Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
The downside of making a day trip to the Skagit Valley from Sequim is that the schedule – and thus the light – is subject to the ferry crossings from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. And this, regrettably, meant no soft angles of morning light nor honeyed evening kiss on the flowers. It’s a day trip worth making and as we left we began planning a “next time” in which there would be an overnight stay that would allow pictures at either end of the day.
Two of the larger Skagit Valley growers, RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town, host formal exhibits and tours of their facilities and charge an admission fee. Above is a shot of a display at RoozenGaarde. Because it was a warm day and our dog Chord was not allowed on their guest list, we opted to explore on our own.
We began our day in LaConner, a sweet little town on the western edge of the valley, then zigged and zagged around the fields. The website for the festival has a map of the valley, a calendar of events, and descriptions of the activities throughout April. When our LaConner breakfast scones wore off, we followed signs to the Kiwani’s Salmon Barbeque in Mt. Vernon and fortified ourselves for the trip home.
Washington’s Skagit Valley is located roughly 70 miles north of Seattle and is an agricultural region that partly specializes in tulips and flower seeds. Tulips grown in the area are celebrated throughout the month of April with the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. While there are local events such as art shows, a wine festival, and a Kiwani’s salmon barbeque, the festival is largely a free self-paced drive along fields of tulips and daffodils.
We visited in late April last year in an attempt to avoid the soggy weather that had plagued us for months and continued well into April. We succeeded in finding a sunny day, but the downside was that some fields had already been plowed under. There were still tulips, but no fields of blooming daffodils. Drat.
This was my first real outing with the camera I now use, which is to say I think I’d do things differently today.
This post is part of the Weekly Top Shot series hosted by Madge of The View from Right Here. To see other posts, click below:
Chord, the Wonder Dog. Avid walker. Fine companion. Most people think their animals are the best in the world. I’m no different.
Chord tip toed through the tulips at the Skagitt Valley Tulip Festival last year. I’d known of this event for many years but last spring was my first opportunity to visit. I’ll share a few more pictures in the next day or two.
Every now and then I crave a good, char-broiled hamburger. I haven’t scoured Sequim for the perfect burger, but have been happy with the ones I’ve found at Stymie’s, the bar and grill at the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course. I tried something new yesterday: this one came topped with blue cheese. And instead of the standard virtuous salad I opted for the sweet potato fries. I left happy.
Here’s the front of the building. The golf course is beyond the back and Stymie’s, at the back, looks onto the course. To the right is one of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s many totem poles. I posted other photos of this spot here, earlier this month.
Continuing yesterday’s maritime theme, another Port Townsend go-to for any boater is the Northwest Maritime Center. The two building complex houses a boathouse, classrooms, library, a conference facility, and a pilothouse set up for learning navigation, communications, and vessel control. The Center opens onto a large plaza overlooking Port Townsend Bay and often displays beautiful wooden boats.
The Chandlery at the Maritime Center was our destination on this trip. Brass nails, to be exact. But we’ve found Stockholm tar and marine paint there and drooled over tools and fixtures. The shop fields calls from all over the U.S. and the manager included a call from the Carribbean in her list of calls the day we visited.
There is an excellent selection of books, a small cafe, boating togs, and a well-chosen array of gifts and art. Even if you’re not seaward bound, it’s an interesting place to browse.
On a sunnier day and a future trip I’ll snap some photos of the Center’s outdoor plaza and boats. It’s an attractive and impressive facility.
If you’re married to a mariner, as I am, you learn that places like this are catnip to a boater. I’ve learned to enjoy and appreciate the lines of a classic boat, and to keep myself occupied while my husband haunts marine supply depots. I took this rainy day view during a shopping trip for boat paint. Port Townsend is a center for boats and boating and there’s a boatyard that’s a hubub of haulout activity.
The Voyager, above, is hauled out for repairs. It is a purse seiner fishing boat, which means that it sets a net in a large circle on the top of the water. A rope around the net at its bottom is tightened to draw in the catch. The big block at the back of the boat pulls up the net.
In addition to working boats like the Voyager, Port Townsend is home to yachts, sailboats, and a population of people who live aboard various seagoing vessels. In the 1970s Port Townsend became the center for a West Coast renaissance of classic wooden boats and has hosted an annual Wooden Boat Festival since 1976.
Tomorrow I’ll take you on a visit to the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend.