{"id":1548,"date":"2018-07-17T06:21:25","date_gmt":"2018-07-17T05:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/?p=1548"},"modified":"2018-07-17T06:54:05","modified_gmt":"2018-07-17T05:54:05","slug":"port-townsend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/2018\/07\/17\/port-townsend\/","title":{"rendered":"Port Townsend"},"content":{"rendered":"

We drove along RT101 having already arranged with Julia (my sister Wendy’s daughter) that she would meet us on the edge of\u00a0Port Townsend\u00a0to guide us into our site at Point Hudson Marina\u00a0and RV Park, as there was a lot of road works on the main route. She had investigated a couple of alternative routes, avoiding narrow roads (does such a thing exist in the USA?), and overhanging trees (remember we are 12ft 6in high just under truck height) and had chosen one that would work.<\/p>\n

Julia was parked up on\u00a0the edge of the road and we followed her in to our site. Wow not quite a\u00a0front row waterfront site, but only one row back looking out over the\u00a0Puget\u00a0Sound which is around the Fort Worden Point from the Straits of Juan de Fuca\u00a0and is the main shipping route into Seattle from the Pacific.<\/p>\n

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The view from the front window.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Our site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The main channel into Seattle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lots of wildlife.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Point Hudson marina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sunset over the Puget Sound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sunset towards Fort Worden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Marina at sunset.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We went out for a meal at Doc’s marina Grill with Julia and Michael in the evening where we worked out what we would do over the weekend. It was lovely to see them at last and after a very nice meal we went to bed that night with sound of the channel bell tinkling away in the distance.<\/p>\n

On the Saturday it had been decided we would drive to Julia’s and Michael’s early in order to drive to Hurricane Ridge, but on the way stop for breakfast\u00a0in Port Angeles at a place that Julia knew\u00a0called Chestnut Cottage. After a lovely breakfast we then carried on up to Hurricane \u00a0Ridge, 5,242ft up in the Washington Olympic National Park. From here you get 360\u00b0 views of the mountains inland to the south and Port Angeles, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island to the North. There is also quite a bit of wildlife around, the deer especially just grazing peacefully yards from the visitors centre.<\/p>\n

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Deer grazing on the hillside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Inland towards Olympic National Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Cloud covered glaciers. the weather gradually improved all day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Even I had to put on a fleece as the wind blowing over the snow bank in the next photo was making it quite cold!!\u00a0 Julia & Michael and the two Brits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Straits of Juan de Fuca and a snow bank. Quite a few paths were still closed by snow and this is June 16th!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Bambi!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view of the mountains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lots of flowers just beginning to come out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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View towards Port Angeles, Dungeness Spit and Vancouver Island.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Snow was still melting and causing waterfalls.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Dungeness Spit in the distance. You can just see the Lighthouse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A tunnel on the main road to Hurricane Ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Trees clinging to the bare rock above the road. I was amazed they didn’t fall down.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From here we went to Dungeness Spit in the above photo, a spit of sand that sticks out into the Straits and has a lighthouse at the end. Waves crashing in on the beach and yet more driftwood. An artist who used driftwood as their medium would not lack a supply for their art in Washington state.<\/p>\n

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Dungeness Spit Lighthouse a 5 mile walk along the spit. Needless to say we were not up to the 10 mile hike!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Spit with driftwood!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking towards Port Angeles and the Pacific Ocean.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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One of the many container ships going to and from Seattle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Group photo on the Spit!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A deer just came walking past!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We then returned to Julia and Michael’s house where we had a steak barbeque. The views from the front of their house over Discovery Bay are absolutely stunning especially when the sun sets through the trees.<\/p>\n

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Sitting on the front looking out over Discovery Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A yacht in discovery Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Hummingbird on their feeder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sun setting over the bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Almost gone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next day (Sunday) we set off early again from J&M’s house to go and see Lake Cushman, a snow melt fed lake in the Olympic National Park. The weather was now getting hotter and we arrived at the lake in brilliant sunshine.<\/p>\n

