May 31, 2011 - USS Arizona Memorial

The flag on the mainmast as viewed from inside of the USS Arizona Memorial in a picture taken in August of 2006.  Today marks the 49th anniversary of the dedication of USS Arizona Memorial.  The memorial marks the final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 USS Arizona sailors killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 and has come to represent all that died in the attack.  Most of the sunken remains of the battleship lie just below the surface of the water.  The 184 foot long white, rectangular concrete memorial sits perpendicular across the ship without touching it.  The structure's sag in the middle has been described by its architect, Alfred Preis, to represent the nation's sadness of the attack.  The ends stand strong and vigorous and represent ultimate victory.  More than one million people visit the memorial annually. 

On a wall in which are engraved the names of those that died in the attack is also engraved this:
To the memory of the gallant men here entombed and their shipmates who gave their lives in action on December 7, 1941 on the USS Arizona.

It seems hard to comprehend now, but the legislation authorizing the memorial required that it be privately financed.  While $200,000 was eventually subsidized by the government, private funding came from a variety of sources including a benefit concert by Elvis Presley, a contribution from the Territory of Hawaii, sales of plastic models of the battleship by the Revel company and even $95,000 that were raised following a This is Your Life television segment on the senior surviving officer from the USS Arizona.

May 21, 2011 - Slug Bug

One doesn't have to be a car enthusiast to recognize, even from just this view, that the simple hubcap and front fender belong to a Volkswagen Beetle.  This happens to belong to a 1969 model in fantastic condition.  The very recognizable design of the two door, four cylinder, rear-located, rear wheel drive automobile originates pre-WWII, but it wasn't until after the war that full-scale production of the "Type 1" began.  The one millionth vehicle came off of the assembly line less than 10 years later in 1955.  Under the post-war dismantling plans for Germany the Volkswagen factory was to have been shipped to Britain.  However, no one wanted it.  It was reportedly determined by British authorities that the vehicle did not meet the technical requirements of a motor car and that it was quite unattractive to consumers.  Instead the factory was rebuilt to produce cars for the British military.  The Beetle has been built under license by VW in countries that include Mexico, Brazil, Ireland and Thailand.  On July 30, 2003 Beetle number 21,529,464 rolled off an assembly line in Mexico ending an unprecedented 58 year production run.  The car above would have cost about $1800 new and it would have taken you a little less than $4.00 to fill up the 11 gallon tank.

May 19, 2011 - Deadliest Catch

The Seattle Fisherman's Memorial is located at Fisherman's Terminal in Seattle.  At the base of its towering stone column, which is topped with a bronze sculpture of a commercial fisherman and his catch, the bounty of the sea is represented in bronze.  "Dedicated October 8, 1988 as a tribute to the men, women and families, and the members of the fishing communtity who have suffered the loss of life at sea."  Some 675 names of local commercial fishermen and women are in bronze plaques around the base of the monument.  On the first Sunday in May, a memorial is held to honor those who have died at sea.  Unfortunately, new names are added to the plaques almost annually.

May 15, 2011 - Leick Light, Fog and Sans Fog

Special effects.....just fog up your lens with your breath!

The Mukilteo Light Station has been in operation since March 1, 1906.  If you've seen a lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest, chances are it was designed by Carl Leick of the United States Lighthouse Board.  The 38 foot high lighthouse located next to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal is no exception.  The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.  The property was turned over to the City of Mukilteo in 2001, but the light, with its unique flash sequence of 2 seconds on, 3 seconds off, is still maintained as a navigational aid by the US Coast Guard.  The lens of the light was originally made in France in 1852, and was installed here when the station converted to electricity in 1927.

May 15, 2011 - What a Pane!

Taking pictures when it is gray and/or raining can be a challenge...a real pain!  I gave up and settled for a picture of the water droplets themselves on the window of the ferry Cathlamet as it left the Clinton ferry terminal.

May 11, 2011 - Murmuring Waters

Rain. A fountain. A water feature.  If the rain wasn't enough, the International Fountain (in the background) and the Fountain of Seseragi are very visual reminders that the Pacific Northwest is a water culture.  The cool, wet, gray day (or the fountain and water feature) didn't seem to dampen the spirit of the dozens of  kids on a school field trip running around Seattle Center.

