A Fun Day of Bluffing & Coasting - Ebey Landing

Ebey Landing on Whidbey Island, and nature at its grandest.  A beautiful heron posed and poised in the hunt for lunch.  Admiralty Inlet has the ideal conditions for large populations of salmon, which also eat the forage fish: surf smelt, sandlance, and pacific herring.  All these fish also attract wonderful birds.  These fish also attract orcas.  The eel grass beds offer the forage fish some hiding spots.

The hunt is on.  The Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher. In flight, look for this widespread heron’s tucked-in neck and long legs trailing out behind.

An artist at work

Tall beach grasses along the sandy trail to the beach on Admiralty Inlet

It's a rocky shore, interspersed with sandy oasis.  The rocks are smooth and round from eons with the gentle waves.  Some are so pretty and surprising colors.  Take a walk along the shore for incredible views and pack a picnic for a sandy oasis against a washed up, pale log while you listen to the ocean gently inhale and then noisily exhale waves over and over and over. 

Adorable prints in the sand

And a parade of prints, telltale proof of wild birdlife

A sweeping, spectacular view from the bluff trail.  Eroding bluffs help create the salmon friendly shore.  Currents carry the sand to nearby beaches. This sand along with the eel grass beds creates ideal conditions for the forage fish to lay their eggs.  Although this view looks high up, and it is, the trail is a gradual climb and very easy and kid friendly.  

The beautiful bluff trail moves in and out of the stunning  high bluff views of  Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula, and then along the wildlife forest.

The fun, winding hedgerows trail along the bluff and through the forest.

Lots of berry bushes and other vegetation attract wildlife

A gentle fawn.  Her mother who was nearby was too shy, and too fast, for a photo

Here's a cute little Douglas squirrel, also called a Chickaree.  You can see the distinctive orange tummy front on this hungry critter.  They live in conifer trees and eat nuts and conifer cones.  These squirrels are quite bold and have been known to bark, growl, whistle, or otherwise scold anyone they perceive as intruders on their territory.

The grassy, almost prairie fields as you get further along the bluff trail.  These don't have any beach access.  The bluff trail is altogether about 5 1/2 miles.

The gunnery at the top of the prairie field.  Battery 248 was on war alert during World War II.  It was the primary gun battery of Fort Ebey.  It was built in coordination with other installations on the coast between Fort Casey and Deception Pass.  As the war in the Pacific continued, it became clear the Japanese wouldn't threaten the Puget Sound.  The installations stayed on vigilant alert, but only fired at practice targets.  It was continued to be used as a training facility until 1965 when it was converted to a state park.

The look from inside a gunnery installation

One of the less celebrated wildlife inhabitants as it slides along the trail, the well-known Pacific Northwest slug.

And back to sweeping, wet views along the beach

The sounds of the many wild birds will entertain you from every direction all through your visit. There are laughing seagulls, cormorants, dark robins, and so much more. Occasionally you'll hear the roar from some bigger birds that belong to the naval station a little further along the coast, near Deception Pass.  Also, sea planes.  You can tell the different plane types from the engine sounds.

A gull line

Attempting a noble profile

A seagull with his friend the black tern.  More commonly found in eastern Washington.  Those in the west will usually fly to Mexico during the winter months.  They usually eat from the waters surface, they're not usually divers for dinner.

I wasn't lucky enough to see any of these mammals during my visit, although I did see plenty of fish breaking the surface of the water and diving back down.

I had a wonderful day along the beach and high on the bluff trail.

Highly recommended outing, hiking, picnicking spot.  Perfect place for relaxation and fun

A Hike and A Concert On the Olympic Peninsula

How could the day be anything short of spectacular when it starts with this amazing view from the ferry ride to the Olympic Peninsula.  My Saturn car and I are sailing on the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston.  That's Mt. Rainier towering in the background over Seattle, and the Seattle Space Needle.  I'm yearning for another hike on Mt. Rainier, but not today.  Today I'm headed for a hike and a concert in Quilcene at the Olympic Music Festival

We're talking a 2:00 afternoon concert in the barn.  This is the thirty-second amazing music season.

In 1966, Alan Iglitzin and other members of the Philadelphia String Quartet moved to Seattle to become the University of Washington’s Quartet-in-Residence, a position it held until 1982. During its 30-year tenure, the Quartet performed throughout the world and recorded extensively.

In 1984, Alan Iglitzin fulfilled a lifelong dream by founding the Olympic Music Festival on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. While he originally intended the Festival to be a summer retreat for the Philadelphia String Quartet, Alan soon discovered that Northwest audiences were immediately drawn to the idea of experiencing music in such an idyllic setting.

Since its opening season, the Festival has grown from three weekends to eleven. Today, thousands of people attend performances every summer, many coming from as close as Seattle and as far as Asia and Europe. During the summer, Festival performances are re-broadcast by Classical KING-FM.

I recommend you arrive early and enjoy walking around the beautiful 55 acre grounds.  There are open areas, and trails as well that you can enjoy before sitting down for an afternoon concert.  Beautiful birds and butterflies all around.

Enjoy the Northwest wildflowers.  In this case daisies and paintbrush.

The grandeur of the mountains and the forest juxtaposed with the gorgeous hedge of piper's bellflower, found only on the Olympic Peninsula 

Can you smell them from here?  Actually, they have no scent.

