For those who share a love of the coast, the connection is often spoken of as an act of gravity.

Senses pulled in like the tides, captured by sandstone and basalt cliffs, shorebirds, windswept hemlock trees and weathered sea stacks.

When the pandemic forced a shift to remote learning during my junior year as a University of Washington student, I was pulled back home by the M/V Chelan to the islands of northwest Washington’s Salish Sea. The shores became my respite, places of familiar sound and texture, fascinating creatures and serene landscapes.

Now, as a recent graduate, I’m excited to bring my fascination with the seaside and its people to The Astorian as the new editor of Coast Weekend.

The places I’ll be exploring are already near to my heart, from the Long Beach Peninsula, where my great-grandfather once enjoyed salmon fishing near his home in Aberdeen, Washington, to Manzanita, where my dad and I collected a beautiful set of rocks when I was 7 that still sit in my windowsill, often illuminated by the morning sun.

For me, the North Coast holds memories of adventure and sublime natural wonder, of childhood road trips marked with board games, lighthouse visits, family friends and sandy midnight runs under the stars.

As an editor, I hope to learn more along with readers of Coast Weekend about the people that make this place so special, from the flourishing local art scene to the landscape’s rich and varied history.

As you explore the coast, feel free to reach out to me if you happen upon an exciting local event, an artist people should learn more about or a special place you’d like to share with the community.

My inbox is open at editor@discoverourcoast.com. Tell me what you’d like to read about in Coast Weekend.