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Lake Cushman’s beautiful blue waters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Look at those clouds!! A swimming and canoeing area.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Mountains behind the lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Crystal clear water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Snow still melting so it was still filling the lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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One of the many boating and swimming docks on the lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking down the lake towards Olympic National Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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You can get to the lake many ways, but your own seaplane helps!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We then drove back to J&M’s for another barbeque and another look at Discovery Bay.<\/p>\n

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Another hummingbird.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sun going down over Discovery Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nearly there.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The sun setting over the beach at the RV Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Monday was a work day for J&M so we just pottered around the RV Park and the Marina, but we returned the favour and cooked them a meal in the RV after they had finished work.<\/p>\n

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Got the table and chairs out on the camping mat and ate breakfast outside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Who wouldn’t with this view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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This is the port channel buoy whose bell we could hear at night.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Loads of birds feeding as the tide went out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Need a lift Sir!! Crane used to get boats into the boatyard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Need a few $$$$ for some of these. The black hulled one to the left behind the car was $105,000 for a second hand yacht!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A lovely dual masted yacht.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the Tuesday both Julia and Michael had the afternoon off so we met them at the Spruce Goose at Port Townsend “International ” Airport. It is an International Airport as people fly into it from Canada in their private planes!! The Spruce Goose is renowned for its fruit pies and I can say with some certainty they lived up to their reputation. We then drove back to Port Townsend and we\u00a0walked around looking at the sights. Pretty little town with some interesting shops.<\/p>\n

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A ship yard where they train boat builders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Building a wooden clinker built boat. Out the back a steamer was steaming the wood ready for it to be bent into the hull.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Bronze Sea Otters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The refurbished Town Hall. At one point it was threatening to fall, but it was carefully restored and the end piece to the left added to improve the structure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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One of the Jetties.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Beautiful yacht.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The original Fire Bell and the oldest in Washington State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Post Office (originally the Customs House).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The ferry we will be using at the end of the week.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We ate out in the evening at the Old Whiskey Mill.<\/p>\n

On the Wednesday we decided to drive to Seattle to have a look round. Got caught up in a massive traffic jam where they were redeveloping the I5 at Tacoma, so it took us a bit longer than expected.<\/p>\n

First we visited Pike Place Market, which sells almost anything you can think of but is also famous for a particular fishmonger that throws their fish around when creating a display.<\/p>\n

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Pike Place Market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The fish display at the fishmonger that threw the fish around. I was too slow to catch it (a photo not the fish). They had also fixed up a lever in the mouth of the monkfish and if you got too close it talked to you!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Panoramic view of the harbour from a viewpoint on top of the market. The market is 5 stories high.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Circus shop where you can see some strange exhibits, like a shoe from the World’s Tallest man.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From here we drove to see the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. The Space Needle was partially closed because they were refurbishing it, but there were still some magnificent views. The Chihuly Garden and Glass\u00a0Museum was an absolute stunning exhibition of Dale Chihuly’s glass works.<\/p>\n

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View of Seattle from the top of the Needle looking North.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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View of the Harbour from the Needle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Seattle Skyscrapers from the Needle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Someone trying not to look too worried as she leant back on the glass between her and a 605ft drop. Notice the left hand gripping the bench!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Chihuly interior glass garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lovely colours in these glass vases.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Amazing glass work.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sea creatures based sculpture. This is an octopus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Huge multi faceted glass sculpture, made from hundreds of individual blown pieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Detail from within the sculpture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A complete glass garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A closer look.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A boat full of individual blown glass pieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A blue chandelier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another chandelier the other way up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A stunning blue glass bowl.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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And an orange one.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A complete ceiling made up of individual glass pieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another ceiling panel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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And another.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Glass sculpture in the garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Same piece with the Needle in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Glass pieces in the garden looking like real flowers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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This piece must have been at least 25ft tall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Same piece, trying to get Anne and the Needle in the picture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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This hall was closed for a private function but I managed to sneak a picture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another tall garden piece.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A magnificent tall glass sculpture looking like plant in Avatar(the SF film).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Judy (Anne’s pen friend in Florida) had told us to visit this place and all I can say is if you get a chance to see it don’t miss it.<\/p>\n

