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| Small Engine and the industrial estate by the docks |
One of the weekends at the beginning of May I took a trip to Discovery Park again. This time I got off the bus early and walked from midway along the Lake Washington Ship Canal, past the boatyard, and then the Ballard Docks. I walked along the South Ship Canal Trail, it isn't exactly scenic but it was interesting and runs by the train track for a little while. There is also a little set of shops where you can buy fresh fish. Walking by the docks there were lots of piles of interesting fishing tackle and the smell of sea (fish) on the breeze!
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| The boat yard |
During my walk I came across a few baby bird. In someone's garden there were Canada goslings which were cute in an impossibly bendy neck way. Then, I was sitting having a snack in one of the parks when I noticed people staring at the top of a tall pole with a large wooden square on top. It turns out there is an Osprey nesting site at the top of that pole. There was a parental osprey tending some little ones, although the nest was a little high for me to get a good photo of the chicks.
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| Canada goslings |
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| Black Osprey |
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| Stretching wings |
Also next to the park, right next to the osprey nest, is a steel rail bascule bridge. Whilst I was snacking the bridge came down and I grabbed my camera to get a picture or video of the train, which must have been coming soon... about 10 minutes later when I was walking away the train finally came.
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| Osprey nest and rail bridge |
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| Long awaited photo of the train |
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| Iris looking lovely in the sun |
I arrived at Discovery Park late afternoon. This time I tried out some different paths, wound my way around some different trees and houses. I came across some beautiful irises and I eventually made my way down to the beach again. During this visit the tide was a lot further out that last time. The beach below the tide line was full of sand covered anemones. When I finally got down to the water it was 'not too cold' and I enjoyed a splashy walk over the waves and saw a large crab. It was all great until I hit a patch of cloudy water, which of course was exactly where all the stones and debris were. Thankfully I survived with only a few cuts on my foot. I guess the crab should have warned me it was a good place to catch some detritus filled crustacean supper. Despite hobbling for a mile or so on dirt filled cuts I got home by bus OK. Administering some TCP soaked plasters/bandaids ensured a lack of infection. All in all a nice afternoon in the sun and some more lovely memories of Seattle made.
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| Sunlit tree |
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| Beach at Discovery Park |
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Anemones breaking up the sand ripples
with bird prints in the background |
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| Lovely sparkly sunlight filled ripples were made for my feet |
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| Big and little boats on the water |
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| Splashy walk |
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| Beware, large crab = lots of crab food |
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| The Lighthouse between North and South Beach |
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| From North Beach looking west |
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| Spring flowers on the sea shore |
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| The woods around Discovery Park |
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| Board walks through the forest are always fun |
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| The sun streaming through the trees |
Bremerton is a naval shipyard and has been a site of ship building since the late 19th Century. It is one of those places that is trying to give itself a facelift but is struggling to attract the tourists it needs to maintain the kind of shops tourists like to look around. That was kind of obvious by the ferries leaving Seattle; the line for the Bainbridge ferry was over a hundred people long whilst the number of people waiting for the Bremerton ferry was less than fifty. To be honest Bainbridge doesn't have a lot going on either but it does manage 'quaint' which Bremerton does not. The main street of shops has been renovated recently but 3 of every 4 lots are empty. Despite that I did have a good time and it was nice to see somewhere different... 
