Finished up the laundry yesterday afternoon and packed up the truck and took off for Alki Point just south of Seattle. The plan was to go and get some pictures of the last lighthouse in the area that I didn't have any of. My GPS routed me along the edge of Puget Sound for a good portion of my trip, and people were out in droves enjoying the warm sunny weather. The beaches along the point were full of sunbathers, volleyball players and people just strolling up and down the sidewalk and along the shore.
   I finally found the lighthouse, just about where the GPS said it would be, but then had to drive about a half mile before finding a place to park the truck. But as I said, it was a nice day for a walk so I didn't mind all that much. Of course once I got to the entrance to the lighthouse grounds I found that it was closed to the public now. They evidently run lighthouse tours during the summer tourist season, but the rest of the year it is closed off as the district commander for the Coast Guard, some Rear Admiral, actually has his residence there in the old Keeper's house. Actually a kind of romantic notion, using the old grounds and buildings like that, but why he would want to keep hoards of people off his lawn and from peeping into his windows is beyond me. :)
   With that being said... and not letting it deter me, I proceeded to snap pictures of the keepers house and what I could see of the grounds from the front gate. I then preceded down the hill until I found a public entrance driveway for several houses that lead back towards the lighthouse. By walking down it you could finally come to a 6' high chain link fence and actually see the lighthouse in the distance. The only thing you could really see though was the lantern tower sticking up over the roof's of some of the surrounding support buildings. Or at least you could if you had a long enough telephoto lens to look through and snap the picture. I of course didn't, having left mine back in the truck when I started out.... so back to the truck I went, changed lenses and walked back for my pictures. They aren't great pictures, but good enough given the circumstances.
    I spent a couple hours there along the beach just hanging out, reading a book and watching the boats go by. I had an appointment at 5:00 though to be over at my niece's house for dinner with here and the family. So I finally packed up once again and got on the road.
    A.J. lives in a wonderful house, high on a hill overlooking the sound. She and her husband, Steve, have a view that one could enjoy for hours and hours. So that is what we did. We did take a little time to 'climb' down the stairway that leads from their yard to the edge of the bay, but we only stayed down there for 30 minutes or so. We much rather preferred the comfort of their deck, with its big comfy chairs, spectacular view and cold beer and snacks.
    Their view out over the bay includes this huge fir tree just down the hill from them. It looks like it may have been hit by lightening at one time and had several feet of the top of it blasted away. But it stands perfectly silhouetted against the back drop of the deep blue water, and later, the rich warm colors of the setting sun. It was a real joy to sit there for an hour or so and drink in all that beauty of the sunset over Puget Sound.
   Besides being a great photo subject that old tree has also been home to a pair of bald eagles that have fledged little eaglet's in their nest for the past 6-7 years. Unfortunately  one of the main support limbs for the nest broke off this last summer, and this years young eagle fell out and died. Everyone is hoping that the eagles will come back next year again and find some way to rebuild their nest.
    Andrea, Steve and one of their son's, Matthew, made a wonderful dinner for us all of grilled Bar-b-Que ribs, stir fried veggies and biscuits. Wash it all down with a glass of Washington wine and you have the makings of a nice meal.
   I stayed another hour or so after we ate and we sat around just talking. Got a chance to really get to know Steve, having never met him before today. He seems like a real nice guy and he and Andrea look to be pretty well matched as a couple.
   Back to the trailer after all of that. It being somewhat late and all, it only took 25 minutes or so to make it back to Esmerelda. Finished up a batch of pictures after that and watched a few more episodes of the 'Beverly Hillbillies' and then went to bed. Enjoy the photo's below.

Bush Point Lighthouse on Whidbey Island Washington

Oct 3, 2014

As you can see from the sign this lighthouse, Bush Point Lighthouse is located on private property now, so no going in and getting any close ups of it. I could still point the camera down the driveway though and get at least a couple of pictures from this direction. As you can see it isn't one of the more photogenic lighthouses anyway.

One more view from a slightly different angle.

And finally; one shot from the deck overlooking Puget Sound. A person could come to like having this view all the time. Note the eagles nest just down from the top of the tree.

brk*