Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a scenic little town about 17 miles from our spot on Marrowstone Island. I always enjoy wandering around there. One of its claims to fame is that the movie 'Officer and a Gentleman' was filmed in and around it. In the movie, the building above was a bar where Richard Gere got into a fight (funny the things that stick in my memory).

Port Townsend has lots of interesting shops and restaurants as well as marinas, an RV park, and a huge boat repair facility. Ferries could be seen coming and going throughout the day, while sailing school seemed to be a big hit with the kids. Their little sailboats seem so tiny, but then again so were the kids.

Wooden boats are another of Port Townsend's claim to fame. There is a huge boatyard with wooden boats both small and huge undergoing maintenance and renovation. One place that we found particularly fascinating was Pygmy Boats.

We had been by there several years ago and admired the kayaks and canoes on display. They're real works of art.

This time we were able to speak to one of the people working at Pygmy Boats. She explained that what we were seeing were demos and not available to buy since what they sell are kits to make the boats yourself. They're made of plywood panels covered with fiberglass cloth and a clear resin. Everything is included in the kit, which was voted the best kayak kit and the best wooden boat kit. We asked the price of one of the smaller kits and it was roughly $1,000. They have an informative website at   http://www.pygmyboats.com

Fort Worden is a Washington State Park that is adjacent to Port Townsend and worth a visit as well. It was originally built as a U.S. Army installation to protect the Puget Sound in the early 1900s. There are some nice beaches, an RV park, and lots of hiking trails. The picture above shows the lighthouse and outer buildings with Mt. Baker in the distance, about 65 miles away. The barracks area and officer's quarters have been preserved and are now used for conferences and rentals. Back to 'Officer and a Gentleman' again with Richard Gere's barracks and the parade grounds.

From Mystery Bay to Port Townsend, about 17 miles, an easy day trip.