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

Monday, May 26, 2014

No. 277 USS Turner Joy Bremerton, WA

USS Turner Joy Destroyer (DD-951)
U.S Naval Destroyer Ship Museum
300 Washington Beach Ave.
Bremerton, WA 98337
Website: http://www.ussturnerjoy.org/
MAP IT 
Operating Hours:
March 1 to October 23 - 10am-5pm 7 days a week
November 1 - February 28-29th 10am-4pm  Wednesday - Sunday 
USS Turner Joy (DD-951)
USS Turner Joy docked at the Bremerton Marina
Built by the Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Company in 1957 and commissioned into service by Commander Ralph S. Wentworth in 1959. The Forrest Sherman Class Destroyer served the United States Navy for 23 years mainly in the Pacific Rim Theater. The USS Turner Joy gained national attention in August of 1964, when she was attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. The incident led the US Government to step up its involvement in the Vietnam War. 
9 years later when America ended its role in Vietnam it was USS Turner Joy's 5 inch main guns that volleyed the United States Navy last naval rounds into Vietnam. 
Bow USS Turner Joy (DD-951)
Bow View 
Starboard Side USS Turner Joy (DD-951)
Starboard Rail 
Bow View




Saturday, May 24, 2014

No. 276 Tank Fest at Flying Heritage Collection

Flying Heritage Collection
Paine Field
3407 109th Street SW
Everett, WA 98204 

Website: http://www.flyingheritage.com/default.aspx


Tank Fest Northwest 

Jagdpanzer 38(t) (Hetzer)


Monday, May 26, 2014 10am to 5pm
Cost: $14/adults; $12/seniors and military; $10 children 6-17; Free/children 5 and under

Event Highlights:
Restored Tanks including T-34, Hetzer, Sherman, Stuart, M-18 Hellcat, and possibly Abbot SPG will be driving on the newly constructed tank arena and also firing shells and along with two 88mm flak cannons. Additionally military vehicles and other artillery weapons will be on display. Puget Sound Military Vehicle Collectors will be in attendance as well as the International Plastic Modelers Society.

M4A1 Sherman Medium Tank
M4A1 SHERMAN MEDIUM TANK
Flak 88mm Cannon
FLAK 37 88MM GUN
Jagdpanzer 38(t) (Hetzer)
JAGDPANZER 38(T) (HETZER)
Flak 37 88mm Gun

The newly constructed Tank Demonstration Area

GOPR7871_1400978909863_high_1 GOPR7865_1400978970557_high_1 GOPR7881_1400978943421_high_1


Video of the demolition last fall to make room for the new tank area


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

No. 275 Paine Field Aviation Day 2014

​On Saturday, May 17, 2014, the Washington Pilots Association (WPA), Paine Field Airport, Flying Heritage Collection, and Historic Flight Foundation will host the 19th Annual Paine Field Aviation Day from 9am - 3pm
Paine Field Aviation Day FAQs:
Paine Field Aviation Day
Paine Field
Everett, Washington
website: http://www.wpaflys.org/Chapters/Paine/ga_day.htm

SATURDAY May 17th, 2014
HOURS: 9AM-53PM
Fee: $10


ALL DAYFlying Schedule 
*Schedule subject to change due to weather, pilot availability, and aircraft readiness. 

Young Eagles Flights (East)

9:00 am - 3:00pm (Except 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm)"
Helicopter and Biplane rides (West)
Military Encampment (West)
Learn to Fly (East) - On the Half Hours (Except 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm)


9:00amMain Gates Open (East/West)
Pancake Benefit Breakfast ($5 Fire Station East)
Young Eagles Registration Opens (East)
Museum of Flight: Build a Robot (East)


10:00am Helicopter and Biplane Tours start (West)


10:30amOpening Ceremony - CAP Presentation of Colors



Airshow 12 noon to 1:30pm
Planned Aircraft Demonstrations include  Cascade Warbirds,
North American B-25s, North American P-51s, Republic P-47, Spitfire
Possible: Up to 5 B-25 Mitchel s
                Snohomish County Rescue Helicopter 






2:45pmGates Close
3:30pmLast Shuttles Depart for Parking Lots






West Side Map

PHOTOS AFTER THE BREAK

Friday, May 9, 2014

No. 274 Whidbey Scenic Isle Way




The Whidbey Island Scenic Byway is part of the Great North Cascades Loop. This section of the byway is around 75 miles in length and takes just over 2 hours to drive without any stops. But there are plenty of scenic overlooks and parks to visit along the way. You don't have to visit every stop listed in this guide. This byway has much to offer and is worth visiting again and again throughout the year as seasons change the scenery and different wildlife species become active.

Starting off in Anacortes, Washington (77 miles north of Seattle, WA)

View from Above-Anacortes, Wa
A) Cape Sante Overlook 
Anacortes is homeport to the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. Located on Fidalgo Island, it is conveniently situated halfway between Seattle and Vancouver BC and is the destination point for the San Juans and International ferry runs for Washington State.







