July, 2025
Today was my last day here. Today was a sweet day. My gosh, I sure didn’t want to go home. It felt like “home” right here. I’ll be here just one more night, tonight, and then I’ll head home in the morning with Towhee the Trailer in tow behind the big white truck. I have laundry to do, bills to pay, and house/home chores to attend to.
So this morning, the morning of my last full day here, I took a drive out into the country, out past downtown Port Townsend, out past all those historic homes, and out into the farmland to the north and the west of Port Townsend where people just live their lives and aren’t troubled by the tourist industry or the wooden boat industry in Port Townsend. It was a quiet, peaceful drive among handsome and comfortable homes, rich farmland, creeks, and luscious woodlands. I took lots of photos, but I’ll share photos of just one place I drove past … the Wilderbee Lavender Farm. It smelled delicious!!! Even before I got there!
Unfortunately, it was closed on the day I drove past, but I definitely rolled down my windows and enjoyed that heavenly scent of lavender.
I continued west and north around this point of land. I’d never been here before and really enjoyed the back country roads. And then I found a special place … I found a small road that led to a public beach access. There was just one TINY sign, but rest assured I can read and follow tiny signs. 🙂 It was “North Beach County Park”.
I parked and then walked all around, in the grassland just above the beach, and then I wandered up and down the beach, and enjoyed the sunshine and the views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and yes there were a few other people here, mostly local folks who knew this place and who were out on this gorgeous day with their kids and/or their dogs. I chatted with a few folks and their dogs, really nice folks, and dogs. In the video below, looking to the right was Whidbey Island … and then to the left across the water, way in the distance, was Canada’s Vancouver Island.
Eventually, I headed back to my campsite at the Point Hudson Marina/RV park at the north end of Port Townsend. I had a bite of lunch and then pulled my chair out to the rocks and just sat and watched the world and the boats go by.
Oh, but just then I heard some loud engine noise behind where I was sitting, it was inside the marina. Guess I better get out of my chair and go check it out. 🙂
You might remember the photo of the commercial day-cruiser boat RED HEAD a few blog posts ago. Well RED HEAD has a permanent mooring spot right here in the Point Hudson Marina. That engine noise I heard was RED HEAD starting up. She had a boat-load of tourists on board and they were heading out for an afternoon cruise through parts of the San Juan Islands, likely to see some whales or Orcas. What interested me was how easily and quickly the boat turned completely around in such a small space.
RED HEAD obviously has two engines (twin engines we call that), so one engine can be put in forward gear, and the other engine is put in reverse, to help spin the boat by moving the stern of the boat from side to side. This RED HEAD also has a bow-thruster which moves the front of the boat from side to side. She can quite literally turn on a dime. My old wood boat Redhead had twin engines, but no bow thruster. Nevertheless, I learned to spin my boat around almost as quickly as this RED HEAD could. Fun to watch!
Turn your sound on … and be prepared for a LOUD honk of the horn just before RED HEAD leaves the marina. Every boat is supposed to do that, honk their horn, before heading into the narrow entrance channel (outbound or inbound), to warn other oncoming boats.
And then RED HEAD was free of confinement … and off she went … full speed ahead! 🙂
After all of that roaring and honking and speeding and such, I walked back to my chair by the beach, by the rocks (sigh how wonderful), and simply watched other peaceful and quiet things going on out there on the water. Here’s a link to a music video that I often play when I want peace. You might like it too. It’s quiet music along with a warm crackling fireplace. Although it is a video, I usually start it playing and then I minimize the window and simply have the sound of the music and the fireplace in the background of whatever else it is that I’m doing. Keep your sound turned on, click on this LINK and let yourself relax. Listen to it for a minute, then let it keep playing as you come back here to see the last few photos.
This was such a beautiful day here at Port Townsend, with such calm water!
Just to the south of the marina was this pier and dock (below), with small rowing boats and small sail boats.
