Lime Kiln Lighthouse

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Friday, February 28, 2014

No. 242 Ilwaco Marina

Ilwaco Marina
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The quaint fishing town of Ilwaco is located on the north shore of Baker Bay where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean at the south end of the the Long Beach Peninsula. An important transport hub in its early years workers and vacationers would arrive on boats and ferries from cities east up the river and the take horse drawn carriages and later trains up the Long Beach Peninsula.
Ilwaco became well known as an excellent fishing location for Chinook Salmon by the late 19th century. Local soft spruce timber found around Black Lake north of Ilwaco supplied the wood for making shipping boxes for the fresh caught salmon.
There were over 500 permanent fish traps attached to pilings in the waters off Ilwaco until 1934 when the State of Washington in an attempt to prevent overfishing banned the use of Great Lake Style Fish traps.
While Ilwaco sits on a flat basin behind Baker Bay protected from storms and sea swells by the cliffs of Cape Disappointment the channel and waters leading into the Pacific Ocean are treacherous waters to navigate and the area is regarded as one of the dangerous river bars in the world. The shallow waters quickly turn turbulent as strong outgoing tides of the Columbia River meet head on with incoming Pacific Ocean swells producing waves reaching heights of 20-30 feet.
Over 230 vessels have sunk at the mouth of the Columbia River since the 1890, for that reason this body of water is also called the "Graveyard of the Pacific."
The importance of the waterway to commerce and fishing attracts a lot of boating activity heading out to Pacific Ocean past the Columbia River Bar. The inherent risks of navigating the sand bar just off the coast led the United States Coast Guard to establish its largest Search & Rescue Station in the Northwest. 50 crew members staff 9 SAR boats 24/7/365 and respond to over 200 calls a year for assistance. The majority of responses happen during the summer months when recreational fishermen arrive for salmon and bottom fishing and get into trouble.
The United States Coast Guard has a Motor Lifeboat School in Ilwaco to train crews for surf rescue operations.


Ilwaco Charter Fleet
Charter Fleet
Ilaco Marina

Ilwaco Fish Finder
Ilwaco Mermaif

Ilwaco Crab Pots

Thursday, February 20, 2014

No. 241 Boeing first built 727 aircraft

United 727 N7001U


20 years after the introduction of jet powered fighters and bombers for military applications the 
"Jet Age" started showing up in aircraft designs drafts for civilian and commercial use. By the mid 1950's airliners wanted to be able to carry more passengers for longer distances than what turbo props aircraft such as the Bristol Britannia 300x series, Lockheed L1649 Starliner and the Lockheed L188 Electra could transport. 
The first commercial airliner De Havilland Comet 1 entered service on May 2nd, 1952. But after a series of crashes and in flight breakups do to metal fatigue around the sharp edges of the square windows on the Comet 1 jet liners up take was slowed down. 
Boeing introduced its first jet liner in 1957 launching the 707-100s with Pan Am. And later offering versions of the 707 fuselage in shortened and extended cabins for intercontinental and trans-atlantic flights.
The success of jet airliners on long-haul flights was soon followed by air carries wanting the same speed, passenger numbers and reliability of jets in short haul domestic flights. United Airlines, American Airlines and Eastern Air Lines came to Boeing asking for a medium short haul jet aircraft that could land at smaller regional airports with less than 5000 feet of runway. 
In 1963 Boeing revealed its medium range jetliner the Boeing 727 outfitted with three P&W JT8D engines mounted to the tail of the aircraft. The Tri-engine Tail configuration made it possible for flights into and out of high altitude airports such as United Hub at Denver, Colorado; Overwater crossing to the Caribbean for Easter Air routes and was more fuel efficient that running 4 jet engines. 
The first Boeing 727 N7001U rolled out of its Renton Assembly building on November 27, 1962 and had its maiden flight on February 9th, 1963. Unlike most new aircraft designs N7001U was not relinquished to a prototype aircraft life of battered test flights and then to be chopped up. After she passed flight tests and FAA certification United Airlines purchased her for $4.4 million dollars on October 6th, 1964. Her last passenger flight for United was on January 13, 1991 from 
San Francisco, CA to Seattle, WA. Over her 27 years of flying service she flew 64,495 hours, made 48,60 landings and flew an estimated 3,000,000 passengers and generated more than $300 million dollars in revenues for United Airlines.

