of the dock from the beach.

Helicopter View

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: Washington State Department of Ecology)

A view of the dock on Dec. 18, 2012 from helicopter.

Trek to the Dock

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: National Park Service (Olympic National Park))

Reaching the dock on Dec. 21, 2012 required a trek across fallen logs.

Crossing the Creek

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: National Park Service (Olympic National Park))

The trip to the dock also involved a deep creek crossing.

Dock Damage

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: National Park Service (Olympic National Park))

Damage to the tsunami dock on the Washington beach.

January Dock

Japan tsunami dock

(Image credit: National Park Service (Olympic National Park))

Workers atop the dock on January 3, 2013.

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.