Young children (and their adults) were taken out on the water on a calm day in those boats for a fun time.
And, still, those sailboats in the photo below were looking for more wind, not to be had today. Seems sailboats are always looking for more wind … or LESS wind!
And then there were the many small rowboats out and about ……. pull, pull, pull, pull. It’s always the person at the stern of the boat that sets the pace.
Ahhh …… one last PULL! And then relax.
Below is a photo of my trailer and truck taken from where I was sitting out by the rocks and the beach. What was also spectacularly wonderful during the week I was here was that two friends of mine were also camped nearby in their Escape trailer. When they realized what a perfect campsite I had, they came to visit every day, every afternoon, brought their dinner, stayed into the evening. I loved it. They were not intruding. The three of us usually sat right there in front of my trailer with the open door … sat and talked, or napped, or ate, or walked around, or just watched the world go by.
The view from where we were sitting was spectacular.
Photo above … looking east (to the left) across Whidbey Island and then to Three Fingers, that mountain with three peaks in the photo above. Here in Washington State we have BIG mountains … Rainier (Mt. Tahoma), Baker, Adams, Glacier, St. Helens (well it’s not so tall anymore after it erupted), Shuksan, Mount Terror, Mount Olympus, Put-lush-go-hap, etc. That list is just off the top of my head, we have huge mountains here, most of them still volcanoes. Three Fingers, at about 6,900 feet (do I remember that correctly?) is a small mountain hereabouts. And yet it has snow and ice on it year-round. If I remember correctly, there are about 100 mountains in Washington that are taller than Three Fingers. We love our mountains. 🙂
And, eventually, the sun began to settle into the west. My friends had left their campsite and headed home this morning. So I spent a quiet evening here, watching the world. What a special day, and a special week.
The next morning, Friday, I hitched up the trailer to the truck and headed home, driving south down the road along the west side of Hood Canal, my favorite drive.
With Towhee the Trailer safe and snug in her home spot, I headed home to my safe and snug home spot too. And yet … and yet … I surely do look forward to another camping trip to Point Hudson, especially if I can get that same campsite!
On the other hand, there are more camping places that I have yet to visit and more adventures to enjoy. So let me stay home for a couple of weeks while I plan my next adventure (and do my laundry). I so much appreciate everyone’s comments here. Sure I love my travels, but they wouldn’t be the same without you folks being part of them. It is “social” media after all, so please comment, question, suggest, advise, tell a joke, wonder, and walk through life with me and with each other. I’m so glad you are here. Sleep tight. 🙂 Peace.
Oh I love that lavender, I can smell it through the computer! 🙂
Of course you would smell the lavender, Ruby. 🙂 I knew you would. It was so delicious, wasn’t it? 🙂
Spectacular week. I love the beach video, have never seen the ocean, ok now maybe I have. 🙂
Oh yes, that was/IS the ocean. Isn’t it gorgeous? And you have now been there. Makes me smile, Nevada. 🙂 You have seen the ocean!
Fun stuff. Those rowers were great … pull, rest, pull, rest!
🙂 Yes, pull, rest, pull, rest … kind of like life, eh? Nice comment Nebraska, thank you.
The other M talks about getting a kayak or canoe for us to get exercise and have fun. That row boat looks like work! Guess I better agree to a kayak or canoe quick, ha! Really nice week you had here, Ann, thanks for sharing it.
Oh hey, M, you might want to listen to the other M. Yes rowing is “exercise” and “work” but it’s also a lot of fun and you see great stuff and meet really nice people. Do it and then report back here ok? I’d love to know how that worked for the two of you. You could be an inspiration to others! 🙂
Sure hope you get back here again and get that same campsite. What a great week and an excellent campsite. Loved the beach video. And the views from your campsite, what an amazingly wonderful spot. We love your photos, thank you!
You are so welcome, Marge. I love that you are here along on the journey with me, really appreciate your comments all these years. I’m hoping for that same campsite too in the near future, keep your fingers crossed.
