Skywatch Friday: Point Wilson Lighthouse

Although the light is now automated (less romantic than the image of a grizzled, lonely lighthouse keeper struggling to light a match in a storm, but undoubtedly much more convenient) it still shines every night from the lighthouse at Point Wilson, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca turns into Admiralty Inlet.

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.

Reflecting on the Past

Earlier in the month I left my car on Whidbey Island and traveled to Port Townsend on the Keystone Ferry. After spending the night at the Water Street Hotel in the historic downtown district, I grabbed a cup of coffee and set out for a day of urban hiking. The night before I had explored downtown thoroughly looking for dinner, so I climbed the stairs to the residential district for a day of looking at historical homes.

For those who have never been to Port Townsend, the downtown area is at sea level and the residential area is built on top of a bluff overlooking downtown, providing for an almost perfect separation of residential and commercial areas. The only exception is upper downtown, a two block area of businesses that includes the East Jefferson Fire and Rescue Station 1-6 which houses Old No. 3, a 1941 Howard Cooper 1000 gallon pumper.