The End of the Trip with Final Stops at Olympia, Gig Harbor and back to Bremerton, WA (112NM)

The Captain had the idea to run down to Olympia, WA. That way he can say that we have done the entire Inside Passage. As far North as the boat could go to Skagway, AK and as far South to Olympia, WA. So that’s what we did in just over 4,000NM in about five months.

It has been an awesome and interesting adventure. A new boat, with new issues to be solved along the way. Now Independence II is back at her birthplace at Life Proof (Bremerton, WA) for a little R&R and some warranty work. The adventure will continue so stay tuned for ‘Engineering an Anchoring System’….an upcoming Captain’s Post…

A bit of a dreary day, with the sun getting weaker and a bit of cloud cover, but the water was lovely. The transit to Olympia brings us under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which crosses Puget Sound, connecting Tacoma with Gig Harbor. The two parallel suspension bridges have split construction dates; Westbound bridge opened in 1950 and the Eastbound bridge opened in 2007. The original bridge was famously nicknamed “Galloping Gertie” due to the ‘dance’ it did in very high winds that led to its collapse in 1940 (just months after it opened).

Yep…that’s a lot of miles…and yes, I can hear you…a lot of fuel!!!

Approaching Olympia and the guest dock at The Olympia Yacht Club

The gracious Olympia Yacht Club is reciprocal with SFYC. We stayed at their most convenient guest dock for two nights while we explored Olympia. Thank you OYC!!!

OYC has many boat sheds to protect their members boats during the winter months. It is an amazing warren of docks that is thankfully well-signed for the beginner.

Many boat shed owners have their own flair

Having a beer right next to OYC at the famous ‘Olympia Oyster House’. The Olympia oyster (Ostrea conchaphila) was overharvested in the late 1800’s and it was almost driven into extinction. Today, commercial shellfish farmers are working with tribes, local businesses, the State, and others to restore native stocks of Olympia oysters in Budd Inlet and other historic oyster grounds around Puget Sound. The Olympia oyster is still regarded as one of the rarest and most delicious oysters in the world. It is a small, sweet oyster that historically occurred in abundance in the South Sound. The first cargo ships that came to Olympia in the mid-1800’s came to pick up loads of Olympia oysters for shipment to San Francisco.

Nice evening light on the Washington State Capitol Building

Locals doing things in their city

Across the water at Port Plaza looking back at Independence II at the OYC guest dock

Port Plaza art walk sculpture “Cognitive Synergy” by William Frymier, inspired by M.C. Escher’s Hand with Reflecting Sphere.

Olympia City Marina

Looking up The Budd Inlet and considering the history of the Olympia

Metamorphosis Mosaic Mural by Jennifer Kuhns. A community-created public art installation, symbolizing personal and societal transformation…

…this one is about beer.

Time to get some culture with Scott and Saani. Let’s go tour the Washington State Capital building!!!

From the brochure: “Prior to American settlement, the Olympia area was known as “Cheetwoot” (the Black Bear place) by the Coastal Salish tribes.” By 1850 American settlers moved in and renamed the land ‘Olympia’. Shortly after Washington became a territory 1853, a wood-frame Capitol building was constructed on the current Capital Campus. In 1911 there was a competition and New York architects Walter Wilder and Harry White won. They constructed all the buildings on the Campus over the following three decades, completing The Legislative Building (above) in 1928. The dome is constructed from brick and sandstone and is the tallest masonry dome in North America, measuring 287 feet tall. The exterior sandstone came from quarries in Wilkeson, WA. The granite for the massive front steps came from New York.

The North Foyer/Main Entrance. The marble is from Alaska and all of the fixtures came from Tiffany Studios in New York.

The Rotunda Floor with its ornate 5-ton bronze chandelier containing more than 200 light bulbs. As the largest chandelier ever created by the artists of the Tiffany Studios in New York, it traveled west by train and was assembled and installed in the rotunda during the final stages of construction in 1928

The State Reception Room lined with Bresche Violet Marble from Italy. The room is used for formal state ceremonies, receptions and meetings. The floor is Bahamian teakwood laid in a herringbone pattern. It is normally covered by a large carpet designed by Mohawk Company of New York. It was the largest single-loomed carpet at the time of its installation. The carpet is only removed for ‘events’….I guess that was us!

Of course, the State Room Chandelier is a Tiffany Studio creation…I can’t recall the number of crystals, but you get the idea

Across the hall is the House Chamber with 98 Representatives and this is the Senate Chamber with 49 Senators. Washington operates a part-time “citizen legislature”. This means that the Representatives and Senators have regular jobs. The state’s system is designed to allow everyday citizens to participate in lawmaking rather than serving as full-time professional politicians…brilliant!!!

A windy, wavey ride to Gig Harbor…

…ends with sunny skies.

While in Gig Harbor we have a great visit with Mike and Beth Christ and their sweet dog

Back to Bremerton, WA

Time to pack-up

A visit to the new and improved Life Proof building - cool sign!

Gene helps Larry design new mattresses for the boat

Bye, bye Independence II…have a nice vacation…

Hello SFO…