Ferry to Fort Worden

No heat in the trailer made for a pretty chilly morning. And we really weren't prepared for that. So before we hopped on the ferry over to Port Townsend, we took a quick trip back into Oak Harbor for a new battery. Once it was hooked up, we got into line.

Unfortunately, we didn't have reservations and our line didn't make it on board. So while we waited for the next boat, we made reservations for our trip back...

The sunshine and lack of wind, meant we could enjoy the short trip back to the mainland on deck taking in the view and watching seagulls torment the seals.

a different view of the campground at Fort Casey where we camped

and of Fort Casey State Park

and, of course, the mountain

While we thoroughly enjoyed the trip, Max did not. He did not like having to stay behind in the truck and he really didn't like the loud noises the ferry makes... :( 

So we went straight to Fort Worden State Park and let him out to run a bit while we waited for the Marine Science Center to open.

First we visited the aquarium/touch tank building for some hands-on learning about the animals that live along the north Washington coast. I have to confess that most of them didn't feel anything like we thought. And they were a bit more interactive than we expected...

 

The museum portion was on the other side of the street and contained some very interesting displays on whales, including baleen. To be honest, I was really surprised at what baleen is...

from the outside it looks like plates of cartilidge

on the inside, it's millions of tiny course hairs to filter out their food

I just had to take a picture of the homemade jellyfish lights hanging in the gift shop...

Then it was on to the Point Wilson lighthouse. It was activated on December 15, 1879 but then was moved to its present location in 1913. And after our disappointment at Lighthouse Point, this was much better... 

Most of the batteries at Fort Worden can only be reached by hiking to them. So first we visited the ones that were close to where we were...

We visited almost all of the many batteries that make up Fort Worden and were constructed between 1898 and 1907.

Battery Vicars was constructed in 1902 and its two 5" guns were sent to Europe in 1918... 

These old batteries are so much fun to explore with so many dark narrow passageways, stairs and empty rooms. Max didn't like the dark or the open stairs. He could not wait to get back on terra firma again... :( 

I also love all the rusty old bits...

Battery Kinzie was the largest of all the batteries at Fort Worden. A crew of 51 men was needed to load, aim and fire its gun. The gun carriage weighed more than 300 tons and could fire a 1000 pound armor-piercing projectile almost 8 miles!

it even had a view of the mountain

Memory's Vault was created to commemerate the Army Corps of Engineers that were housed at the site to build the artillery batteries. The vault that contained the plans are all that remain...

Batteries Randol, Quarles, Ash and Benson are all built in a curve at the top of the hill...

The brick used to line the powder storage room in order to keep it dry, has not fared well over the 100+ years...

But when you see all the rust, you realize why they needed the bricks...

Ladders, tunnels and passageways made these batteries extra fun!

this tunnel led to the command post

The Harbor Defense Command Post was built in 1943 at a cost of $95,508.76 and was manned 24/7 by the Navy until 1959...

this was the only thing completely closed to public access :( 

Battery Tolles was named after Captain Cornelius Tolles who died in 1864 from wounds received in action...

 But batteries aren't the only thing at Fort Worden. There are lots of beautiful buildings used as offices, businesses and rooms to stay in... 

All that hiking made us pretty hungry, so we drove back into Port Townsend to explore town a bit. The entire city is on the Historic Register and someday we want to go back and do the tour...

Before going out to Finnriver Cidery for dinner, we stopped by a place recommended at the tap house the night before: The Pourhouse. The beer was fine but the view from their patio seating was very nice. It's hard to believe a moon that huge still wouldn't be full for a couple of days... 

We were on the wrong side of the Olympic peninsula for much of a sunset and we headed back to camp after eating. Unfortunately, our new battery did not help our heating predicament and we spent another chilly night in the trailer... :(