Tag Archives: Kingston

On and Off the Ferries

While mum was visiting, we took a trip across to Bainbridge Island. We went across from Seattle to Bainbridge and then returned via Kingston to Edmonds. For now obvious reason, I decided it might be interesting to video the boarding and unloading process from the ferries as we drove the car on and off. I thought the Insta360 would be a good idea for this since it would record a full sphere and I could decide on the editing afterwards without having to worry about which direction the camera was facing while I drove the car. I opened the sunroof of the car and had mum hold it out of the roof.

A little editing back at home to pan and zoom around and the video below was the result. Not exactly a thrill a minute video but more something to have to remember the ferries by should we move away at some time. I have taken more than my fair share of photos of the ferries along with the occasional video so this can go with the larger collection.

Cormorants Aplenty on a Ferry Trip

Leave a reply

Time for another cormorant related post today. When taking the ferries on the various routes around Puget Sound, the infrastructure at the terminals is often popular with the cormorants. This can mean that you can get quite close to them while on the ferry without them getting spooked. They are also coming and going with some frequency so takeoffs and landings are common, and they will often fly quite close to the ferry.

On this trip, the angle of the light to the terminal was in my favor and I was able to get a few close-up views of the birds. There was still some ironwork in the way of a totally clean shot, but not enough to ruin the images. They also obliged by flying around at convenient times when I was ready to get an image and I got some of the better shots that I have taken of cormorants in recent years.

Elwha Looks Rough in Storage

2 Replies

After a trip out one weekend, we were heading home and waiting for the ferry at Kingston. We had a bit of time before our ferry was due in, so I was stretching my legs around the terminal. To one side of the main loading ramps, an old ferry was in storage. This is the Elwha. Apparently, after a large amount of corrosion issues were identified, it was decided to retire the ferry rather than repair it. It was laid up in Kingston and I don’t know what the future holds for it.

I think it must have been sitting there for a while now. The name has been painted over but far more conspicuously, the sides of the ship are looking really scruffy. One end of the upper superstructure must be in the shade most of the time as it has developed a lot of lichen growth. It looks like it could have quite an ecosystem developing there. I imagine there will be a plan for disposal at some point but, until that time, I wonder just how it will end up looking.

Waiting for the Ferry at Kingston

Leave a reply

On our way home from Port Townsend, we took the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds. We got there just as one ferry was leaving so we were safely guaranteed a space on the next one. Rather than sit in the car, I walked down to the overlook of the water so I could see what was moving out on the water. In the end, it was mainly watching the ferry that had just left as it headed away and then looking out for our ferry as it made the crossing and approached. I was quite surprised how few people came to have a look given that it was a lovely day and there were loads of cars waiting to board!

Cormorants on the Dock

Leave a reply

How long is it since I have had a cormorant post? Too long, that’s how long. Taking trips on the ferries means you can get quite close to the cormorants on the pilings in the water alongside which the ferries berth. Of course, whenever they are close by, I don’t have a camera to hand. One part of the dock did have a ton of them resting on it so, given my recent dearth of cormorant shots, I felt I had to do it.