United 727 N7001U

From 1963 to 1984 1,832 Boeing 727's were manufactured. Boeing initially had a break even point of 250 orders but airliners world wide kept placing new orders throughout the 727-xxx versions. 
Amongst the design improvements of the 727 was the placement of the 3 engines to the rear of the aircraft. Without any engine pods under the wings the entire wing surface area could be mounted with tripple-slotted flap system and leading edge spoilers providing superior take off and landing performance at smaller regional airports with less than 5000' of runway. With the engines mounted high off the ground the 727 was also able to land on unimproved gravel runways since the chance of engine blade debris damage was minimized. 
The Boeing 727 was popular for regional air service because it was equipped with its own retractable stairs located at the rear of the aircraft, its own auxiliary power unit (APU) to provide electrical power to the cockpit, cabin area, air conditioning and air start for the main engines with out the need for terminal walkway or extra ground crew. 
Currently N7001U is housed at the Museum of Flight Restoration facility in Everett, WA. Volunteers are working to restore it to flying condition with the intent to ferry fly it to Boeing Field in Seattle where it will be on display under a newly covered air park at the Museum of Flight. 
United 727 N7001U




727 Achievements
  • First certificated commercial trijet (December 1963).
  • First "Quick Change" airplane, operated with passenger configuration during day and converted to all-cargo at night.
  • First to bring the speed and comfort of jet travel to hundreds of communities with short runways -- as short as 5,000 feet.
  • First commercial airplane in history to surpass the 1,000-sales mark for civil use.
  • First standard airliner to be fitted with Boeing "widebody look" passenger cabin interior.
  • First airplane to have a triple-slotted flap system for superior takeoff and landing performance.
  • First Boeing jetliner with completely powered flight controls. All flight controls are hydraulically powered, with dual units, except for the horizontal stabilizer, which is trimmed electrically.
  • First trijet to fly the North Atlantic with passengers, carrying charter loads between Canadian and European cities.
  • First commercial airplane to win a medal of honor from a king for surviving a fighter strafing attack (Morocco, 1972).
  • Pratt & Whitney designed the JT8D turbofan engine specifically for the 727, the first time in commercial aviation that a jet engine was "tailor-made" for an airplane.
  • First airplane to use the "jet mixing" principle for quieter operation. Because the engine had the lowest jet exit velocity of any engine when it was introduced, it also had the lowest noise level from the tailpipe.
  • First airplane to be certificated to FAA noise rules (FAR 36), even though Boeing was not required to do so because the airplane was in service years before the rule was written.
  • First large commercial airplane to carry its own built-in airstairs and auxiliary power unit and to feature single-point refueling for total independence of ground support equipment at through stops.
  • First airplane to be subjected to The Boeing Company's brutal fatigue testing and static airframe testing prior to flight. The $30 million test program was designed to ensure that no redesign of production airplanes would be necessary. During fatigue testing, the airframe demonstrated a useful life of more than 20 years of normal service.
  • First jet airliner certified by the FAA for operation from gravel runways.
  • First jet airplane considered quiet enough to use LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Two U.S. trunk operators began service June 1, 1964, from LaGuardia, both using 727s.
  • First jetliner to prove it could operate -- even with one engine out -- from Bogata, Colombia (8,355-foot elevation), Cuzco, Peru (10,800-foot elevation), and LaPaz, Bolivia (13,358-foot elevation). No jet had operated at any of these airports before.
  • First in range of all the "smaller" airliners. In 1973, an Advanced 727-200 flew nonstop from Toronto, Canada, to Copenhagen, Denmark -- a distance of 3,975 statute miles.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

No. 240 Visit National Parks in Washington State for Free this weeekend



This Presidential Weekend all 401 national parks  will have free admission as part of National Parks week. Around here, the biggies are Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park. (North Cascades does not charge an entrance fee.)



 Ebey's Landing Whidbey Island 

 Fort Casey Military Fort
Admiralty Head Lighthouse 
Fort Ebey Armory 
Fort Ebey State Park

North Cascade National Park Area

Artist Point
Picture Lake, Vista Point

Olympic National Park

Hurricane Ridge
Sul Duc Falls
Neah Bay
Ruby Beach
Rialto Beach

Click here to see what other national parks are in Washington. And click here for a list of hikes in North Cascades, Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks from the Washington Trails Association.















Friday, February 7, 2014

No. 239 The Photography of Modernist Cuisine: The Exhibition

The Photography of Modernist Cuisine: The Exhibition
Pacific Science Center 
http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/Exhibits/ModernistCuisine
200 Second Ave. N. | Seattle, WA 98109
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The Photography of Modernist Cuisine: The Exhibition, a collection of 100 large-format photographs of food taken by Nathan Myhrvold and his team at Modernist Cuisine, premiered October 26, 2013, at Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. The exhibit illuminates the fascinating, accessible science at work every day in our kitchens and runs through Monday February 17, 2014 

Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking and Modernist Cuisine at Home, both coauthored and published by Myhrvold, won recognition from critics and readers alike for their innovative and engaging photography. Now the creators of these award-winning books have combed through their library of more than 500,000 photographs and identified 100 of their best imagesmany of them new or previously unpublishedto display for the exhibit.
The exhibit will run through February 17, 2014, and then travel worldwide for three years. It will be accompanied by The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, a book showcasing 405 Modernist Cuisine photos in a coffee-table-worthy print size of 13 in by 163⁄8 in. The majority of the exhibition photos are included in the 312-page book. Written by Nathan Myhrvold and published by The Cooking Lab, The Photography ofModernist Cuisine will be on sale by mid-October 2013 . 