After eating our evening meal in Seattle we decided to go back to Port Townsend using the Bainbridge Island ferry.<\/p>\n

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The M.V Spokane our Washington State Ferry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Seattle skyline from the ferry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sunset with people on the front of the ferry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sun setting as we approached the Bainbridge Island dock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the Thursday we had a rest day after the long day in Seattle, although we did manage to fit in a trip to Poulsbo for the mandatory Quilt shop visit. In the evening\u00a0we\u00a0went out J&M’s for a barbeque and the\u00a0group photo!!<\/p>\n

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Magnificent view in the background, pity the foreground spoiled it :-).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And Friday 22nd dawned and it was Anne’s birthday. We first of all Skyped Alan and then Claire, although we missed Caroline’s call, so they could all wish her Happy Birthday. We had managed to find some clotted cream in Poulsbo the previous day so I made some scones from a packet mix in the convection oven, and we had a cream tea in the afternoon with Julia, after we had visited the Port Townsend Museum.<\/p>\n

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Carriages in the museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Statue that I think was on the top of the Town Hall before its refurbishment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And then we went to a local restaurant called The Fountain for Anne’s Birthday dinner.<\/p>\n

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Anne’s Birthday dinner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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And when we returned to the RV the Ferry was caught in a rainbow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saturday dawned and we had to get up early to pack everything up, hitch up the Spark and get ready for our Ferry crossing to Coupeville at 11.45am. We had to be there 45 minutes before the booking time, and Julia and Michael came to see us off. We really enjoyed our visit to them and all they had arranged for us to do. We really liked Port Townsend and there house on Discovery Bay.<\/p>\n

So at 11.00 am we pulled up at the ferry gate and got measured (50ft 6in long and well within the height as the ferry takes trucks).<\/p>\n

We then paid our fare and waited in Row 1 for the ferry to arrive.<\/p>\n

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Here it comes!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Two big trucks right on the front.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were first on as we were the biggest vehicle on this trip and they parked us right at the front in the middle of the car deck, so we got a really great view out\u00a0of our\u00a0front window for the whole trip.<\/p>\n

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The ferry engine is running to keep it in the dock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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And off we go.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Cliff edges on the Coupeville shore.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Approaching the Coupeville Dock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Journey’s End, well not quite we need to get to Concrete.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventual destination is the KOA at Concrete \/ Grandy Creek which is only 50 miles from the US \/ Canada border but below the last Flying J \/ Pilot gas (petrol) station where we have to fill up as petrol is way more expensive in Canada than in the US.<\/p>\n

Also gives us time to figure out what we can and cannot take across the border as everything we read\u00a0gives a different story from\u00a0“they will intensively search your vehicle” to “they will \u00a0stamp your passports and wave you through”!!<\/p>\n

We arrived at the campground at about 2.30pm and parked up. Nice site, but obviously a Canadian \/ USA camping holiday destination as there are hundreds of children running around!!<\/p>\n

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Parked up among the trees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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We had a surprise visitor (our son Timothy) on the first night, who came to wish his mother Happy Birthday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After we had sorted out our laundry and checked all that was in the fridge etc. on Monday 25th June we set off to the border.<\/p>\n

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The queue at the Canadian border.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After about half an hour we reached the border. The guy in the booth asked us if we had any Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and explosives, to which the answer was “No Tobacco, 2 bottles of wine, no firearms or explosives”, he stamped our Passports and said “Welcome to Canada, enjoy your stay” and waved us through. Next sign we saw was …….<\/p>\n

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And we then drove to our Canadian site for the next 3 weeks, Fort Camping, Brae Island, Fort Langley, British Columbia.<\/p>\n

That will be my next post, our stay in Vancouver.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We drove along RT101 having already arranged with Julia (my sister Wendy’s daughter) that she would meet us on the edge of\u00a0Port Townsend\u00a0to guide us into our site at Point Hudson Marina\u00a0and RV Park, as there was a lot of road works on the main route. She had investigated a couple of alternative routes, avoiding … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Port Townsend”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1548"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1548\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1677,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1548\/revisions\/1677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmjsystems.co.uk\/rvblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}