Fire, Eagles, Seals and Mount Rainier

It never ceases to amaze me how many cool things happen on the water just around Gig Harbor. In all honesty, you don't need to travel to the San Juan Islands, Deception Pass, etc.. to find amazing sights and sounds.

Yesterday evening we headed out of Gig Harbor in our boat and noticed a fire on the west side of Pt. Defiance Park. We took off to view the fire and waited for the Tacoma Police and Fire boats to arrive. You can see Fort Nisqually as well in one of these pictures.

After the fire (and after the Police boat yelling/telling us to “GET BACK BAYLINER”), we headed around the point of Point Defiance and were overwhelmed with wildlife. There were at least eight Bald Eagles flying over head, at least 10 Harbor Seals swimming next to us and of course beautiful Mount Rainier was in full view the entire time.

Enjoy!

Tacoma Police and Fire boats

Tacoma Fire boat fighting fire below Fort Nisqually

Harbor Seal checking us out


Sunset over Gig Harbor


The Majestic Rainier


Immature Bald Eagle looking for food


Mature Bald Eagle with Pine Cones...

Tall Ships in Commencement Bay

We took a boat ride this afternoon/evening with friends. We took off out of Gig Harbor and headed to the Tacoma waterfront. After dinner, we headed into Commencement Bay to view the Tall ships that are in town for the next five days.
Here are some pictures from the evening.. (our favorite ship was the Virginia..shown here twice)


The Virginia

Tall Ship, Sunset and Olympic Mountains

The Virginia take 2

Young Pirates

Olympia Run

(Earlier photo)

Cindi and I decided on Thursday to take a boat ride to Olympia to visit our good friends the Fullington’s. We left the Gig Harbor at about 4:15PM on Friday afternoon and headed South. My nautical GPS was on the fritz so we just guessed on how to get to Olyimpia Harbor. It was a little confusing and I only had to “clarify” directions once with another boater.

We arrived in Olympia Harbor at about 6:00pm and had dinner downtown. We left Olympia Harbor at 8:00PM and made a bee-line for Gig Harbor. We ended up getting into Gig Harbor at about 9:45PM…Whew…

"What a blast!" I told Cindi as we were heading home at 30MPH with the sunset at our back and Mount Rainier in front of us….. “These are the days we dream of in February!”

Here are some pictures from our trip ....


Sail boat in Olympia Harbor with State Capitol in background.


Olympia Harbor



Mount Rainier



Olympia Police boat



3 masts after sunset in Gig Harbor

Images near Lake Tahoe

Hello,

Sorry for the delay in my postings. We had been visiting our family cabin near Lake Tahoe with our good friends the Hoffman’s. We had a blast just hanging out, hiking Lover’s Leap (http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/152435/lovers-leap.html) and Horsetail Falls (http://www.waterfallswest.com/waterfall.php?id=227) .....and visiting South Lake Tahoe.

Here are some shots!


Grossbeak off of our cabin porch


Some kind of Butterfly on Lover's Leap trail


Mark Hoffman scaling the cliffs on Horse Tail Falls trail




Red Wing Blackbird near Pope Beach



Anna's Hummingbird of our cabin deck


Rainbow Trout in Strawberry Creek

Rainbow Trout no longer in Strawberry Creek

Song Sparrow near cabin


White Headed Wood Pecker next to Strawberry Lodge

Fathers Day

Bald Eagle swooping in for Salmon...

It does not get much better than this. We had wonderful services today at church with over 30 baptisms (in a horse trough). It was truly an amazing experience.

After church, we took our boat out for a ride around the Gig Harbor area with our friends Andrea, Gunner and Juliana Erlenmeyer. It was (still is) beautiful weather today. My friend Steve Harlander also dropped of his Bazooka lens for me to try out while boating. Here are some shots from God’s amazing creation!

Enjoy!

p.s. If you want to view any of my pictures in a larger format, just click on the picture you want to view


Dancing Pigeon Guillemot

(Light house taken earlier in the week)

Bald Eagle on the hunt


Harbor Seal

Blake Island

Okay, I have decided that just posting pictures from Ray Nash Drive is really cramping my style. We continue to visit many cool places around the Pacific Northwest and I want to share some of my photographs with you.

That being said, Cindi and I headed out with my Brother Jim and his wife Judy to Blake Island today on our boat. Blake Island is about 20 miles north of Gig Harbor via boat. The trip was a blast and the wildlife was abundant.

Here are some shots from today’s trip..

Enjoy!

Cedar Waxwing


Sea Lion


Bald Eagle (taken by Cindi)


Sea Otter eating Eel


Columbia Black Tail Deer

Low Tide an Clams

We have had record low tides this week in the Puget Sound. This coupled with my brother and sister in law in town only means clam digging (and eating).