In order to protect our delicate flower‘s big ears from the fireworks, Karyn and I went over to the Peninsula over the fourth. We had intended to go to Salt Creek Recreation Area west of Port Angeles, but two things prevented us from doing so. First, when we got off the ferry in Kingston, the parade down the main drag was in full swing, and it seemed like every last citizen was in a float. So they were redirecting ferry traffic right back into the waiting area until it was done with. Second, the Internet has shortened my attention span so much that another thirty miles of driving seemed like a massive hurdle.
Salt Creek has a little spit of land called Tongue Point and a view of some lovely seastacks. But I’ve always enjoyed the Dungeness Spit too for its vistas and its coastal Carolina vibe. So we decided to go there instead. We lucked into a campsite around three, set up our swank new tent, and walked along the bluffs above the Spit. Clouds rolled over the Olympics, but there was bright sunshine over the water, and there at the confluence where we walked, the light was bizarre: steep, heavy, kinda yellow. We saw eagles and seabirds, and deer in the lavender fields. We dined on hobo packets and s’mores. We slept soundly and had hot coffee in the morning. And Chauncey ran from one new smell to the next. All told, a thoroughly wholesome alternative to the hot city.
Port Gamble is all quaintified, but it’s still pretty cool. Most of the buildings line a big open valley in the middle of town; you could imagine a revival or temperance rally occurring there. Up the hill is the graveyard, with very few population additions since the thirties. Swallows darted low around the obelisks. I felt like I should have apologized.
A few pictures here, on Flickr, including the one that my clone took.
Lullaby Baxter: Rattled Little Clam
“Vienna, Tokyo and Rome are here.”
Tags: camping · Clallam County · Dungeness Spit · travels with Chauncey3 Comments
3 responses so far ↓
Sounds beautiful, interesting and fun. Can we go there the next time I am in the vicinity?
Absolutely! We could even go “all the way” to Salt Creek, our original destination.
You may not remember it, but we did stop by there very briefly, you, Dad, Neal and me, in December of ’98. It was freezing, and had already gotten dark, but we went out to the beginning of the spit for the view.
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