They might look rather casual, but I was sure this crowd was eagerly anticipating Andrew pulling a fish out of the bay. Sadly that didn't happen.
He did catch a few pieces of eelgrass however.
The forecast was for rain. We got lucky.
Look, a jellyfish! I saw a few of them that afternoon.
They are such cool creatures.
Near the lighthouse shown in the first photo we came across Battery Kinzie.
"Battery Kinzie Fort Worden was the last fortification built in Puget Sound defenses before World War II. It was also the most powerful batteries. Construction began in 1908, some 10 years after the building of heavy gun batteries on the high ground above the Point Wilson sand spit. Battery Kinzie was intended to solve several weaknesses in the original fortification plan. It added two 12-inch guns to the modest number of four already in the defenses. It was located where it could protect the entire entrance of Admiralty Inlet from shore to shore. Its beachside position allowed it to cover the waterway below the fog that often lay just above the surface of the water." (source)
I'm no fan of war memorabilia but I do love me some brutalist architecture so I had fun exploring with that mindset.
Plus there were plants all around; the structure is buried in mound of soil, covered with plants for goodness sake. Lupinus...
There were once guns there, big guns.
Enough of that, time for more plants...
And the beach!
This was so cool!
I love beach architecture too...
The view from our hotel was pretty sweet. I fell asleep watching the ferry pull into the terminal and saw it again first thing in the morning.
I didn't take a picture of the view from our dinner table (we ate here, the bacon jam and fried brussels sprouts flatbread was heavenly), but I did snap one where we parked.
Wednesday morning while Andrew was fishing from the hotel, I zipped back to photograph a couple of houses we'd driven past the day before. I parked across from this one and stopped to ponder the remodel/addition. It's seamless, but for the steps to the right of the hose. That must have been the front entrance back in the day? I really like how they're using the steps as planter bleachers.
This interesting business is what I stopped to document...
That wall! The "matching" pavement with rocks imbedded in it... wow.
Deer were everywhere in Port Townsend. I counted nine of them on my short drive that morning. I wonder if the rock-top helps to keep them out of the front garden? Or is it just decorative?
I think these were baby madrones in the cages. Protection from deer I assume. Maybe bunnies too?
If I weren't tree-stupid I'd mention what these lovely specimens are.
A final photo here, before I hop back in the car and drive on to something completely different.
Like I said, completely different. I'm guessing they like hard angles and straight lines. They don't like plants.
Or maybe they had plants and they were all eaten to the ground by the deer?
Their neighbors to the back have plants, behind a fence. They have a tree in a fence.
No plants here.
Well, almost no plants. These are trimmed up past deer browsing height.
The lines though...
Near the lighthouse shown in the first photo we came across Battery Kinzie.
A madrone...
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The fort is compelling, if also a little eerie. I couldn't help but feel very sad about the house with no (or few) plants. I wonder if there are limitations on planting related to all those wires supporting power (or phone) lines; however, even if that's the case, I'd think some kind of low-growing groundcover or even lawn would be allowed. Driving up to that house every day would be a downer. On the other hand, that unique wall in front of the other home was interesting. Creativity is boundless!
ReplyDeleteWondered how often they were out there straightening the lines where the gravel and bark meet?
DeleteMany happy memories of this area. Both Discovery Bay (Adelma Beach specifically) and Port Townsend. So beautiful there. Before my parents moved to Portland and passed on they had ‘retired’ to Adelma Beach then moved into town (PT). We were so lucky to be able to visit here often for many family gatherings. Just a quick trip from Seattle. Miss it so much. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, it is such a beautiful place. I'm sure I would be there more often if I lived in the Seattle area.
DeleteInteresting area! The houses seem so dark there ... at least compared to Phoenix! I enjoy seeing the beach!
ReplyDeleteThe light, and the house colors are definitely different up here. I was trying to decide what color to paint my house in Spokane, and during a visit to see my brother in Phoenix I found THE color. I managed to find a couple rocks with overspray on them (it was the green of the Children's Hospital off the 51), of course the color did not look the same once I got home. Light makes such a difference.
DeleteBrutalist architecture is even better when it begins to decay. Normally, I'm not much of a fan, but cover it in moss and algae, and rust it up a bit...much better! That brick wall is simply awesome - maybe the best I have ever seen. I've never seen one like it. That took some know how. I was talking to a woman who worked in PT at the Farwest Show last week. She was saying how the population there keeps growing with retirees, but there aren't enough health care workers and infrastructure to keep up.
ReplyDeleteSeems like that same scenario (retirees outpacing healthcare workers) is repeated in many places these days. When I first saw that brick wall Andrew was driving and I so wanted to ask him to stop, but I've learned in the past he needs plenty of warning with those requests. I am glad I had a chance to go back the next morning.
DeleteIt's a stark juxtaposition, the peaceful beach and the deserted fortifications. I wish a new use was found for that structure.
ReplyDeleteIn my recent trip to England I noticed stone walls separating roads and fields, most if not all had broken, sharp rocks stacked along the top as deterrent. A better look than barbed wire or glass shards.
Your photos of Port Townsend makes me want to go. I love beach combing, not to mention the draw of "bacon jam and fried brussels sprouts flatbread"... Yum!
Chavli
Glass shards on top of walls give me the shivers. I hate the look. You should definitely take a long weekend and visit! Make sure you pre-order from Far Reaches so you can pick up plants too! (they're not open for retail these days)
DeleteI have visited Pt Townsend and Far Reaches many times but your pictures and history lessons have informed me in New ways. I love seeing through new eyes
ReplyDeleteYes, it's so fun to see how others view sites that are familiar.
DeleteThis was a good look at Pt Townsend, I've never been. The fortress does draw me in, even tho it's gloomy. That wall is so unique & fabulous. I think the "no plants" people would tear it down immediately due to it's lack of straight lines.
ReplyDeleteHa, yes indeed! They must drive by it frequently (it's just down the street a bit) I wonder if they have to look the other direction?
DeleteHa ha ha, yes - they can't even look in the direction of all those crooked crazy lines. Then grumble on about levels and chalklines.
DeleteGreat pics! Love that craftsman house and the clinker brick/stone walls. The batteries all had similar design. Never thought of them as brutalist but that's a great way to think of it. Yes, they would be very cool with lots of moss and more plants! You can see more "brutalist" batteries at Fort Stevens (Seaside/Warrenton, OR, Battery Russell) and at Cape Disappointment areas (Ilwaco, WA).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the other locations, no reason why I can't make it to both of them at some point.
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