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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
November 12, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 12, 2020
 
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Trail: Taking a road trip north al from page A-38 geographical index e these are big, colorful map books that dissect a state, country or region into highly de- tailed topographic grids. Though huge, they contain such mapping detail that you need — ironically -— a magnifying glass to effectively read them. Their detail is rich and alluring. In the dark before dawn I buckle into George’s passenger seat and stare be- neath the dash lamp and magnifying glass, pointing to Foulweather Blufi“ and Tala Point, the two northernmost points, east and west, respectively, defining the mouth of the python that is the waterway shape of Hood Canal. Well, a short python with a kink in its hook-shaped tail. DUCKABUSH & CENIENT MIXER Port Gamble is going to be the star of my story, but before we get there via U.S. Highway 101, I want my readers to be aware of a few things you must pass on the way. The Duckabush River Estuary has a nature trail you can find on the northeast side of the Duckabush bridge. At low tide, especially in spring, you can walk far out into the delta, turning around to get great views of the Olympics behind the his- toric bridge. This bridge is either going to be , replaced, altered or “added to” sub- stantially when a new bridge system goes into construction to help with river sedimentation and salmon pas- sage here. , It Will mean lane closures, delays and all the rest. I am not certain of thgproject’s beginning date, but I krwa it is funded solidly and will go forward. In Brinnon, you have Rocky Brook Falls and the Geoduck Tavern. I’ve written ad nauseam on the falls, so let’s put in a quick plug for the tavern: great bar food, including soups, chow- ders and creative specials. Authentic as it gets, with nice, friendly staff who really love working there. However, there’s no seating due to COVID at the big horseshoe bar. , Continuing north is a lot of new commerce springing up in Quilcene, inlcuding rumors of a decent sandwich shop and deli. But I want .to draw your attention to the public marina, tucked behind town on Linger Longer Road. It’s a raw, industrial, barely devel- oped place with mooring fees at about $10, but it’s a spot with character and shellfish history. I guarantee you’ll take a cellphone photo of the old cement mixer with all the hand—painted signs and graffiti plastered over its surface. It’s a big, wheeled billboard of populist pain, a slogan collage by old oystermen out of business, ranting at the government for this offense or that. It’s blue collar anger art with echoes of 1930s Dust- bowl despair. Oddly, it’s as current as our last election. POINTS NOT PUBLIC One thing I learn about the gazet- teer: like old nautical charts, it pro- vides names and indications for every point of land, hoWever, it doesn’t tell you that all these great destinations are private property and have no point from which visitors can attain a view. Basically, we get skunked at dead- end road after road. We wave at fences and security cameras. We turn WE GYM '13 A: SAFE PLACE‘FO‘RTE'TNESS "’inrrsn, NO EVIDENCE THAT THE POSITIVE CASES ORIGINATED IN GYMS around in many a driveway marked “NO TURNAROUND” and learn that poetically named Foulweather Bluff has a lackluster, public end- road beach no wider than a sandbox and that the bluff itself is occupied by mansions with owners not open to allowing strangers to walk their grounds. GANflBLE PAYS OFF By contrast, the tourist-friendly open spaces of Port Gamble provide a deep breath of relief. Like a detailed snow globe, this tiny historic log- ' ging town remains manicured and preserried, ready to charm its visitors with streets, trees and houses looking exactly as they did in 1859. , The Port Gamble mill is gone now, . its creosote and other pollutants hauled off -— well, some of them any- way — with nothing but a lonely pic- nic table lying en the mudfiats below. On the bluff above, the old Post Of- fice is still active. A former filling sta- tion is now a cleverly renovated coffee shop. The old company mercantile store now hosts a cafe and curio shop of the highest caliber; they occupy the floors above the official Port Gamble Historic Museum, which is flanked by a rare Camperdown Elm tree planted . in 1875. Across the street is the Franklin ‘ Lodge, the oldest Masonic Lodge in Washington, founded in 1859. Honest- ly, every single house along the main street has a story to tell. Indeed, me- ticulously hand-lettered signs in front of each home tell you who once lived there, and that person’s significance to the historic growth of the town and mill. The whole town is a museum. And Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page A—39 ong Hood Canal most of it’s for rent now, in the vaca- tion-rental style of the officers’ houses and barracks at Fort Warden State Park, in Port Townsend. Just rent a week back in time. I would love to shoot a movie in Port Gamble. Or be a kid again and trick-or—treat its streets. SEABECK: HONORABLE MENTION Skip Port Ludlow, just gray hairs in golf carts, perfect flat-tepped shrub- bery and automatic sprinkler systems. Women with small dogs living inside their sweaters. Point No Point Lighthouse? Yes, yes! Seabeck, yes, too, as it’s an au— thentic, low-key oasis away from the “Kitsap Gittup” of fast-paced develop- ment occurring all around Bremerton, Silverdale and Paulsbo. Known primarily for its two nearby state parks, its sheltered marina and hugely expanding conference center, the town proper is merely a hamlet of small general store, the original Seabeck pizza parlor, and an espresso stand, all with generous public seating and picnic tables over a large plank deck. Seabeck has its own charm, but doesn’t offer Olympic Mountain views. For that, you’ll need to get on the bluffs above, where you’ll encounter -— surprise! —— private property.’ I Mark Woytowich is a writer, pho- tographer, video producer and author of “Where Waterfalls and Wild Things Are.” He lives in Potlatch with his “0n the Trail” column appearing every oth- er week in the Journal. Reach him at his website, www.wherewaterfallsare. com, or by email at eyefive@hctc.com. ALLYN l Case Inlet DAIE HIGH (FEET) SHELTON [Oakland Bay on HIGH rrrn) UNION Hood Canal urn HIGH (FEET) \ l’rrle tables have been transcribed and may contain errors.‘Nol intended for navigational use. llrlal Information Courtesy US Harborstom Your local Titles For the week of NOVEMBER 12 through NOVEMBER 18, 2020 #WT-I—m—“m nmmmmmmmmmmmm unmmmmmmwmmmm ummmmmmmmmmmn wmmmmmmmmmmmn wmmmwm-Immmmn nmmmmmmmmmmmn wmmmmmmmmnmmn AM PM AM I’M 12 mmmmmmmn *3 nmmmmmmmmn 14 mmmmmm-Imn 15 mmmmmmmmmn *6 mmmmmmmmn 17 mmmmmmmmn *8 mmmmmmmmn nmmmmmmmmmmmn nmmmmmwmwmmmn mmmmmmmmmmmmn wmmmwmmmmmmmn wmmmmmmmmmmmn wmmmmm-Immmmn wmmmmmmmmmmmn Weekly Tide Tables Sponsored by MMWWMMSMSM 13¢ VERLE’S- LOW (FEET) SUN MOON [0W (FEED SUN MOON LOW (FEET) SUN MOON (360) 426-0933