Tuesday, October 7, 2008

final look at neah bay 10-7-08




it's been raining off and on this afternoon with occasional wind gusts of 28 knots. we plan on leaving at dawn tomorrow














more to come when we get further south and i get a new online connection.

taut with texture in neah bay 10-7-08





respect for old boats in neah bay 10-7-08

Neah Bay is in the Olympic Peninsula , the most nw point of the continental U.S. where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean. It's also part of the Native American reservation for Makah Nation. Nearby is Vancouver Island, Canada, Cape Flattery, Shi Shi, and miles of beach. Since we don't have a car and we're walking, we're limited to the small town which is between the mini-mart and the Makah Museum. So that leaves the harbor for exploring.

And then there are the old boats. At the far end of the harbor were two docks I call the boat graveyard. I could feel the sadness as I walked past each boat. Broken windows, weeds growing topside, and covered in moss, who knows what happened before they were abandoned at the docks. I took these pictures with respect for their past history and to dignify their existence.



There's something about that circular shape that attracks me.



I saw this sign at the end of the dock which required me to climb onto a fish-cleaning raft.



I'm not sure what the nautical term is for this rack.








We didn't see any ficious sea lions but we also didn't see any children. Hmmm.

I'm having a ball taking snapshots while we wait for the weather to clear. Looks like we'll leave at dawn tomorrow, Wednesday, to head south.






storming in neah bay on oct. 6 08































































Checked in with the port captain at Neah Bay then had breakfast at the Warm House at the far end of the harbor. To walk off my meal I wandered around the harbor looking at the old fishing boats. It’s humbling to walk past these huge beasts, gritty from countless fishing trips and rough weather. My eye sees the patina of beauty. Layers upon layers of hard work and corrosion and the dampness of heavy mist. The smell of fish hangs in the air.
And now it's late at night, the storm is passing through, and I can hear the rain and wind howling outside. It's too exciting to sleep.
This round of pictures is just the names. More to come tomorrow.