Cruisin'

Kayaking the Elwha in the Olympic Mountains.
Paddle, paddle...glide... 

Slowly, quietly, slipping through God's country.
Today's theme for CDP is action shot.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Weekend Reflections
Sky Watch Friday

Lunch at Lowell's

The letter this week for the ABC Wednesday meme is Y.
So I submit for your consideration: Y is for "Yon snow-capped peaks that you can see above the fog are the Olympic Mountains" So might the chap in the hat be saying while sitting and pointing in the direction of the Olympic Peninsula.

When in Seattle, I enjoy stopping by Lowell's for breakfast or lunch on the second floor, where I can belly up to to the bar and watch the ferry boats (as seen in the photo) and other marine traffic gliding in and out of Elliott Bay. Sitting there also offers a chance to strike up a conversation with local vendors in the market as they drop by for a quick meal and beverage or perhaps a tourist from Paris, Texas or Chignik, Alaska or who knows where. And photo ops are good there too.

N for Nautical

Summer Squalls over Port Townsend Bay

Contributor to the ABC Wednesday community

Ferry crossing

Sky Watch

There are probably very few more photographed landmarks in Port Townsend than this private residence built only eighteen years ago. Built as a vacation getaway, the Dimick lighthouse cottage is modeled after the nearby Mukilteo lighthouse built in 1906 with some changes to suit the owners. It is not for or intended to be for navigational use, but certainly gets its share of attention from passersby. A great spot for viewing Port Townsend Bay and the Olympic Mountains or, for that matter, skywatching.

See skies from around the world today on Sky Watch Friday.

ABC Wednesday - Y is for Yea...

...Yes and Yippee! Since Christmas Day we've been disconnected from the Internet, but today we're finally on again. Feels like open waters, full sails and getting back on course. Thanks to all who have stopped by with your comments. Will be good to visit you again.

Click here to visit all the ABC Wednesday posts today.

Sky Watchers

This morning the skies cleared and afforded this early morning shot across Port Townsend Bay toward the Olympic Mountains. The cormorants in the foreground appear to be sky watching while soaking up some early morning sun. Our beautiful fall day has been a welcome relief from days of stormy weather.

To view all the posts involved with Sky Watch Friday click here.

Wooden Boat Festival 2008

Great weather and hundreds of wooden boats registered for the event are helping Port Townsend enjoy its 32nd annual Wooden Boat Festival. Here the tall ship Alcyone is tendered into its dock space with Mt. Rainier seen on the horizon.

Point Hudson Marina has filled every available space for the entrants as well as the surrounding shore facilities for boats and vendors.

With the Olympic Mountains silhouetted by Friday's setting sun, the schooner Merrie Ellen is seen at dockside beneath a crescent moon.

More photos of the festival can be seen at my spillover site Raf's Lagniappe by clicking here.

A Sound View

About thirty miles south of Port Townsend is Mt. Walker. It is a small mountain of some 3,000 feet on the northeast edge of the Olympic Mountains and from its summit lookouts, it provides sweeping views of the Puget Sound basin. This view is looking southeast across Hood Canal and Kitsap Peninsula toward the largest mountain in the Cascade Range, Mt. Rainier 14, 411 feet. This photo was taken last fall during conditions that prompted a temperature inversion and smog layer seen here. Fortunately, they are not the norm in this area.

Passage to Whidbey

In the shadow of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, the ferry Steilacoom II makes its first run of the day from downtown Port Townsend across Admiralty Inlet to Keystone on Whidbey Island.