Sequim Daily Photo

. . .to know which way the wind blows.” – Bob Dylan

I saw this distinctive weathervane atop Mike’s Bikes in Sequim.

Continuing yesterday’s maritime theme, another Port Townsend go-to for any boater is the Northwest Maritime Center. The two building complex houses a boathouse, classrooms, library, a conference facility, and a pilothouse set up for learning navigation, communications, and vessel control. The Center opens onto a large plaza overlooking Port Townsend Bay and often displays beautiful wooden boats.

The Chandlery at the Maritime Center was our destination on this trip. Brass nails, to be exact. But we’ve found Stockholm tar and marine paint there and drooled over tools and fixtures. The shop fields calls from all over the U.S. and the manager included a call from the Carribbean in her list of calls the day we visited.

There is an excellent selection of books, a small cafe, boating togs, and a well-chosen array of gifts and art. Even if you’re not seaward bound, it’s an interesting place to browse.

On a sunnier day and a future trip I’ll snap some photos of the Center’s outdoor plaza and boats. It’s an attractive and impressive facility.

If you’re married to a mariner, as I am, you learn that places like this are catnip to a boater. I’ve learned to enjoy and appreciate the lines of a classic boat, and to keep myself occupied while my husband haunts marine supply depots. I took this rainy day view during a shopping trip for boat paint. Port Townsend is a center for boats and boating and there’s a boatyard that’s a hubub of haulout activity.

The Voyager, above, is hauled out for repairs. It is a purse seiner fishing boat, which means that it sets a net in a large circle on the top of the water. A rope around the net at its bottom is tightened to draw in the catch. The big block at the back of the boat pulls up the net.

In addition to working boats like the Voyager, Port Townsend is home to yachts, sailboats, and a population of people who live aboard various seagoing vessels. In the 1970s Port Townsend became the center for a West Coast renaissance of classic wooden boats and has hosted an annual Wooden Boat Festival since 1976.

Tomorrow I’ll take you on a visit to the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend.

Until last week I’d never seen anything quite like this. It is a tree spade used to transplant conifers and from what I’ve since learned, they can be used to move trees up to 35 feet high and 9 inches in trunk size. And I’d thought a two-person auger was a beefy piece of equipment!

This was parked in a church parking lot on Kitchen-Dick Road. I’ll have to wait to see if this spot is the home for a new tree.

I love planting trees. Have you ever planted any? What kind have you planted?

Cedars at Dungeness was named the best local golf course in last year’s “Best of the Peninsula” poll by the Peninsula Daily News.

I’m not a golfer, the but course looks well groomed and has beautiful views. A pro shop serves the golfer’s needs. There’s a bar and grill, Stymie’s, that serves good food all day and into the evening, and a restaurant, Cedars at Dungeness, for a more upscale dining experience.

The golf course and restaurants are another business venture of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. So, of course, there is a totem pole. This one includes – what else? – a golf club. And a golfer friend points out golfing references to eagles and birdies carved into the pole.

Our local knitting shop, A Dropped Stitch, is the go-to place for knitters and weavers. It’s a sweet little store located on Bell Street, filled with beautiful supplies and plenty of good cheer.

They offer classes and tech support. And there’s even a spot toward the back of the store where yarnheads can hang out, knit, and spin woolly tales.

This post reminds me of the cable scarf I’ve been working on for months. It sits in a semi-neglected basket, growing so slowly you’d think perhaps it was ignored in lieu of blog posts.

The Elks Lodge on Port Williams Road offers facilities for local events in addition to regular Elks functions. For instance, the Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society holds its very popular annual Wild Mushroom Show here. The Elks offer regular meals for the community and also share their RV facilities for a fee.

Tonight is Pub Night featuring steaks, shrimp, burgers and fries, fish and chips, salads, and reduced price beer and wine.