2018.08.31-Washington State, Part 1

We were in Washington State for almost a month staying particularly on the Olympic peninsula but also with family in Spokane.  The short version is we must have loved it because we put our name on a list to buy an RV spot in Chimicum in the far north east corner of the Olympic peninsula, about 65 miles due west of Seattle.  Unfortunately for us the list will probably take from 2 to 5 years before a spot is available.  It was a big decision for us and one we're excited about.  This area is absolutely beautiful.  Hope the following pics give you some idea.

Hoquiam Castle in far south west corner of state

Maritime Museum in Westport 

Grey's Harbor Lighthouse, tallest one in the state of Washington, near Westport, WA

Totem at Chimicum COHO Park, hope to have a spot here someday!

Cabin at Chetzemoka Park in Port Townsend WA

Tiger lilies in Chetzemoka Park

A variation of petunia called Starry Night, just looks like someone slung a white paint brush to me.  They were all over Washington

Sunset in Port Townsend

Lavender in Sequim WA.  This grows especially well here because Sequim is so (relatively) dry due to the Olympic rain shadow.  If you haven't heard of this phenomenon, we hadn't, it is very interesting.  Apparently due to the mountains in Olympic National Park and their proximity to the Pacific Ocean a weather shadow occurs on the leeward side of the mountains that moderates the rainfall and the temperatures, essentially casting a shadow of dryness behind it.  For example while average rainfall in Seattle is 36 inches per year, in Sequim it's only 16 inches, a town not more than 70 miles west of Seattle.  At the little town of Forks they receive 119 inches of rain.  It's on the windward side of Mt Olympus and essentially in the most northwesterly tip of Washington state, only 75 miles west of Sequim.  We were amazed and also pleased as Chimicum, the little town we want to buy into is also in this rain shadow.  You'll have to Google it if you're interested or confused.

A portion of the lavender fields at the B&B Family Lavender farm in Sequim.

Look closely on the left center and you'll see the Dungeness Lighthouse.  It's on the Dungeness spit in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  For contrast however, on the right center you'll see a snowy peak in August from the Olympic National Park. 

Another view of the Dungeness Spit on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  The lighthouse is out of frame on the far right end of the spit.

These are not actual turtle heads, but root balls from a tree along the path to Sole Duck Falls within Olympic National Park.

Sole Duck Falls within Olympic National Park

As you might imagine there are quite a number of native American tribes and lands in this part of the country.  These totems are for the Founding Fathers of the Klallam Tribe located between the towns of Sequim and Port Angeles.

This colorful guy is titled Welcome and is also from the Klallam tribe

A smokey sunset in the Chimicum Park.  While we were there smoke from numerous fires from Canada kept the air very hazy covering up much of the local color and sights in the distance.

Olympic National Park is huge and we went back a second time.  This is the Mary Mere Falls.