Chimacum, WA - Mango Coffee Cake, Kelp Salad and the Monkey Puzzle

Even though we have some projects we still want to take some time to explore the area. But first it’s breakfast time. We ordered our regular breakfast and then we saw this mango coffee cake. Now, who could resist this? Not Gary and I.

Absolutely delicious. I had a hard time not taking some bites from Gary’s side. He’s such a gentleman that I’m sure he wasn’t eyeing my side. Yeah, right.

We’re suckers for old forts and Fort Flagler is on an island right next to the mainland where we’re staying. A few bridges and we’re there. We walked the cliff first where the forts were. Placed here to protect shipping through Puget Sound, they were pretty well fortified. Lots of tunnels connecting the gun emplacements - dark, filled with cobwebs and OOOH, what did I step on. Where’s our flashlight? Actually, we had two: Gary’s iPhone had a flashlight and I could shine my camera flash ahead. But - isn’t it more fun to do it in the dark? Hmmm.

Here’s one of the shell hoists where they put the shells stored in the ammunition room and then hoist it up to the actual gun on the cliff. Pretty good with the camera flash.

Lots of other connecting paths covered with a beautiful bush - nope, that’s an invasive species that is killing off all the native bushes and grasses.

Later we walked along the beach. Nice sitting log.

Funny - we saw some people with buckets scooping things out of the water. Several people had hip-high boots on, some had full suits from boots up to suspenders. What in the world were they doing? Not a clue. Most were too far out to ask and those on the shore were pretty busy. We didn’t want to interrupt them.

Later we walked through the campground with its marvelous views of the craggy peaks of the Olympic Range. Still snow covered in May. We actually hiked a bit up here last time we were in the area.

We could also see over to Port Townsend where we stayed the last time we were here - on the water where that white house is on the right.

When we were in the campground, I was walking by a guy standing by his 5th wheel.

        ‘Beautiful day’, I said.

        ‘Yeah, if only I didn’t have to fix all the problems I have.’

        OOPS, not a good day. I stopped and he told me all his problems. He’s got them fixed but he had to drive to the RV store twice. Then I asked abut the people on the shore with the buckets and the boots.

        ‘Ah, they’re Asians, my wife is out there, too. They’re collecting kelp. They dry it and then break it into little pieces. They put them in soups and salads and other foods.’

        ‘Oh’, I said, ‘how do you like it?’

        ‘Ummm, it’s a developed taste. I can take a little at a time.’

And, our questions were answered. Ya just gotta ask.

Back to the car through a 2-mile trail through the woods on the cliff. Surrounded by trees, birds chirping and no sounds but the sounds we were making.

Back at the car, we found this bird that sounded like the Hallelujah Chorus all by itself. (How come it’s hard to look up how to spell a word because you don’t know how to spell it?) I kept looking for other birds that were helping him. Nope, none. It was all this little bird.

Back at the campground, I posed with this tree called a Monkey Puzzle.

BTW, those little things sticking out from it - they were stiff and prickly. Ouch. I’m really not touching it.