Visiting the horses that live on the grounds

Friends, waiting for the music to begin

The exciting time to head back to the barn and enjoy the concert!  Looking for a wonderful souvenir?  The volunteers who are so friendly and do such an amazing job in many capacities including the souvenirs are happy to help you.  I recommend the wonderful recordings they make of the performance you attend.  They mail it to your address.  I really treasure my cd of the performance I attended.

Inside the barn as we all begin to take our seats.  There are still 4 weekends of performances remaining this season.  And I can't wait to see what next summer will bring.   You can keep apprised of their schedules on the Olympic Music Festival site.

You can choose your seating from chairs, to wooden benches, to straw.  Lean back and listen to the enchanted sounds of summer.

Aggie Alum Out On a Rattlesnake Ledge

UC Davis alumni living in the Puget Sound hiked Rattlesnake Ledge and made it to the top.  Go Ags!  UCD alumni living in the Seattle area, join us at our next fun event - check us out on facebook  Notice our exhausted friend Sadie in the forefront.  She knows when to enjoy her trail, and when to rest.

This hike has a couple of extended uphill sections, so just take it easy and take advantage of enjoying the forest views at pause points on the trail.  It's a short trail, just 4 miles round trip.  Our group included ages from late 20's to late 60's and we all did well.  You'll love the view, although on our hike it was a little hazy from the terrible fires in eastern Washington.

Here we are enthusiastically starting into the forest.

There is wildlife all around on this hike, including also chipmunks and at the lake we visited after the hike there was a beautiful large blue heron that swooped over the lake and into the forest trees.  I've never heard a heron call until today.  That is a very loud and beautiful bird.

Douglas fir, western red cedar and western hemlock are throughout this forest.  These are protected remnants of old growth along with 2nd and 3rd growth trees

Smiles on the trail and lots of fun conversation along the way made the uphill seem so much easier.  You can see how wonderfully well maintained these trails are.

The history - not long ago Native Americans journeyed each year to this forest from lands surrounding Snoqualmie river to the north and Green/White rivers to the south, the Duwamish to the west, and the Yakima and Wenatchee rivers to the east.  They were interested in the salmonberry thickets, red alder, and blackberries.  A prairie of camas used to grow in the shadow of Rattlesnake Ledge, and that was most coveted.  Camas tubers are like potatoes, rich in carbohydrates and easy to store.

The view we sought.

And you can climb even higher up the rocks if you want.  If you look closely you can see an orange shirt on a person enjoying the view from an even higher spot.

So many hikers enjoying the view at the top of the trail.

Headed back down the trail.  Going back is so much easier.

From the bottom you can imagine the Rattler's face in the giant rock ledge.

Next stop, enjoying a little picnic at the lake.  Here's a view of enjoying the outdoors without the hike, rowers on the lake.

Rattlesnake lake is so beautiful, it's sadly shocking to see it at such extraordinarily low levels this year.

The low water levels leaves uncovered these eerie tree stumps all over what is usually the lake floor.  Five species of salmon make it all the way to this lake from the Puget Sound each year on their migration.

Ghosts of trees past.  In the distance, kayakers.

Mini rock climbing

Pretty little snowberries on the bush.  Small, pink blossoms in early summer turn to berries that can last well into winter on bare twigs, since the bushes are deciduous. People find these berries bitter and mostly inedible - they can cause vomiting, diarhea, dizziness, and sometimes unconsciousness, so don't try them. Snowberry thickets provide cover for wildlife, including small birds and mammals as well as game species like sharp-tailed, ruffed, and blue grouse and wild turkey. Large mammals like deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep all browse on snowberry, although it is not a preferred food.

Enjoy your next hike!  And go Ags!

Speed Boat to Blake Island

Part of the welcoming committee on Blake Island, Seattle.

More of the committee.  Blake Island was used as a camping ground by the Suquamish Tribe.  In about 1786, according to legend, it was the birthplace of Chief Sealth.  It was officially named in 1841 after George Smith Blake, then commander of the US Coastal Survey.  William Pitt Trimble acquired Blake Island in 1904 and named it Trimble Island.  At various times the island was known as High Island and Smugglers Island.  In 1936 Trimble sold the island, after the death of his wife in an accident in Seattle.  In 1959 Washington State made the entire island a state park.

When you hike the trails on Blake Island, you're going to see deer.

And so we arrive on the rocky shore after a fun speedboat ride and get our bearings by one of the campgrounds.

And we contemplated the beauty around us, gazing out onto the Sound

And in the distance, Seattle and the Space Needle.  The busy activity of the city that we left behind for a day.

Then it's time to hit the woodsy trail.  There are trails all over the island, including one that goes all around it, and including an interpretive, nature trail that  describes the Suquamish Tribe life.

Towering alder trees

Madrona trees as a gateway to the Puget Sound

A curious trail mate

A sandy beach for a picnic break

Other boats lined up along the beach while people enjoy the day on land

A picnic crasher, watchful for any wayward snacks

Island mates

Onward, back to the forest and heading back to the replica Suquamish longhouse

After a fun time in nature, now we're ready to learn even more about the Tribe history and culture

Not to mention, we're ready for a delicious alder smoked, salmon dinner.

And after dinner treated to a story telling show, featuring magnificent masks.  Highly recommend a full day on Blake Island so you can fully enjoy all aspects of the beach, forest, and longhouse, or really make memories by camping at the campgrounds

Fun for all

And sweet spanish lavendar