POST 1515; BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON; 01-12-2016

It is one week since our previous Post.

Our intention to climb HURRICANE RIDGE was denied by the National Park Service because of the great number of visitors coupled by heavy snow on the roadway and limited parking space at the top.  Vehicles waiting at PORT ANGELES were held at the bottom ... vehicles allowed up the mountain only as vehicles descended to make room for new visitors.  Then too. all vehicles were required to have Snow Chains to climb the steep twisting roadway ... which we did not have.

Rain and intermittent snow flakes remained for the past week, making photography marginal at best.

We continued our journey, arriving as the overcast skies darkened over BELLINGHAM.


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Looking South from PORT ANGELES WAL-MART, where we spent the final night of our Journey from West Virginia to Washington STATE following the outermost roadway ... the roadway closest to the Ocean ( or USA Border with MEXICO) ... we look longingly to HURRICANE RIDGE in the shrouded morning light.

A short drive through PORT ANGELES.  Not representative, however, as PORT ANGELES is a large busy city.  A few images were obtained - and posted here - , but it has rained hard and continuous making picture taking a bit difficult.

Anchored in the Inner Harbor - on the Shore Side of the 1/4 mile long RIP RAP BREAKWATER - is a large OIL CARRIER.  Much of the ALASKA NORTH SLOPE CRUDE OIL is carried by such ships to PUGET SOUND where the oil is off-loaded at one of the many REFINERIES, processed (REFINED) and shipped primarily by Pipe Line across America.

Situated on the STRAITS OF SAN de FUCA, PORT ANGELES is home base to U.S. COAST GUARD SHIPS and HELICOPTERS.

The CONTAINER SHIP pictured above is actually ten or so miles away, transiting the STRAITS OF SAN de FUCA.  From there, that ship has the option to turn South to a United States Seaport, or North to a Seaport in BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

From 1962 until 1980, I was employed as CONTRACTS MANAGER for sequentially :  LOCKHEED - CRANE DIVISION, Seattle; then STAR IRON and STEEL, Tacoma; and finally Germany's KRUPP, GMBH - KRUPP INTERNATIONAL DIVISION, New York.  One of our primary items designed, manufactured and Installed in Seaports around the World were "CONTAINER CRANES" which Load and Unload the CONTAINERS seen on the DECK of the ship above.

From PORT ANGELES, we drove through a pounding RAIN to the city of PORT TOWNSEND, Washington, a city at the North East Corner of the OLYMPIC PENINSULA at the juncture of the STRAITS OF SAN de FUCA and PUGET SOUND.

From PORT TOWNSEND, a WASHINGTON STATE FERRY carries Vehicles and  Foot Passengers to WHIDBEY ISLAND, WASHINGTON - after LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, the second largest Island in the Continental UNITED STATES.

The PORT TOWNSEND PIER where the WASHINGTON STATE FERRY loads and unloads Vehicles and Passengers.

PORT TOWNSEND is built on two levels .  The image above shows BOTH levels

The PIER for the Car FERRY is behind the CAMERA.

The CLIFF consists of the CLAY found on the PACIFIC OCEAN Coastline stretching some 800 miles to SAN FRANCISCO.

PORT TOWNSEND was once a major shipping Seaport.  In mid 1800s, the Continental Railroad construction STOPPED in SEATTLE, which became the center of International Ocean Shipping.

Beautiful PORT TOWNSEND has retained its Seaport vibrancy from 150 years ago, being a "Destination" for private Yachts and vehicles from the "Inland Sea"

FERRY about to load for the 40 minute run to FORT CASEY on WHIDBEY ISLAND.

The World's largest OCTOPUS ... measuring some 32 feet in DIAMETER ... was, I am informed, captured at the WHIDBEY ISLAND FORT CASEY FERRY DOCK.

Largest OCTOPUS I have seen, was 19 foot in DIAMETER, taken by hand by a "FREE DIVER" during a competition  in 100 foot deep waters under the OLD BRIDGE "GALLOPING GIRDY" in the city of TACOMA, some 60 miles South of SEATTLE.

GALLOPING GIRDY fell into PUGET SOUND in 1935 after being subjected to high winds.  Bridge DESIGN created a "FOIL' ... subjected to high winds, the FOIL began to "FLY" causing the bridge to twist and jump about until is fell. 

There is a video of the bridge in its Death Throes ... vehicles were caught on the bridge in the video.  The vehicles also fell.

As an aside, I, not yet one year old, crossed GALLOPING GIRDY with my parents some 30 minutes before her destruction.  We lived some 30 miles from the bridge.

LOPEZ ISLAND is in the Middle Ground.  WHIDBEY ISLAND is in the FOREGROUND



LOPEZ and WHIDBEY ISLANDs together are two of 172 islands making up the SAN JUAN ARCHIPELAGO.  Crystal Clear Waters, the SAN JUANs are home to three families of ORCA "KILLER WHALES" (about 50 individuals)
 

F-18A U.S. NAVY Standard CARRIER FIGHTER JET on "FINAL" Approach to land at Whidbey Island, a long time A-6 Training Base.

TREES in the front yard of "BOB",  Sailing Friend of many years, with whom we are staying for a few days in BELLINGHAM.

Bob!  of many PHD type friends I asked for guidance while building SAM, only BOB offered to help; and has from the beginning of our Senior Walk, been "THERE" for us.

Thank You, Bob 


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In two days. SPIA and ME will once again walk !

SAM is back in our rented Storage Room/

Will visit ERIC, My GODSON, living in SPOKANE, Washington, some 300 miles distant - at the border with the State of IDAHO.  Plan to walk to PORTLAND, OREGON from SPOKANE.

From there, I am not sure.