March 22, 2025 - Teamwork Is Everything

One of the many murals painted by the clubs, teams and classes that race through the Montlake Cut highlights the importance of working together through the technical steps of rowing - feathering, catch, drive, rhythm - that allows these 9 individuals to drive a 60 foot long, 3 foot wide, 220 lb shell (2200 lbs with rowers and coxwain) 13-15 mph for a mile and a quarter.

Today was the 124th Class Day Regatta for the University of Washington rowers.  At stake was pride and pins as the teams prepare themselves for the season.

March 8, 2025 - A Sign of Spring

At 47 degrees latitude, Seattle has one of the most extreme dark seasons in the continental US. Even after the third driest January on record, the city is ready to be done with the Big Dark.   

Fear not! Spring is near!  Tonight, we move the clocks forward.  Today there will be 11 hours and 33 minutes of daylight. Our first post 6pm sunset in several months occurred earlier this week.  The cherry blossoms are starting to show.  (The University of Washington peak cherry blossom is about two weeks ago.)  

The Husky Open, the first home rowing event of the year, is a reminder that Spring is just around the corner.  On a brisk, gray day, the UW Women's Rowing team competed against one another and a few Oregon State University and University of British Columbia boats.  After the 8s and 4s were completed, they rowed back to the Conibear Shell House, changed up lineups and raced again.  A full slate of junior and masters races for boys, girls, men and women from high schools and clubs rounded out the morning. 

       

November 19, 2022 - Fall Cut

 

A bright Saturday afternoon on the shores of the Montlake Cut.

November 22, 2014 - Still Sunset

An early sunset on a mild November Saturday afternoon brought streaks of pink and orange to the mostly still waters at the marina at the Seattle Yacht Club.  Still several hours from kick-off, the majority of 'sailgaters' haven't yet begun their trek under the Montlake Bridge to nearby Husky Stadium. 

December 2, 2012 - Bridging the Cut

  

The designer of the 344 foot long Montlake Bridge, Carl Gould, was one of the original architects of the University of Washington.  He incorporated a Gothic style similar to that of many of the buildings at the nearby university into the towers and elements of the double-bascule bridge that provides 48 foot vertical clearance for the boats that ply the ship canal below.  Provided it isn't during rush hour, vessels needing greater clearance may request that it be opened.

The US Army Corps of Engineers completed the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1917.  It joined Lake Washington with Lake Union and lowered the water level of Lake Washington nine feet.  Though piers and abutments for a bridge were put in place in 1914 as part of the construction of the canal, and plans for a bridge were drawn up in 1916, the bridge was not built until 1925.  The Montlake Bridge was the last of the four double-bascule bridges over ship canal to be built.  

In November of 1920, the University of Washington football team hosted a team from Dartmouth for the first game ever to be played at the newly built Husky Stadium.  A graduate manager for the team created a temporary bridge set on barges to allow football fans to attend without having to cross the University Bridge to the west.  Next September thousands of football fans will cross the 88 year old bridge on their way to the very first game of the newly renovated Husky Stadium.

Looking east down the ship canal to Lake Washington.