Mount Erie Overlook, Anactores WashingtonB) Mount Erie View Point 
Bowman Pier, Deception PassMt. Erie View Point is on the highest mountain of Fidalgo Island in Skagit County. The 160 acre park is operated by the Anacortes Community Forest Lands and offers various adventure activities such as multiple rock face ascents, trails and a number of hill top viewing areas.






C) Bowman Bay Pier
Deception Pass looking South WestBowman Bay is located just north of the Deception Pass Bridge off of Highway on Fidalgo Island. The bay is separated from Lottie Bay to the south by a small and growing sand bar but it still is subject to tidal changes. Check current tidal conditions before your arrival to predict access to the shoreline. 





D) Deception Pass Bridge
The main feature of the park is the 180 foot tall Deception Pass Bridge, which was completed in 1935. The quarter mile long bridge spans two cuts in between Fidalgo and Whidbey Island. When the bridge first opened in 1935 on average 700 cars crossed between Whidbey Island and the Mainland. Today over 20,000 cars and trucks cross the bridge daily.







Deception Pass CutE) West Beach
West Beach is a long, gravelly shoreline dotted with boulders and driftwood and as excellent views of the Olympic Mountains, the San Juan Islands, and even Victoria on a clear day.  Keeping an eye on the changes in tide levels is important if you want to take a stroll around the large boulders to the north and look back at the cut and Deception Pass Bridge.

Fort Ebey State Park




F) Fort Ebey State Park
Fort Ebey was originally commissioned by the United States Army in 1942 as military artillery Battery 248. Battery 248 featured 2 rapid fire 6-inch shell cannons, earth covered concrete support structure and fire control post. An SCR-296A radar facility was located south of the battery


Fort Casey 10 inch Gun on display G) Fort Casey
In 1858, the U.S. government purchased ten acres of land costing $400 for the construction of Admiralty Head Lighthouse. In 1890, the army took over the premises. It named its garrison "Fort Casey" in honor of Brigadier General Thomas Lincoln Casey, the last U.S. Army chief of engineers. At that time, Fort Casey, in union with Fort Worden and Fort Flagler, was said to comprise a "triangle of fire" guarding the entrance to Puget Sound. 


Admiralty Head LighthouseH) Admiralty Head Light House
The Admiralty Head Lighthouse, built in 1903 by the Army Corps of Engineers, is located in Fort Casey State Park near Coupeville on Whidbey Island. The beacon, high on a bluff, 127 feet above sea level, was an important navigational aid, especially for sailing ships entering Admiralty Inlet from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It replaced the Red Bluff Lighthouse, a wooden Cape Cod style structure built in 1861. Although decommissioned in 1922, the Admiralty Head Lighthouse received national recognition in 1990 when the U. S. Postal Service selected it for a collection of five commemorative lighthouse stamps honoring the U.S. Coast Guard’s bicentennial.


Old Pier Mukilteo Beach
J) Clinton/Mukilteo Ferry
Return to the Mainland via Washington State Ferry Clinton / Mukilteo run. The crossing takes about 20 minutes

Thursday, May 8, 2014

No. 273 Cama Beach State Park

Cama Beach State Park
1880 S.W. Camano Dr
Camano Island, WA 98282
Cabin & Group Accommodations
Ph: 360-387-1550
Website: http://wa-washingtonstateparks.civicplus.com/483/Cama-Beach

Cama Beach State Park is located on the west side of Camano Island looking out over Saratoga Passage towards Whidbey Island. It is about a 90 minute drive from the Seattle area. The park property served as a family run fishing village from the 1930s to 1990s when the land was acquired by Washington State Park System. Camano Beach State Park has 433 acres of waterfront access, and depending on the tide levels the beach can extend for 50 yards or more during low tide.
The park is open year round for day use and also offers visitors the option of staying overnight is one of two bungalow or a rustic cabins along the shoreline. The Center for Wooden boats also has an education building and boat house at the north end of the beach.

Saturday, May 10

The Center for Wooden Boats (CWB) offers a free sail on Saratoga Passage on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. This is the 15th anniversary of this event. 
Date:
May 10
Time:
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Time Details:
Sign up starts at 10:00am, first sail is at 11:00am
Location:
Cama Beach State Park
Address:
1880 S.W. Camano Drive
Camano IslandWA 98282
Cost:
Free event, Discover Pass required




Cama Beach
1930s Gas Station at Cama Beach by Larry Myhre
Boathouse at low tide
Center for Wooden Boats Boathouse at low tide by Eldan Goldenberg
Cama Beach
Cama Beach Cabins by Larry Myhre
P8293488
Cabins by Eldan Goldenberg

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

No. 272 Whale Watching in the North Sound

Great Ways to Save on Whale Watching Tours this summer with 



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801 Commercial Ave
Anacortes, WA
Phone Number: 360-293-2428

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