The Fountain of Seseragi by Gerard Tsutakawa was installed in 2000.  Seseragi, or "murmuring waters", is a bronze sculpture featuring a terraced fountain with v-shaped troughs.  The two streams of water gently converge and circulate as one.  It is located on the South side of the Intiman Theatre.  If you've attended a Mariner's game at Safeco field you've likely seen Mr. Tsutakawa's 9 foot high bronze sculpture "Mitt".

May 8, 2011 - Under the Dock

As viewed from under the Clinton ferry terminal, the 328 foot ferry M/V Cathlamet approaches the dock at Clinton on the southern end of Whidbey Island   One of six Issaquah-class ferries it was built in 1981 and refitted in 1991.  It carries about 124 vehicles on each 20 minute crossing between the Mukilteo on the mainland and Clinton.  On a typical weekday the Cathlamet and her sister vessel, Kitsap, will make 21 round trips between the two points beginning at 4:40am and the last run leaving Clinton at 12:30am. 

Washington State Ferries, with 21 vessels, operates the largest fleet in the US.  There are three classes of ferries larger than the Issaquah-class, with the largest class being 460 feet in length.

May 8, 2011 - To Life

"To Life" a bronze sculpture by Sharon Spencer is located at tiny Clinton Beach Park on Whidbey Island adjacent to the ferry dock was installed in 2006.  Ms. Spencer's studio is also located on Whidbey Island

May 5, 2011 - Float a Boat All Can Afford

The South Lake Union neighborhood north of Seattle's downtown has seen some significant changes in the last several years. Office buildings that house organizations such as Amazon.com and the University of Washington have added a significant amount of office space to the Seattle market.  The Lake Union Park has undergone a similar facelift with the addition of landscaped grounds, pedestrian bridge, restored shoreline and a dock for historical maritime vessels such as the 1889 tug boat Arthur Foss, the 1921 steamer Virginia V, ( The last of the "mosquito fleet", the precursor to the current Washington ferry system) and the 1904 lightship Swiftsure.  Additionally a model boat pool will allow you a place to sail the (model) boat of your dreams without the expense.  Located next to the park is the Center for Wooden Boats, a museum dedicated to maritime history in the Pacific Northwest.


May 4, 2011 - Frisbee Golf Legend Flies Away

The Seattle Times reported today that 10-time world disc-golf champion and local Frisbee legend, Ralph Williamson recently passed away following a battle with cancer.  Mr. Williamson picked up the sport in the late 1960s and at one point took a year off of work at Boeing to compete around the world!  He has a public museum of some 4,000 flying dics in his Seattle area home. 

Frisbee golf uses the basics of golf, but the only equipment needed is a Frisbee or other flying disc.  (However, the more experienced players have different discs for different shots just as a golfer has different clubs.)  The 'holes' are metal chain baskets as pictured above.  There are two courses within the Seattle city limits that are busy around the year.  There are about 24 courses within an hour's drive of the city.  This picture is of hole 12, (a short par 3 with significant elevation gain) at the Terrace Park course located north of Seattle in Mountlake Terrace.  Courses can cover as little as a few acres of land to some that sprawl across over a hundred acres.  Par three holes are typically 200-300 feet  There is reportedly some 2,400 courses nationwide. 

A market for flying discs, originally a pie tin, were sold as toys as early as the late 1930s.  Following WWII models utilizing plastics began to emerge.  These early models had names  such as "Flying-Saucer", "Whirlo-Way" or "Pluto Platter".  The patent was sold to Wham-O in 1957 and in a marketing ploy the name was changed to "Frisbee", as college students were already calling their Pluto Platters by that name.  The name Frisbee originated from the Frisbie Pie Company.  While flying discs started as a toy, in the early 1960s a sport soon evolved around the discs and their popularity soared.  The International Frisbee Association (IFA) was formed and governed standards for competitions such as freestyle, distance, and guts.  When the founder of the IFA passed away his remains were cremated and incorporated into the materials of frisbees and given away to family and friends.