The Ties that Bind

Cables strung together comprise the railing on Washington state's newest ferry, the Chetzemoka.

Weekend Reflections: Waiting for the Keystone Ferry

I'm not sure what exactly this is for-- it looks like the ferry officials have repurposed pilings as a sort of watchtower, or maybe a monitoring station of some kind. The seagulls have repurposed the grass growing on top of the pilings to be their nests. So this collection of pilings is not only rather pretty, reflected in the still water off Whidbey Island, but apparently useful too.

The Chetzemoka

We're back from our little getaway to Fort Worden, and we had a great time! The way there and back we rode on Washington's newest ferry, the Chetzemoka. The way over was a gray, misty day which lent itself well to black and white. The way back was beautiful and sunny, and I would have taken lots of colorful pictures if I hadn't stayed in the car trying not to vomit because I had the stomach flu. Did I say we had a great time? We had a great time till Eli and I started throwing up.

Old Town and Mount Baker

This another Port Townsend shot taken from the ferry as it pulls away from the dock. The Water Street Hotel where I stayed is the red brick building to the left of Mount Baker. It was built in 1889 by a local pharmacist but fell into disrepair. The building was restored and currently houses a hotel, brewery and art gallery.

The hotel has an old world feel with 10-12 foot ceilings, a central atrium that rises from the second story to the third, and shared bathrooms for several of the rooms. On the street side of the building with nearly floor to ceiling windows, my room offered an excellent vantage point for watching the comings and goings of Water Street.