Tim, Alden and Karynna (Alden’s girlfriend) went rowing ’round the bay with the Sea Scouts this afternoon, while I took a walk along a teensy-weensy part of the 1200-mile Pacific Northwest Trail, which is one of our nation’s newest national trails (and not to be confused with the Pacific Crest Trail, which Tim hiked over the summer of 2013, to mark his transition from active duty to retired Navy life).
When your nearly 21-year-old son, who’s been living on his own in WA for 2+ years, asks if you want to go boating with his Sea Scout troop, on New Year’s Day, as per their annual tradition, in Port Townsend Bay, where the average water temp is 53 degrees in July, you pull on your long johns, grab gloves, a wool cap, and the warmest coat you own, and you go. There’ll be coffee and a hot shower when it’s over.The excursion began at the Wooden Boat Foundation, where the sea scouts hold their meetings and store their gear.
Our boy and his girl (photo by Karynna)Ready to row and sail onboard Bear
Watch them row, with cheers from the crowd on the pier:
If you peer closely at the right hand side, you can see the gray-blue shadow of Mount Rainier behind our intrepid oarsmen.Sea Scouts in the little boat on the left, appearing to take on a Washington State Ferry.Not.I saw three ships come sailing in…
Mountain views from the bay were spectacular today. Mount Baker and the Cascades were to our left, the Olympics to our right, and shadowy Mount Rainier in the middle. Look.
OlympicsCascadesMt. BakerOlympicsMt. Rainier centered beneath the signMt. Baker at sunsetMt. Rainier at sunset
The views from my walk weren’t too shabby either.
Looking southwest along the Larry Scott portion of the Pacific Northwest Trail. That’s a paper factory in the distance.The northeasterly view, with chicken hat selfie. It seemed an appropriate way to greet the new year, and I got a kick out of watching passing motorists say “Look at her chicken hat!”The West Marine mascot appeared to be just as bewildered by my hat as I was by him.I warmed up afterward with a perfect cuppa joe at Velocity, while I waited for the scouts to return.
Snarky, irreverent, occasionally sentimental, viewing the world with head cocked and one eyebrow up. Navy wife (retired), mom to two bigguys, full-time RV traveler with husband. Shit breaks and we make mistakes. Join me anyway?
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