View from Port Townsend Ferry

A group of us took the ferry to Port Townsend for a photography jaunt.  The return ferry had to head farther west than usual to avoid a freighter.  I was glad as my favorite Mt. Baker came into view over Fort Casey, with the Admiralty Head Lighthouse on the right and the officer housing (Camp Casey) on the left.  It doesn't take long for the smog to accumulate, as can be seen by the bands of it above the mountain.

Mt. Erie View

This is a recent view from the top of Mt. Erie, on Fidalgo Island.  It is easy to drive to the top and enjoy the various views.  In the distance is Mt. Baker which has finally lost much of its winter snow.  In the foreground is March Point and a refinery.

Cloud Show

The clouds put on a show this morning.  I first noticed a contrail.  I wonder what the pilot forgot.

As I wandered around the neighborhood I continued to see unusual cloud formations.

  Was it the Jet Stream?

I was amazed at the layers of clouds, often going in different directions.

The scene would be changing moment by moment as the clouds pushed through.

No matter which direction I turned, the clouds were very unusual.

We rarely have these.

I hope you were able to get out and see some of these. 

By noon the sky was clear.  All the clouds had moved through... that is, until late in the afternoon when we had the threat of thunder showers.

Sunset Waves

The sunset wasn't all that exciting last night but I wanted the drive to the beach to be worth the time.  The tide was in at Libbey Beach so I had to shoot from above.  This is an 18mm shot, 1/4 second exposure at f 4.0.  It's always fun to experiment.

Rosario, Deception Pass State Park, Fidalgo Island

Another part of Deception Pass State Park that is very popular is Rosario Beach.  It is on Fidalgo Island and has great views and awesome tidepools.

There are many well defined trails.  Some of them are close to rocky bluffs so families with small children should use caution.

Sea of Fog from Goose Rock, Whidbey Island

I was at the top of Goose Rock, in the Deception Pass State Park, around 1 pm.   While the fog had lifted inland, towards the San Juan Islands the fog was thick.  I was taken with how the fog swirled around Deception Island.

A few hours later this was Deception Island as seen from the Deception Pass Bridge.

Moods of a Tree

I had been hunting for a solo tree for some time.  I was surprised to find this one right above the public library parking lot, a parking lot I use a couple of times a week.  This morning was very foggy.

What a difference the night before near the time of sunset, the "golden hour."

Mt. Baker from Cornet Bay, Whidbey Island

I took the trail from a small group camp parking area near North Beach, under SR 20, to Cornet Bay.  Near the trail end at the environmental learning center, the trail branches to the north with views of Mt. Baker and Cornet Bay.

Flowers from my sister's garden

I was invited to take some photos of her lily but I was captured by her roses as well.  She has the green thumb of the family.

Car Show Self Portraits

The North Whidbey Rotary Car Show was on yesterday.  I found the deep finish on the cars to be a fun way to get a self portrait.

Hubcaps work well too.

Dragonfly and Another

I came across this dragonfly the other day.

I also caught this bug on a cucumber leaf.  I tried to find a name, but there are so many bug pictures online...

Cucumber Plant Art

A photographer is always looking for unusual patterns of light or lines in objects, such as curves.  This morning the cucumber plants caught my eye.

I love the detail that can be achieved with my Nikon.

Langley, Whidbey Island, Washington

Langley is located near the southern end of Whidbey Island.

The town is very picturesque and is a favorite tourist destination.

There is a wonderful beach walk.

The town also has a small boat harbor.  Langley is another of the beautiful places to visit on Whidbey Island.

Double Bluff, Whidbey Island

This state park is located southwest of Freeland on Whidbey Island.  When the tide is out the Useless Bay Tidelands are hundreds of feet wide.  The 24,354 foot stretch of beach includes a two mile long Double Bluff Beach Off-Leash Area.  Double Bluff has stunning views of Mt. Rainier, the Seattle skyline, the Olympic Peninsula, and shipping lanes.  The park includes a picnic area, viewing benches, rest rooms and a rinse station. 

This is the view from Lancaster Road, about a mile from the beach.
In both of these photos, one can just barely see the Space Needle on the horizon at the right edge of the scene.

Red Tide, Freeland, Whidbey Island

I had heard of "red tide" but this was my first time seeing it.  These photos are from the boat launch and park at Freeland.  I was amazed but the locals said it happens a few times a year.

The "red tide" is the common name for an algal bloom.  The algae acummulate rapidly and contain photosynthetic pigments that vary in color from green to red.