Fort Casey

Day 4

It didn't rain on Day 4, even though it looked threatening all day.  So we went to a place called Fort Casey State Park. 

On the way there, we came across this "Blockhouse" on the side of the road.  Blockhouses were used in the 1800's as a defense against Indian attacks.  This particular one was built by Colonel Walter Crockett in 1857.  Most of these blockhouses have been well preserved because they were viewed by descendants as important family history relics. 

 Hole cut out for shooting. 

Pretty view from the Blockhouse yard. 

Now, on to Fort Casey.  It's on Admiralty Head, south of Oak Harbor.  

It's an old military armory, first built in the late 1800's & early 1900's.  It was operational during WWI & WWII to help protect the entrance to the Puget Sound and mainland America. 

The kids were able to see these 10-inch guns.  I believe the 10-inches refers to the barrel diameter, because these guns were enormous.  They had the ability (when operational) to be lowered down and hide out of sight.  

Lookout towers were needed because the fort was mostly underground, so as not to be seen from the water.  Check out that bird, flying right in front of Logan.  None of us realized it had even been there until I went to crop this picture.  Pretty cool, huh!

From down here, you don't realize how close you are to the water.  But we were able to walk on the roof of these buildings.  

And this is the view from up there.  That's where the Strait of Juan de Fuca becomes the Puget Sound.  That's also a tug boat out there.

 The ferry to Port Townsend leaves from this area also. 

 As you can see the kids were able to run around to their heart's content.  

This would make an awesome place to take pictures of the kids or  family pictures.  It wasn't the best lighting on Saturday though, bright and overcast at the same time.  

 In the late 1800's, when the military came in, they displaced the lighthouse that was already there.  So a new lighthouse was built, just up the hill, in 1903.  

 Admirality Head Lighthouse.  

We were able to go into the 1st floor of the lightkeeper's house.  I took this picture of the pantry just for my mom.  She loves quilts.  The one on the left is called, "Bow Tie" and it was made around 1890.  The one on the right is called, "Grandmother's Flower Garden" and it was made in about 1920.  

I always love it when we're allowed to go up into the lantern rooms in lighthouses.  This one had your typical spiral staircase and great views.  

After all this adventure, we were starving, so we went home to have a late lunch.  

 After lunch, we follow a gravel path by our house.  It led us to the harbor... Oak Harbor.  

 There's a ton of driftwood to climb on and a park the kids were able to play at for awhile, called "Windjammer Park."  

 None of the pictures I took of the kids at the park turned out very well.  But here's Taylor chillin' on the back of a dolphin.  

 View from the park area, looking out on the water.

Similar view, but looking more to the left, toward the boats at the harbor.  

After this we went home, the kids bathed and we all crashed.   

Day 5

7am came early the next day.  We were all anxious and excited to attend our new ward.  Turns out everyone was very nice and welcoming.  I guess we'll go back, (Just kidding!  Of course, we'll go back!).

The kids enjoyed primary.  They like their teachers and they made new friends.  Neither one of them could remember the names of any of their teachers or new friends though.  I guess, we'll really have to go back now.  ;)

After church and lunch, (we're home by 12:30pm now), we went to walk on North Beach.   

 It's the rocky beach with views of Deception Pass.  Logan calls it, "Decepticon Pass" and is convinced it's a Decepticon in disguise.

 

More exploring, rock hunting, rock throwing, driftwood climbing, rock climbing & holding up boulders.  Just the usual stuff.  

  

The kids came home with pockets full of rocks.  

If it's Decepticon Pass, then that must be Decepticon Island out there, right?

Today is Day 6, James' first day at "work."  Can't wait to hear from him to know how it's going.  I'll keep you posted.