Ashy Embers, Above and Below - Ryan Matthew Smith 

Levitating Burger - Ryan Matthew Smith 

The Hidden Garden - Ryan Matthew Smith 
Old-School Canning Cutaway - Ryan Matthew Smith



Thursday, February 6, 2014

No. 238 NorthWest Scale Modlers Exhibition

2014 NorthWest Scale Modelers Show at the Museum of Flight
9404 East Marginal Way S
Seattle, WA 98108-4097
Phone: 206.764.5720




Witchcraft


Time: Saturday, February 8, 2014 - 10:00am to 5:00pm
          Sunday, February 9, 2014 - 10:00am to 5:00pm

 Great Gallery MODEL DISPLAY: Explore the world in miniature at the 2014 NorthWest Scale Modelers Show at the Museum of Flight. See hundreds of detailed scale models of all types at the largest model show in the NorthWest! SPECIAL DISPLAYS: There will be a special display of models marking the100th anniversary of the start of WWI. Another display will highlight the important role women have played in the history and development of aviation. MODELING SEMINARS: Free modeling seminars will be presented at the museum’s Murdock Theater on Saturday and Sunday. Learn new modeling techniques, whether you are expert or novice. FREE MAKE AND TAKE: Children aged 6 to 16 can build their own models under supervision of experts from NorthWest Scale Modelers and take them home. All models are provided courtesy of Galaxy Hobby (Saturday) and Skyway Model Shop (Sunday). The Make & Take runs approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is first-come/ first-serve, so arrive early! Events are included with Museum Admission and are Free for Museum of Flight Members. For information about the show and Northwest Scale Modelers visit http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/northwestscalemodelers




Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle!
Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle - Onceandfuturelaura

Transformers!
Transformers - Onceandfuturelaura
Northwest Scale Model Show 2011
Great Model Hall - BlackBirdCD
NWSM Show 2009
BlackBirdCD



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Monday, February 3, 2014

No. 237 Lake Cassidy, Centennial Trail

Lake Cassidy lies 3 miles east of Marysville and is just a few minutes east of Highway 9. The lake covers over 123 acres of water and is a popular year round lake for fishing rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and brown bullhead catfish. This variety of fish attracts many species of wildlife to its shores. Hawks, Eagles, Heron and Bear can be scene all around the lake. On the east side of the lake there is a 2 mile section of the Centennial trail that leads to a boardwalk and dock that reach out into the waters of Lake Cassidy.
There are two options parking to start this 2 mile section.
1.4 miles North of the lake is the Getchell Road Trail head at 8318 Westlund Road
and a 0.6 miles to the south  10000 block of 105 Ave NE 






Lake Cassidy, Snohomish
Lake Cassidy Interpretive Center
Lake Cassidy, Snohomish
East Shore of Lake Cassidy 
Lake Cassidy, Snohomish
Boardwalk
Lake Cassidy, Snohomish
Mature American Bald Eagle near the Interpretive Center 




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Sunday, February 2, 2014

No. 236 12th Ave South Bridge, Dr Jose Rizal Bridge


Built in 1911, the 171 foot long 12th Avenue South Bridge remains Washington State's oldest steel-arch bridge. The bridge connects Dearborn Street in the International District to Beacon Hill. In the past the bridge spanned trolley lines. By 1936 the trolley lines were removed and a 40 foot roadway was installed. In the 1960s the bridge underwent improvements as the Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 interchange was built.

Bridge (later Rizal Bridge), Seattle, October 24, 1917
Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives
12th Avenue South Bridge or Dearborn Street Bridge (later Rizal Bridge), Seattle, February 16, 1937
Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives


The 12th Ave South Bridge is a good vantage point for sunset shots of the downtown Seattle Stadium District with the Olympic Mountains in the background. Depending on the time of year the sunset will set just behind the downtown buildings. It is also a popular location for longe exposure photography with I-5 & I-90 snaking it way through the frame. 
You can find parking north of the bridge adjacent to the Pacific Med Building and Dr Jose Razal Park.


12th Street Sunset Seattle
Sunset by David Irons Jr
12th Ave South Bridge
Dr. Razal Dog Park view
12th Ave South Bridge
Century Link Field and downtown Seattle from Dr. Jose Razal Dog Park
12th Ave South Bridge
I-90 Overlook
12th Ave South Bridge
East and West spurs of I-90 passing under 12th Ave Bridge 
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