How sweet. I always learn something. I always smile. I don’t always comment but I absolutely love what you share with us. Favorite photos … the one with the shadow on the ground from the sun setting behind you … and my most favorite is the photo of your trailer and truck, the one with the trailer door open that shows where you and your friends would sit outside and enjoy the world and each other. You bring me peace.
I love your comments Sesapa. Thanks for being here. If you are ever in the neighborhood, you will always be welcome at Towhee the Trailer. Here’s to peace to you, and to all of us. Thank you.
I’ve been up on Three Fingers, not to the top of any of them but close. That was cool to see them. And yes, they aren’t the tallest mountain around but Washington does have a huge amount of mountains. Rainier is the tallest (or second tallest) in the continental USA, depends on snowfall each year. Washington mountains are spectacular. Ok, and the waters of Puget Sound are too. 🙂
Wow, you’ve been up there?!? Sure, I know that’s not the tallest mountain around but it’s STEEP and, from what other friends of mine say, it’s pretty much unscalable, inaccessible. Really appreciate your comment and knowledge, Steve, thank you.
I have neighbors who row a boat for fun and exercise. It seems a good thing to do. Beautiful photos of your time in Port Townsend. Our favourite photos were the two rowing photos, great timing on those two shots, and the photo of your trailer with the door open and your truck standing by, so homely. My pals and I always look forward to our evening together and looking at your blog. Many thanks.
I so like that you and your pals read along here, Henry. You fellows are the best! And, just to make sure our friends here in the USA know … the word “homely” in England means comfortable and homey and cozy here in the USA. I very much like that you and your pals are here, Henry, thank you!
I would never have realized how RedHead turned around like that…they made it look effortless. And how fun it was to have Towhee peek at us from YouTube!
Staying several days in your trailer, do you pack food while you are loading up at home, or do you do some shopping at the market once you are there? I guess you’ve had enough trips to make it last til the end of your time… but what about ice cream?
I loved the video with a cozy fire AND cozy music, our world needs more of that!
Yes, RED HEAD does that two or three times every day … leaving AND coming back into the marina … nothing to it, piece of cake.
Ah, food, well, usually I pack all my food because I’m not usually right next to a town with a large food supply, or I’m going somewhere that I’m not sure does have a good food supply for sale. But when I’m near a town like Port Townsend, yes, I do buy food locally in order to support the local community. Ah ice cream, well, that’s available pretty much everywhere. 🙂
Yes, more cozy and peaceful music please, more peace for everyone.
Loved every minute. Wonderful photos. I too liked that photo of your trailer and truck, with the trailer door open, so warm and cozy.
June, that’s actually one of my very favorite photos of all of my camping trips. So I like that you like it too. 🙂 Such a warm snuggly feeling.
I get attached to many of my camping sites. Very often I’m sad to leave. When I had Katie with me it was even harder because she NEVER wanted to leave ‘her’ site. She’d get so mad when I would start packing up. She’d turn her back and go under the picnic table. When everything was in the car and she was the only thing left I’d say “Well, I guess if you want to stay here you can, but I have to go.” And she’d run out from under the picnic table and let me put her in the car. Silly girl. I sure miss her.
Oh Katie was so smart. She knew! I like that you listened to her, and gave her voice importance. She sure was a sweetheart.
Well I’ve really enjoyed your time in Port Townsend, and learning a fair bit more about boats too. Feels like our visit was very fleeting, but you’ve enriched the whole visit for me. I do hope we don’t have to wait another two weeks for you to post again!
It has been so great to know that you folks were there in Port Townsend a few years ago and enjoyed it as well, and so got to re-visit it with me. That was special. And no, ha!, you won’t have to wait two weeks for another post, I just say stuff like that when I’m talking purely about camping trips. We don’t have snow this year, like you folks do, but I’ll find something to share by this coming Friday, bet your boots. 🙂