The Peninsula

In February we get a mid-winter break, and I had big plans to do really productive things.  Like get the oil changed in my car and maybe scrub the toilet.  It was going to be very exciting.

Unfortunately those things took about an hour of break and the rest was up for grabs- although one of the Seahawks players takes his car to the same place as me and his appointment was right after mine and all the car gentlemen were all aflutter with anticipation and equal amount of super bowl disappointment.  It was a brief hour of excitement, but then I had to leave 5 minutes before he arrived, but not without first seeing lots of pictures of him and last year's super bowl ring.  Luckily one of my teacher team members called me up and invited me out to the peninsula for a night so I could perk up.

I think the peninsula is really big.  I say that based on the information I learned when I went to the Washington State History Museum.  But we stayed on a tiny peninsula on the big peninsula. Hansville, Washington to be exact.

Hansville is right on the Puget Sound (here's a map, Mom) and is easiest to get there by ferry, but I opted out of the ferry on the way there for two reasons.  One, I have no idea how to take the ferry with my car (glad I opted out of that one, did NOT know that you should put your emergency brake on.  My car could be in the bottom of the ocean right now).  Two, I figured it would be kind of good to drive around the Puget Sound and see what there is to see around there.  It's about twice the milage to go around the Sound in the car, but it's the same amount of travel time whether you take the ferry or drive around.  Plus you get to drive over the Narrows bridge and it's pretty cool.

Anyways, I drove there and I went the long way and there were lots of gorgeous lake views and Mount Rainier was out and SHE IS GORGEOUS, but I was driving so I don't have pictures of that.  I'm still a super distracted driver because things are so beautiful and I start staring and then I have to remember to pay attention.  I'm being safe, though.  Promise.

We crammed a lot of wandering into a little over 24 hours, and I learned a bunch of new things about Washington and Seattle.  Here is what happened day one.  I arrived around noon.

First, we hopped in a kayak and paddled out on the Puget Sound.

It was so peaceful!  There were no boats out, and the sky was split between clear skies and clouds (apparently that is very normal in this area because of some kind of rain divide.  You learn a lot about weather out here).

You could catch glimpses of the Olympic Mountains on the other side of the Sound as the clouds passed by and every once in awhile a little sea otter nose would peek out somewhere and then dip down underwater.  

On our way back into shore a huge flock of birds was flying around close to the water and swooped right past us, and as if that wasn't scary enough, they went ahead and turned around and then SWOOSHED at our faces and I was sure that I was going to need some kind of reconstructive face surgery.  Luckily they divided down the middle as they flew through us (I think...I don't really know because I closed my eyes and put my hands up in front of my face.  Protection.)

Then we made our way all the way back in without further incident.

Even with the clouds, it's gorgeous.

Next we took a short drive over to Point No Point, which is the first known lighthouse on the Puget Sound.  It was a bit less cloudy in that direction, so I got to enjoy some sunshine and sand and driftwood.

The cargo ship was coming in, but because of the current union negotiations, he won't be getting very far.  All of the cargo ships are anchored outside the Port of Seattle and every other port hanging out until they can be unloaded.

Back to Point No Point.  Here it is!  Very small.  There is a house next door that is used as a rental so you can actually stay here for the weekend.  It looks like the lighthouse is used throughout the year for events, but this is off season so it was all locked up.

We took a little walk around the beach and the trails surrounding the lighthouse.  The cargo ship continued to follow us along.

I had spied a little local nut shop on my way in, and learned that it was a pretty well known operation in the area, C.B. Nuts, but this was their only retail shop where the whole business began.  We stopped to check it out.  This business started when a guy went to Orioles-Mariners game in Baltimore and someone was selling peanuts outside the stadium, so he came back to the west coast and started a little peanut roasting business and started selling at the Mariners games.  There is an original dugout bench in this little shop from the Mariners original stadium.  They roast all the nuts right there in this little warehouse shop (the guy there was taking them in and out of the oven while we chatted) and they sell to other local places (Theo Chocolate uses these nuts in their chocolate bars!).  I left with a bag of freshly roasted peanuts.

Next we headed over to Port Gamble (Port Townsend?  I don't remember.) and checked out the little shopping street right along the coastline.  It all has a very coastal vacation feel but I live here!  It was about closing time so I didn't get to check it all out, but got to see where it was and everything to do for next time!

We stopped and grabbed some dinner on our way back to Hansville.  Lovely little day!